Filed under: October 2016 | Tags: corn, corn husking, draft horses, fodder, picking corn by hand, Small Farming
October 31, 2016
Some people spent today working on Halloween decorations. Me, I worked on several projects, but opening the corn field was my most important one. I have to pick around the field so that the horses and wagon can fit between the fence and the row I will be picking. This year I will be picking with a “two row, one man” picker. In other words, I will pick down two rows by hand while the horses move the wagon ahead as I ask.
This small load in the picture I picked by hand, while my wife drove the side by side ahead of me. I will never win a corn husking contest, but the work goes pretty quick. The horses make the job fairly easy. Especially this year with all of our recent rains making the field very muddy. The horses don’t get stuck and only the wagon will make ruts.
Once the field has been picked, the cows will be turned into the field to eat the fodder. Fodder is the remaining plant, husks and all. The cows will graze it down pretty well. A sow will also graze with the cows. She will eat any corn the cows and I miss as well as, weeds and grass around the edges. This field will be plowed in the spring, so all winter the animals will exercise on this sacrificial plot until spring.
My hands will get rough and sore. The ends of my fingers may split. I will probably get a few paper like cuts from the dry leaves, but my heart swells with every load. There is nothing like a corn harvest, planted, tended and picked by hand. It’s only three acres, but the crib will be full and I will have enough….a guy can’t ask for much more than that!
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RicelandMeadows 
I love picking corn too Ralph! My favorite crop to grow! I planted buckwheat and rye grass on my garden for the 1st time this Fall. Thanks for the advice.
Comment by Jacklyn Krysa November 2, 2016 @ 1:58 pmGood for you Jacklyn. The buckwheat will die over winter, the rye will stay green, suppress weeds and make a great soil amendment when you till it in next spring!
Comment by ricelandmeadows November 2, 2016 @ 9:15 pm