If you truly love Nature, you will find beauty everywhere. ~Vincent Van Gogh, Dutch painter
Happy Thursday!
The corn, as you can see, has tasseled. This is a crop of field corn near where I live. It’s NOT sweet corn, which features full, round, white and light yellow kernels and is planted for human consumption.
Did you know only about one percent of the corn grown on American farms is sweet corn? I didn’t either. But yes, the bulk of our corn is field corn, which you wouldn’t want to eat.
Field corn has dryer, more golden kernels (often with a small dent) and is processed for use in foods with corn ingredients (cereals, chips, etc.), as animal feed, or saved as seed for next year’s crop. It’s also used for non-food things like ethanol.
Sweet corn is generally available July through September, weeks before field corn. In fact, field corn stalks must completely dry out, the silks at the top of each ear turn dark brown, and the ears flip down with the silks toward the ground before a plant is ready for harvest (October-November, usually).
It’s a delicate balance, with farmers sometimes having to rush to get their crops harvested before winter sets in.
Speaking of time, I’m going to take a few days off — the Domer has promised to visit, and I understand there’s a birthday cake with my name on it! Don’t forget me — I’ll be back soon!
Musings by an ND Domer's Mom 
HaPpY BIRTHDAY Debbie! Hope you have a nice break filled with lots of fun, joy & celebratory treats! 🎉🎂💐🎶🍫🤗🍧🍰📚🌟🎊
Thanks so much, Virginia — I hope so, too! Would be wonderful if this pandemic would go away!
HAPPY THURSDAY TO YOU TOO, DEBBIE!
And OMG…your post title and photo made me LOL. Very clever!
And no, I had no idea that only 1% of corn is sweet?!? I prefer sweet corn, however, I love corn whether it’s white or yellow. And I especially love eating it on the cob, with some butter and salt. YUM-MY!
Listen, have a wonderful time with Domer! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you, my Virgo friend!
See ya’ when you get back!
Cheers! X
Glad you got something from this one, Ron. I imagine some folks can tell the difference immediately whether a plot contains sweet or field corn; I can only tell by looking at the ears. There, it’s real obvious!
Thanks for the birthday wishes. Domer got home safely and, despite Dallas’s absence, I think he’s glad for a break, too. xx
We can’t forget you, Debbie. Happy Birthday.
Aw, gee … thanks, John. I’ll save you a slice of cake!
Yes, please.🎂😊
Happy Birthday! Always the best excuse for cake! 😃🎂
As if anybody really needs an excuse for cake, huh?!! Thanks, my friend — be back soon!
Here’s something I learned only recently. In the old days, first they picked corn. Then, they stored it in bins. Shelling it was a separate operation that came later. Eventually, machinery was invented that combined picking and shelling, and we had — combines!
Believe it or not, during my Iowa childhood taking a Sunday afternoon drive into the country to see how the corn was doing was pretty common. It looks like yours is doing just fine!
And Happy Birthday! Nothing corny about those wishes!
Aw, thanks very much — looking forward to the cake, ha!
Thanks for the information, Linda. I remember many a teenager who spent summers detassling corn. I never did — my daddy would’ve had a hissy-fit for one of his daughters to work in the hot fields like he had to do! Still, for a kid, it was pretty decent money and, while intense, the job didn’t last so long that they missed out on summer fun.
I am shocked only 1% of corn grown in America is sweet corn. How could I not know this when I grew up in the midwest. Happy early birthday. Enjoy your time with domer.
I didn’t know it either, Pat, so don’t feel bad! When you don’t grow up on a farm, I suppose you just don’t know farm-stuff. Had a lovely birthday — thank you!