Smithsburg open for flying (with concerns)

[silverwings]

Site protocol: Limited parking at entrance, no more than 3 - 4 cars; hg instructors with gliders get priority parking; do not park on North side entrance areas off of Lettersburg Smithsburg Rd/Main Street/Rt 77; additional parking allowed parallel to Cheese Hollow drive on back side of hill; do not use site if sign is turned to Red/Closed for flying.

[silverwings]

I taught there on Sunday 10/20 and had a talk with John Hartman who works for the owner. I mowed a small area where we commonly set up hang gliders and a bit of a strip going up the hill when I was told to stop. The grass on hill is fairly high in some areas and not bad in some other areas. Apparently they want to try and get some hay from it. My assumption that mowing some was OK was based on last year but that was not the case now. John cooled down and we had a fairly good talk and I now have his phone number. There is alfalfa growing in the LZ that is 6 to 9 inches tall that they plan on harvesting this fall and at this time he said it was OK to walk in it but to not trample it. I am concerned as it get a little taller that we might damage it. There is also alfalfa on the top of the hill but is lower. I will try to speak with him in the next day or so and find out if we should not fly there until both the hay and alfalfa are harvested or if it is OK to continue but be careful to not damage the crop.