A National Guard helicopter fly-over in northern Schoharie County Wednesday found nearly 70 marijuana plants growing at three sites in the Towns of Sharon and Seward.
About a dozen law enforcement officials from the Schoharie and Otsego County Sheriff's Office and Schoharie County Probation took part in the search with help from a National Guard flight crew out of Fort Drum.
On the ground, police used four-wheelers to reach the remote sites once the plants were spotted from the air.
"It went well," said Sheriff Tony Desmond, afterwards, "so well, in fact, that we didn't get to all the sites we wanted to."
Because of that, the National Guard has offered to do another fly-over this Wednesday.
Two teams used maps to look at sites of suspected activity, Sheriff Desmond said.
Seven marijuana plants were found growing up the mountain behind an old dairy farm at 225 Engleville Road in the Town of Sharon.
Another 42 plants were found west of Sharon off Route 10 on the Schoharie/Otsego County line.
And 20 plants were found at the end of Winkler Road in the Town of Seward.
Cops said the marijuana is relatively easy to spot from the air because it's a brighter, more pronounced green this time of year.
Arrests are unlikely when marijuana is recovered this way, but Sheriff Desmond said he's happy to just get the plants.
A three-day search last September turned up 334 plants.