Just before he's chased away again

 Here the law states that I own (and pay taxes on) the land out to the middle of the roadway.  The other half of the roadway is owned by Neighbors Doug and Anita because the road divides our properties.  The county has a 66 foot easement across our properties for the purpose of creating a public passageway.   The county is responsible for the maintenance of the road which includes a shoulder and ditch.   Any farmer can plant/harvest as close to the road as they want as long as they don't impede the safe use and maintenance of the road.  The county may decide to cut everything - including crops - within that easement if they need to.  However, whatever they may take off  belongs to the farmer.   The problem is some people think the 66 foot easement is a kind of no-man's land and anything is fair for the taking.   Once I confronted a lady who was on my land digging into the side of the ditch so she could remove an elderberry bush.  This year I've gotten a couple of calls from Doug about people that are ripping off branches from the lilacs growing on my property next to the road.  They break off branches so the bushes are looking a little ragged on the road side.   If people would drive in and ask if they could have some lilacs, I'd show them how to drive into the field where it's easy to cut blooms from the side of the bushes facing the fields.  Doug thought posting a sign "PLEASE ASK FOR LILACS" might stop the mutilation of the bushes.   I told Doug that posting a sign "DANGER: PESTICIDE APPLICATION" in front of the lilac bushes would be more effective.   I take solace that the little thieves have to park their cars on the road, cross a deep (and this time of year unmowed) ditch, and have probably picked up a few ticks in the process.   Doug is obviously the more truthful and empathetic person.