Phase Planting

8/15/22

This photo was taken on August 14, 2022 at 3:27 PM.

The location was at the small farm near my home in Beltsville, Maryland.

The "Take It!" came as I pass buy this small farm three days a week - thus have a chance to see some of the planting, growing, and harvesting of part of the crops. One of the most prevalent crops is corn.

I was excited to watch a section of the farm planted in corn - grow and be harvested. I purchased some of that same corn and consumed all twelve ears of it through out a week as my dinner. It was sweet and delicious. I then watched that section of field be cleared of the dried stalks and thought that was the end of the annual cycle.

I about two weeks I started to see something growing in that same plot of land - and wondered what it could be. I could have not been more surprised to be able to see in about a week later that it was the start to a replant of corn for yet another crop which would be ripe at the very end of the summer on the edge of fall. I was delighted to see we were in an area which had a season long enough to allow for two plantings.

I stopped by to purchase some more corn and asked about the ability of the area to support two plantings. I was told I was witnessing the fifth planting of the season - as they had been planting sections on a timed basis to ripen about three weeks apart - in order to not have all of their land ripen at once and not have enough customers to buy it all at once. By having this phase in program - they assured themselves of always having fresh cut corn through the entire summer. This was one of the few they could plant twice in a season.

Revelations with simple logic - are a joy. The life of a farm family is not an easy one - and especially one that is so directly connected to their market.

Here is hoping curiosity will offer you the chance to get the answers and enjoy the quest of doing so.

All my best,

Bruce