Midwest Farm Tour 2.0

[Nanu/Nanu]

@Tractorsdontfloat do kids still detassle corn in the summer? What exactly was that for? I honestly don’t remember, other than it sounded like a better job than shearing Christmas trees…

Can you please expand a little bit how the seed companies develop their hybrids?

I was thinking the same thing i detasseled corn in the summer. Couldnt remember what the science behind it was but it paid good something like 5 bucks an hour at the time.

 

[HydroSkreamin]

Yeah, I was shearing Christmas trees for $3.35-$3.75/hr depending on rating and thinking detassling sounded pretty good, plus there were more girls detassling …

 

[Tractorsdontfloat]

Thanks Hydroskreemin I’ve been extremely happy with most all my new equipment. Considering the last item of the first package of machines just finally showed up Wednesday morning, yes the salesman and I have been in touch regularly. The sprayer was excellent and worked flawlessly. That is a whole discussion I should delve into as I really haven’t much.

Snowhammer, the four female rows are the only ones allowed to produce a viable ear. The full purpose of the detasseling process is to prevent those rows from producing pollen , thus the only pollen comes from the single male row, and thus producing the hybrid. If the female plants were allowed to shed pollen it would then produce another ear of its own self, just as the male plants do when they produce an ear that is pollinated by itself, and not the desired hybrid. This is why the male rows are completely destroyed before the kernels that pollinate on those ears can become viable.

once the hybrid is produced, then the seed Produced will continue as that hybrid by allowing the plants to pollinate themselves as they do in regular production.


And to both of you regarding shearing trees and detasseling corn. I was child labor.

 

[Tractorsdontfloat]

Finished harvest for the season today. Been pushing hard for the past couple weeks, with a short break this past weekend for the annual deer hunt here in Cheeseland. Snapped a quick shot as I walked away from the combine as the sun was setting. Blessed with a bountiful and safe harvest again this year. Lots to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!