corn on the 4th of july

When I was little I remember my father (who grew up in Ohio) saying corn should be "knee high by the 4th of July." But once I started growing my own corn I realized that unless he was talking about the knee height of a giant, that saying certainly didn't match my experience.

Case in point, today my corn is eight feet high! Granted, we have a long growing season here in California, but corn shoots up so fast I don't know how late you'd have to plant for it to be only knee high by this date. (Can anyone comment on this old adage?)

In my garden this week the corn tassels emerged followed by the first beginnings of a few ears of corn. It's always so exciting to see the tall grassy stalks suddenly transformed by the protruding ears. And I love seeing the beautiful corn silk in the sun.

Last year, I harvested a small crop of corn in the middle of August. This year, I'm growing about twice as much and I think it the harvest will be earlier. Looking forward to it! But in the meantime, today I'm celebrating my independence from factory farming by enjoying the rest of all my homegrown produce!

Comments

[Annie B. Siemer]

Here in Ohio most of it is indeed knee high, though you're right about the giant part. I just left the coast of California to move back (temporarily) to Columbus where I grew up. I was driving with my Dad this morning out west near London and he proclaimed the old adage himself...so funny that you should mention it in today's blog.