An apple farmer in the Montérégie region of Quebec is utilizing an innovative technology to safeguard his orchards from harsh weather conditions. The Verger des Bois-Francs in Saint-Paul-d’Abbotsford has invested $160,000 in an anti-hail cannon.
Maxime Brie, one of the co-owners of Verger des Bois-Francs, emphasized the destructive impact hail can have on crops, leading to long-term consequences such as damaged apples and trees. Following a recent hailstorm on May 31, which is becoming more frequent due to climate change, the orchard managed to limit its damages, unlike neighboring apple growers who suffered significant losses.
The anti-hail cannon operates by using acetylene gas to trigger controlled explosions every seven seconds. These explosions create shock waves that aim to transform hail into rain. While the efficiency of such systems is debated, the owners of Verger des Bois-Francs decided to implement the technology as a preventive measure. The cannon is linked to a weather monitoring service, which activates it when potential hailstorms are detected and deactivates it once the threat has passed.
Despite its benefits, the cannon has stirred complaints from neighbors due to the loud noise it generates. To address this issue, the orchard has installed a silencer that reduces the noise by 50%. Brie hopes for understanding from the community, assuring that the cannon will only be activated when there is a genuine risk of thunderstorms.
The investment in the anti-hail cannon is seen as a strategic move by the Brie family, as preventing damage from just one major hailstorm could quickly offset the initial cost. Additionally, the family owns orchards in other regions like Princeville and Plessisville, where they plan to evaluate the cannon’s effectiveness before potentially installing similar equipment there.