December 1, 2016
Rural areas hit hard
By Jerry W. Kram
The winter storm that leisurely swept through the countryside was hard enough on the communities of the Bakken, but the effects are going to be even longer lasting in the rural areas of the county, said Mountrail County Ag Agent Jim Hennessy.
The biggest problem for farmers and ranchers is that the ground was warm when the storm began, Hennessy said. Now underneath a foot or two of snow is a surface that is slick with mud. Farmers and ranchers trying to clear their yards and access their pastures are finding it slow going.
“Everything around here is wet and sticky,” Hennessy said. “It’s wet underneath and tough to move. Skid-steer and small tractors trying to move the snow just spin out. I was trying to move some snow in front of the county fair building and it was tough going.”
The biggest problem for farmers and ranchers is that the ground was warm when the storm began, Hennessy said. Now underneath a foot or two of snow is a surface that is slick with mud. Farmers and ranchers trying to clear their yards and access their pastures are finding it slow going.
“Everything around here is wet and sticky,” Hennessy said. “It’s wet underneath and tough to move. Skid-steer and small tractors trying to move the snow just spin out. I was trying to move some snow in front of the county fair building and it was tough going.”
