Happy 4th of July to all my friends in the USA- We do like to celebrate our independence! Instead of red, white, and blue, I'm going to bring you green.
It's a traditional saying that for the harvest to be good the corn should be "knee high by the 4th of July." With the wet, cold spring we had here there was a great deal of despair that the crops would really suffer. Farmers could not get their seed in until quite late. So, I thought I'd check it out.
Here's a good-looking field, but how tall is it?
Of course, I am short, but this corn would be better than knee high on any normal human! Is this a typical field, or just the product of one lucky farmer?
I did find a few fields like this one which aren't in such good shape. Driving home from the paper route (yes, Om is home, and I am gladly turning it over to him!) I took roads that led me through many farms, and I'm happy to report that there are more fields like the first one than the second.
I think the ag reports are fun. Hope you do too!
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13 comments:
There was a really interesting programme over here about corn showing how multi-coloured and really beautiful it used to look. According to the programme it really shouldn't look all one colour and believe it or not there was one type that they showed that was naturally a type of red, white and blue. Perhaps man should never have messed with corn and left it multi-coloured as nature intended. I don't suppose it will ever be mass produced in its natural condition but it does seem such a pity.
I love sayings like that, especially when they prove to be usually true. Those crops look like they're thriving.
Corn fields represent our country at least as well as anything else.
The harvest to be good the corn should be "knee high by the 4th of July."
Does this apply to the corn that grow over here?
My neighbor's corn is more like that in your second photo. FWIW, I'm a fan of Cornfield County. :)
that's good to know that there are more healthy cornfields than the 2nd one.
Happy to see the prospect of a corn harvest. Starting to look good here, too, in spite of the late planting.
I was just thinking about that saying a couple weeks ago and wondering if the corn around here was going to make it. I haven't driven by any fields recently though so I'm going to have to take a drive and check it out
We used to say "knee high by 4th of July" in northern Ohio as well. But know what? Here in North Carolina, the corn is over my head in June. They're thinking of planting a second go round by now!
Looks like you'll have some tasty corn this season! :-)
SB - just thought it may be of interest but the leaf-cutter bees in the US are more wasp like in colour, semi spotted, but rounder. Apparently they pollinate something like 20 times more flowers than than honeybees. They are solitary and enjoyable to watch, so worth attracting to the garden.
polly- i've never gotten to eat multicolored corn. i'd like to
ivy- folk wisdom very often has at least a kernel of observed truth
ratty- they sure do! the all-american crop
rainfield- since your seasons are the opposite, i'll bet not! do you even grow corn?
chuck- ouch... maybe you had more flooded fields
betchai- farmers could use a good year
vanilla- indiana is agriculture heaven- thanks for the tulip tree pix
ann- i love to check out things like this
ferd- yes, it's definitely a northern standard
polly- i'll have to check where they are- i don't see the leaf cutting here, unless i'm really not paying attention
Beautiful corn. I haven't had corn on the cob yet this summer but I really do love it! I like fresh creamed corn, too, cooked with a bit of cayenne pepper to liven it up!
carmen- this corn is destined for cows or ethanol or something like that. not much commercial sweet corn grown here.
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