Mary Anna and Jim Campbell hear the blasts of neighbours’ propane cannons from dawn to dusk ask they work in their orchards. They want to see grape growers use netting instead to keep birds from damaging crops. (Richard McGuire photo)
Jim and Mary Anna Campbell wince as a series of seven explosions go off in a neighbouring vineyard on the Osoyoos East Bench.
“My son’s dogs won’t come out of the house in the day,” says Mary Anna. “They’re terrified. And there are other dogs around that won’t come out of the house either. It’s just an untenable situation.”
The sound of dawn-to-dusk propane cannons exploding to scare away birds is a reality here in wine country at this time of year.
But before you dismiss the Campbells as whining city slickers who want long-time farmers to bend to their wishes, the reality is the opposite.
The Campbells have been tree fruit farmers on their 20-acre property for 40 years and it’s the vineyards and cannons that are the new arrivals. They grow apples, plums, cherries and apricots.
They work in their orchard all day, listening to the nearby explosions the entire time.
Nor do they have anything against grape growers. Four of their six grape-growing neighbours don’t use cannons, some placing nets over areas that are hotspots for starlings instead.
They would like to see the other two growers switch to nets, which are more effective at stopping birds. The problem, they acknowledge, is that nets are more expensive than cannons.
One of the growers using cannons is a small grower who lives at his property. Aside from the cannons, the Campbells say he is a good neighbour.
But they are most frustrated with a larger, absentee corporate grower whose constant cannon blasts are more frequent and persistent.
Mary Anna says she’s written to Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick several times, copying MLA Linda Larson, and received no reply from either.
She got a sympathetic ear at Larson’s office from her staff, but no response from Larson.
The problem for the Campbells is that propane cannons are legal. They acknowledge this, but say cannons can’t be the only or primary method of bird control – they must be part of a broader bird control program. And they believe their neighbours are relying on cannons almost exclusively.
Manfred Freese, a neighbour, operates Sun Ridge Vineyard. He’s also a past president of the B.C. Grape Grower’s Association. He doesn’t use cannons, but he understands the economics that lead some growers to use them.
“I personally never used propane cannons because I detest them, like a lot of people,” said Freese. “But when you have large vineyards, I suppose it comes down to economics. If you don’t do anything, you are going to have a lot of damage.”
Freese admits nets are more effective, but adds they cost a lot more to acquire, store, repair, put on and take off. Still, for years, he said, he has been netting the edges of his vineyard.
Ironically, Freese also lives next door to the corporate absentee grower. Does he also hear their cannons?
“You’d better believe it,” he replies.
Asked if he finds the noise annoying, Freese responds: “My hearing is still not too bad, but I have learned to tune it out. Some people can do that and some people can’t.”
The Campbells were in their orchard picking plums when the Osoyoos Times conducted a 14-minute recorded interview. During that time, there were 19 loud cannon blasts nearby and some more distant blasts. Sometimes multiple blasts occur over a few seconds.
It’s not loud enough to be deafening. It’s more like a gun being fired at a bit of a distance. But for someone working all day in the orchard, it might wear thin.
“They know they are antagonizing their neighbours,” said Jim. “But they figure it’s legal so they can do it. They’re not really monitored properly and that’s really the problem. You set it and forget it. That’s the philosophy.”
Jim said he’s spoken to Freese and hopes to gain the B.C. Grape Growers Association’s support for a more effective solution.
“Attacking the bird problem with propane cannons isn’t a sustainable solution because if you have to keep your cannon going for two months, day in and day out, then presumably it’s not working,” said Jim. “There’s got to be a better and more neighbour-friendly way.”
Freese acknowledges that some growers don’t use the cannons properly and part of the solution is educating them. For example, cannons have to be moved around to be effective.
“There’s only so much you can do,” said Freese. “We try by persuasion to get (growers) to do the right thing and it usually works. Most of the growers are responsible. They don’t set out to annoy the neighbours.”
Last Thursday, the Campbells enjoyed a brief reprieve from the daily cannon shots. The cannons were turned off to allow a movie to be filmed in the area.
“It was silent all day,” said Jim, smiling a little.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
