Burning Grass on a Field. Photo: Neyya (Getty)
While Elon Musk just got permission to sell his flamethrowers in California, who knew some farmers have been two steps ahead of the inventor for quite some time? A video posted last year is now trending online, showing a tractor with a giant row of propane-powered flamethrowers perusing over a field with weeds.
Check out the ingenuity that proves we’re getting exponentially closer to Mad Max (sure, it’s eight minutes long, but you’ll get the point after 30 seconds).
The only thing that would make this video better would be if Ol’ McDonald was blaring some Metallica while on his ride.
While flamethrowing-wielding farmers seems apocalyptic, this maneuver actually serves a purpose.
This Flamethrowing Tractor Gets Rid of Weeds Without the Need of Chemicals
Using a giant flamethrower attached to a tractor, organic farmers manage to control weeds without synthetic chemicals.
So there ya go. Getting rid of weeds in an “organic” fashion is easier than ever using fire. Want to cover several acres in a short amount of time? Attach a row of flame throwers to your tractor. It’s as simple as that!
One more thing to note — even though the fire isn’t blasting the weeds to kingdom come, the high-heat does destroy the roots’ cell structure, preventing it from being able to photosynthesize. This method of “slow kill” eventually destroys the weed from the root.
Josh Helmuth is a sports reporter who lives in St. Louis and contributes to Mandatory. He’s from an Amish agricultural community and wishes they would use a flamethrower or two.
