The harvest is 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule, Senator Grassley? Roll that beautiful corn footage.
(twitter.com)
🍿 Fresh Popcorn! 🍿
You're viewing a single comment thread. View all comments, or full comment thread.
Comments (28)
sorted by:
I'm not a farmer but I would guess it would have to be harvested before it rots or is picked clean by birds. If they can't get enough corn for actual food they could maybe get enough for deer corn, or animal feed, or maybe ethanol (don't know what is required for that). If it isn't growing anymore due to the drought I assume it will go bad.
At that stage corn plants are very weak with the weight of the corn cob hanging from it. The biggest fear then is a wind storm flattening the field.
I helped my neighbors pick corn as a teen to make a little extra cash but never saw a drought. I grew up in MD about an hour NW of DC and they had big fields of Silver Queen. Man I miss that, and haven't found that particular type in years anywhere I've been. That said - I avoid the MD/DC/VA area like the plague.
His corn used to get taller than me (I was 6'4 at the time) and was pretty strong, but what you said makes complete sense when it dries out. Wasn't much use for us teens at that point.
He used to sell it for 13 ears/$1.00 in the early to mid '80s. Now you are lucky if you get 3 ears for a dollar at the store, and they are all likely sprayed and/or GMO.
That makes sense. Thank you.