The drought and the corn.

[Horse with no Name]

I live in an area where there is a lot of corn being grown.

Around June...I was driving into some of the heavier crop areas....marveling at all of the wonderful corn that was ripe on the vine. I know it is ripe because the tassels were that dark golden brown that they get when it is ready to be picked.

I kept looking through the fields to find someone that might allow me to purchase a bushel or two of this corn. There was nobody around in the thousands of acres of corn that I was driving in.

Our region had rain and we were considered out of the drought during that time period.

Weeks went by and this ripe corn sat in the fields--not being picked.

Finally, when we went without rain, the corn started burning up.

And at the end of the day, the farmers finally came out and plowed the corn down. Crops were considered a total loss.

Now, I am not sure how "things" work, but this astounded me. That corn was ripe and ready and not picked. Do the farmers get more money by filing crop insurance? What is the deal here? Does anyone have an explanation of what I witnessed because it certainly didn't make any sense to me.

[TwilightGardener]

1. The corn crop in the midwest isn't often harvested until as late as November, long after

the plant itself is brown and dead and the corn is dried out. It's hard to say why they would just plow it all down and not harvest it, unless the ears were not developed properly.

[Brickbat]

2. What would you have done with that bushel of corn?

[Horse with no Name]

3. I generally try to freeze a bushel of it

the kids love corn on the cob.

[TwilightGardener]

5. So this was sweet corn, and not field corn? That makes a difference.

[Horse with no Name]

6. Yes. It was sweet corn.

Why does it make a difference?

[riderinthestorm]

8. How did you know? Did you know the specific hybrids that were planted on those thousands of acres?nt

[Horse with no Name]

12. There are signs in the corn field

from the seed manufacturers with an ear of corn superimposed with the words "Sweet Corn". Something like this but it wasn't that brand

https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSJYuFfCFj7T5Xx-CY1aJBwrA2VL1ctpMWsG974kVrWJY5ZZ9nupw

[riderinthestorm]

15. That doesn't mean its for human consumption though

I know it seems weird but the actual genetic composition is more important than the name on the sign. Most corn varieties have names like Mirai, Butter and Sugar or Silver Queen while livestock feed can have very similar sounding names but its not very tasty for humans.





I've always meant to tell you how much I love your username!

[Horse with no Name]

16. Thanks for the info.

I know nothing about this but was curious why the corn was allowed to stay. This has been bothering me because it certainly looked ready.

[riderinthestorm]

17. Don't be embarrassed! How would you know!

I do this for a living (I own and operate a dressage and combined training barn PLUS we grow 2 acres of organic produce to sell at my sister's local green market and for her to use in her catering operation.

So I'm familiar with both the livestock and human consumption varieties. It helps I've lived in IL a few decades - you get to know corn here!

[Care Acutely]

9. You must be very new to corn country if you have to ask.

How, if I might inquire, did you know it was sweet corn?

[TwilightGardener]

10. Sweet corn is harvested and sold fresh (has high moisture content).

Other types of corn (for feed, etc.) are dried and thus can be stored in an elevator.

[bluemarkers]

4. yes

It's a possibility - and I wouldn't be surprised. My experience is limited, but a family owed farm probably wouldn't let this happen. A corporation owned farm may take the loss as a write for some business reason. Monsanto, corn lobby and others are scary powerful....

[riderinthestorm]

7. I highly doubt the corn was engineered for people. Almost all corn is grown for ethanol, feed, seed,

flour, HCFS etc and isn't designed or even edible for human consumption.

Secondly, it matters naught what the corn stalk and tassel look like, the high heat destroys the corn's ability to produce kernels properly.

Lastly, most corn is left on the stalk to "dry" itself rather than being picked and commercially dried at the grain storage facility (more $$$).

The farmer gets substantially less money with crop insurance than what they can make at sale. The insurance dollars don't cover the full reimbursement for a year's harvest. Farmers are very motivated to harvest rather than declare a disaster since they won't come out nearly as well.

[Horse with no Name]

13. Thank you.

That is what I was wondering.

[Brickbat]

11. Don't know where you are, but in a lot of parts the sweet corn developed quickly because of

the early warm weather, but as it got very hot and and dry, the yields were not consistent, pollination was bad and it got much worse. It might have looked fine but perhaps the ears had developed poorly.

ETA: Are you accusing the farmers of cutting down perfectly good produce for the heck of it?

[Horse with no Name]

14. I was curious

I have no idea but your scenario seems very similar to what happened.

Thanks.