We flew to HI this year and saw huge "crop circles" in Oregon. They looked like perfect circles inside perfect squares. Why do they plant this way and what is it that they plant?
2006-12-12 02:42:56 · 4 answers · asked by capnemo 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
They can plant quite a few different crops - I've seen it for potatoes, beets, and grains - and, it's not isolated to Oregon. It's due to circular irrigation. In the midde of a square field is a pump or well or other source of water. They have a raised sprinkling pipe on wheels that sprays the water over the crop as is slowly moves in a circle from where it it attached in the center. It's sort of a pinwheel motion, but with just one sprinkler pipe. It waters the full length of the pipe and sprays out at the ends, but misses the corner of the square fields. Not all farmers and co-ops use this method and not all crops do well with it (ie: corn is too tall).
2006-12-12 02:53:31 · answer #1 · answered by M H 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Yes I have seen these and they have them in Idaho also. They do it this way because of irrigation. The middle of the circle is where the water suppy is. The water flows through a long pipe that is mounted above the ground on wheels. The pipe supplies water to water sprinklers. This waters the crop. Since the supply of water is fixed. The entire system rotates in a circle around it. It is called central point irrigation. Check out wikipedia.
2006-12-12 03:25:19 · answer #2 · answered by Kevrob_98 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think that's an irrigation pattern. The irrigator is a long boom on a pivot, which waters a giant circle, which is where farmers plant. Much of eastern Oregon is quite dry, and would require irrigation to grow some crops.
2006-12-12 02:51:19 · answer #3 · answered by Rusting 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Those are aliens leaving behind huge circles from their ships landing...
2006-12-12 02:50:54 · answer #4 · answered by Wl 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋