Friday, June 11, 2010

Farmer Fridays - Stages of Corn Growth








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It's hard to believe its Friday again and I haven't blogged since last Friday.  This past week has been a little crazier than normal as I was out of town all week for work.

Thankfully I took some pictures of my kids before I left to help keep them close to mind and to use for today's Farmer Fridays feature, Stages of Corn Growth.
 

 

 

 
(I swear it is impossible to get a good picture of all 3 of them.)

Stages of Corn Growth is very near and dear to my heart as my very first science fair project in the 3rd grade was entitled Stages of Corn Growth.  I received the Best of Show award and was asked to present my project in front of the school board.  (Thanks Mom for the awesome idea and all of your help!)  Well fast forward many years and stages of corn growth is a part of a my every day life.  This is the view surrounding our house. 

 

This field usually rotates between a corn and soybean field every year and we are lucky to have corn in it this year.  Needless to say I literally live in the middle of a corn field. 
 

This field was planted in mid April on April 16th.  It was the first corn field we planted on our family farm and everyone was in great spirits to be planting corn in the middle of April. 
 

 

In a typical year, we spray our corn 2-3 weeks after it is planted to kill the weeds and grass that likes to grow in the field along with the corn.  If we don't kill the weeds and grass, the weeds and grass will compete with the corn for essential nutrients and water and could eventually take over our corn leaving us with no corn crop.  My father-in-law and husband have had to take classes to become certified to apply these chemicals to our field.  We take great precautions when handling the chemicals and calculate exactly how much should be used to make sure we only use what is necessary and needed. 

We then apply the anhydrous ammonia to the corn 2 weeks after it is sprayed; however, this year, this process has not gone exactly according to plan as Mother Nature has had her own plans and we had a 3 week period that we did nothing in the fields on our family farm. 

 

After the ammonia is applied, it is essentially time for the corn to grow which requires heat and moisture but just the right amount of both which involves Mother Nature again.

So as you can see Little Sissy is just a little bit taller than the corn after a month and half. 
 

 

 
 

Check back next month to see how much the corn and my children grow this month.

 






10 comments:

  1. Hadley height by June 10! Love the series. I had a farmer post too:)

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  2. Thankfully she won't grow as quickly as the corn does by next month - huh???!!!! LOVE a good science fair project!

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  3. I think that 3rd picture is great!

    And I'm interested to learn more about the corn - I know very little about row crops.

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  4. I am so glad she won't grow as quickly as the corn even though I can't believe she is already 14 months old.

    Katie, please let me know if there is anything specific you would like me to let you know about the corn or other row crops.

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  5. Those last 3 pics of Little Sissy are simply precious!

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  6. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I love yours as well! Especially since I grew up in southern WI and now live in the Indiana corn and soy belt. In fact, before my divorce the house I lived in was one block from either corn or soy in three different directions.

    Following you as well now and looking forward to seeing the corn crop this year!

    Karen
    karen-musingsofamom.blogspot.com

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  7. Love,love, love the kid & corn pics! Super, duper cute! :)

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  8. I love these pics and this idea. I might have to steal it when my little one is here!

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  9. I can't believe it took me 3 children to think of taking their picture in the corn field to measure everyone's height. :-)

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  10. So much for the old saying "Knee high by the 4th of July." Glad your corn is growing nice and tall!

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