Alva Review-Courier -

FRISCO, Colo. (AP) — Larry Hjermstad is a pioneer of cloud seeding, so naturally he has some frontier tales.

Back in the 1970s, farmers in the San Luis Valley stalled his efforts to set up the area's first seeding operation, which aimed to increase precipitation by spraying dust into the skies.

Wary of what he was up to, they blew up his radar dishes and shot at airplanes, Hjermstad recalled.

"They said, 'We're not sure you know what you're doing,'" he said. "So I set up a committee, and told them, 'Before each seeding, I'll tell you exactly what I'm going to do.' After the third one they said...