There it was right under my nose and I never discovered it. I've been around corn all of my life. My father always raised corn, some of which he cut in bundles, shocked, stacked beside the barn because we had no silo and fed to the cattle over winter. The rest of the corn was picked, stored in cribs and later shelled either for feed or for sale. For the last few years I've raised corn in food plots for winter feed for wildlife.
I'm reading An Indigenous People's History of the United States, by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, for our history book club. I haven't read very far yet, but, her first chapter is titled FOLLOW THE CORN. As one might expect there is a lengthy and interesting discourse on the significance of corn for Indian nations. Then there is this assertion on page 16, "Unlike most grains, corn cannot grow wild and cannot exist without attentive human care." which really struck me. I'd never though about that. Yes, I've seen corn sprout up from last years spillage, but, corn does not like to be crowded, which I knew. but I'd never reached the conclusion that it "cannot grow wild." That truth was hidden from me in plain sight.
( I suspect that I'll soon write a "Recommended Reading" piece about this book.)
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