Going back to what OP said: > In earlier times, farm fields actually were separated by bushes, patches of rocks, tiny rivers, whatever. My point is that the m

Going back to what OP said: > In earlier times, farm fields actually were separated by bushes, patches of rocks, tiny rivers, whatever. My point is that the modern prairie is far more divided than it was 200 years ago. And groves of trees are not just for snow drifts. They provide much protection from wind. To protect from snow drifts, you typically build a very distinct looking snow fence which allows you to control where the drift forms (e.g., not on a road). If you look at pictures of homesteads of South Dakota in the 1880s, there are virtually no trees anywhere, including around farms. There are far more today. Hence why I am asking where the OP is talking about.