Neighbor ready to go to war over Indiana farmer's cannon

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-can16.html

MIDDLETOWN, Ind. -- A booming cannon that keeps blackbirds from eating ears of corn in a farmer's east-central Indiana field is nothing but a stressful noisemaker to one of his neighbors.

Doug Biehl picks an ear from the middle of his 35-acre farm field and shows it has been slightly eaten away on one end. The kernels look ripe and delicious, but on closer examination they are crawling with maggots.

''Think Marsh Supermarkets wants to buy this?'' Biehl asked.

To frighten birds away, Biehl has set a propane gas-powered cannon in the field that randomly emits a booming sound.

While the booms keep the birds away, the noise is driving a neighbor crazy.