Corn and Beans Harvested In June!

Yes, normally beans are harvested in October, but much of my bean crop was harvested very early Saturday morning. Many farmers call it "the great white combine." Personally I prefer a green combine, I have heard red and silver combines are very good machines too. So, farmers may disagree about which color of combine is the best. However, we can all agree that a "white" combine is not a good thing. I am referring to a hail storm or "the great white combine."

Monday morning I called Wendy my crop insurance agent to inform her of the hail storm. Monday evening the crop insurance adjuster called to say he would be out one day next week. The Bean field in the picture was hit hard. I would not be surprised if this field is close to a total loss. The growing point on a bean plant is at the very top. If the stem is cut below the growing point the plant will die. There were a lot of plants with only a stem left sticking out of the ground!

The corn may recover and still yield pretty well. The growing point on a corn plant is inside the stalk. As long as the new leaves can push through all the dead tissue in the whorl at the center of the plant the corn should recover. Some of the plants might not survive. Time will tell. This is why you buy crop insurance. However, farmers would rather harvest the crop with THEIR combine, not have "the great white combine."