Corn

Inspired by my sister, Jes, and TJ I am doing an homage to corn today. Face it, I live in Iowa. Iowa is known for corn. Corn has been a big part of my life, and will always be a part of my life. What do you think paid for part of my college, my wedding, and some new furniture that will be gracing my home sometime in the next year? Corn. That's because Daddy grows corn (and soybeans and beef cattle) for a living and Daddy sometimes pays the bills.

This is where I grew up:


Views like these surround the house




You also see things like this




Growing up, corn was a big part of my life. I've walked through the field of corn, although I don't recommend you do this without telling your parents first. When we were little, my older sister and I decided to go for a walk around the field one day--it was a LONG walk. Luckily some neighbors spotted us at one point and told my parents where we may be. All I remember is I had a lot of bug bites and cuts from the corn leaves after that. I've played on silage. (Think a big, huge pile of chopped up corn). I've played in farm wagons full of corn. I've eaten more than my share of corn and shucked just a few (hundred) ears of corn in my day.

I love bringing the girls back to "Grandpa's Farm". They get to see baby cows newly born, ride in machinery that costs more than the annual budget of some small towns, play with the farm dogs and get to experience new olfactory delights. The one thing that isn't novel when we go there is corn.

Even though we live in a fairly large town, we are the literally at the city limits. Beyond our backyard is no longer Ames, it is Farmer Joe's field of corn. This morning I opened the screen door and this is what I saw looking straight out

to my left

and to my right

Corn actually makes a pretty good back yard neighbor. It isn't too noisy (except when being planted, sprayed, and harvested), it looks nice for the most part, and it doesn't have any annoying kids who play in my backyard. It does make a nice home for animals like field mice who will venture our way, though. Once the corn is gone later this fall, we have a nice open view. Its a great place to learn about nature.

We Iowans are a little crazy about our corn. We have the Indy Corn 250 race where the race cars run on ethanol (made from corn)

The boys from Orange County Choppers even made a bike for the event


You may even see some Iowans wear one of these to sporting events, although they are more fitting for our neighbors to the west who are known as the Nebraska Cornhuskers


We even have parties just for the sole purpose of eating corn. Friends of ours where we used to live grew some corn "for fun" and would have an annual Corn Party every summer. Unfortunately we missed it this summer, but you can eat all the corn you want.

And for those of you who don't know, there is the corn that you eat which is sweet corn

And the corn that most farmers grow which is field corn

Trust me, you wouldn't ever eat that off the cob.

One day I will make these:

(Those are cupcakes, people!)

So just call me the Queen of Corn. Pass the butter and let's eat!



photos of family farm by KAS, cupcakes from Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tuck & Alan Richardson. If you are looking for a gift for me for some reason, feel free to get me this book. ;)