The wind was gusting this afternoon so if the brake wasn’t on this old windmill, it would have been pumping a lot of water but not enough to water the corn field. The first Aermotor windmill was sold in 1888 and there was widespread use of the distinctive wind pumps on ranches and farms throughout the United States.
Old Aermotor Windmill
The white color was on the ground instead of the sky this morning but at least it was only a trace of snow so that field work and corn harvesting can continue.
Corn Waiting for Harvest
There are still some corn fields not harvested yet, but even though the corn stalks might be standing yet, there are many bare cobs where the various critters have helped themselves to a snack of corn kernels. The yield will continue to go down as more cobs are eaten by hungry critters.
Bare Corn Cob
The below average temperature makes it feel more like late season autumn than the beginning of it. The fall crops must feel the approaching winter as it seems like the soybeans and corn have turned from green to brown in a few days.
Corn Waiting for Harvest
Another hot and humid summer day caused a lot of things to sweat in the sun like me, but also the corn. Corn doesn’t actually sweat and the technical term is evapotranspiration, the natural process of water evaporating from plants to the air. The corn stalks act like wicks or straws drawing up soil moisture which beads up on leaves and is carried off by warmer air increasing the humidity.
Corn Sweating
I don’t know if more rain storms will roll in this afternoon and evening leaving rain across this corn field or if the corn leaves will catch some sunset glow.
Rays Over Corn Field
On a warm sunny day with high humidity, the dew points could climb a little higher because of ‘corn sweat’. Corn fields don’t really sweat, but they do transpire moisture known as evapotranspiration, the natural process of water evaporating from plants to the air. An acre of corn can give off 3,000 to 4,000 gallons of water each day, according to the U.S. Geological Survey Office so it may extra humid out today.
Corn Sweating
The brief thunderstorm yesterday may have stopped the combine harvesting corn next to me, but I’m sure the harvesting equipment will be rolling again soon as there is still a lot of acres to get in before the snow flies. This field has a double workout with both the harvest of the corn and then the corn stalks are baled for cattle feed and bedding.
Corn Stalk Round Bales
As meteorological summer winds down, soon the corn fields will turn from green to brown until harvest as fall marches towards winter.
End of August Sunset
With the temperature just above freezing yesterday, it felt warm but it will be many months before the corn is knee high by the 4th of July, especially since it is snowing this morning.
Summertime Cornfield
