Many of us have probably asked ourselves the title question more than once. Where do new stones come from in the field? Will we ever win this unequal fight?
- The Earth is a living organism, it is constantly working. Most often in a way that is unnoticeable to us. This is also how stones appear
- Unfortunately, we won’t win the fight against stones – new ones will keep appearing
The Earth is constantly working in ways invisible to us
The explanation for the presence of stones in fields can be found in geologists. They explain that the stones are slowly moved upwards. It is a very slow process, but it continues all the time. The stone accumulates moisture under its surface. The collected water freezes and therefore lifts the stone slightly. The process is continuous, which means that subsequent layers of stones are getting closer to the surface. As scientists emphasize, the stones do not return to their previous places because the gap left by the “pushed out” stone is occupied by sediment.
Of course, the human factor also has an influence. The stones are lifted up and plowed out, but before they reach the depth of the arable layer, they must be moved as a result of the earth’s upward movements.
The problem of “pushing out” stones was already explained by Dr. Tomasz Rożek. As he mentioned, large elements can be lifted upwards by smaller fractions (e.g. fine granules) that are in constant motion.
An unequal fight with stones in the field
We are left with an unequal fight against the emerging stones. This one is so difficult because there is a shortage of workers. Just a dozen or so years ago, at the beginning of spring, collecting stones was a regular part of field work. Entire families went out to collect stones, and several days of actions took place in state farms in which dozens of people were involved.
The problem of stones is particularly important in low-cut plants, e.g. when cereals are harvested and straw is left in the field. But not only. It is true that there are machines available on the market that allow mechanical collection of stones, but there is no point in hiding the fact that they are not intended for small or even medium-sized family farms.
So we will probably never get rid of the stones. As long as we cultivate the land, and in fact as long as the earth exists, stones will always be with us.
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