Okay, I’m not kidding. I found out something new this week. I learned that part of our insufferable heavy duty heatwave is, in part, due to living in the Midwest with untold thousands of acres of corn growing throughout the summer. It seems that there are certain anomalies of nature that all contribute to the current heat that is becoming unbelievable here in central Indiana and our neighboring states. And a significant part of it has to do with our massive corn crops.
If you are a farmer, or perhaps even know a farmer, you may just want to stop reading. You probably already know all this stuff. That is, unless you want to know what verse I have chosen for tonight, or the encouragement, or even my prayer for us this evening.
At first, I thought the articles I read on this phenomenon were AI generated and were more of the fiction that we can find permeating the internet. So, I actually called a friend of mine who owns acreage that is planted every other year with corn. Roger grew up in Indiana and he confirmed that there is a really a thing with corn sweating. I still can’t really believe it. I’m 72 years old and have grown up in the Midwest. Why haven’t I ever heard of this? I even approached other friends and acquaintances, all of them unfamiliar with growing up on farms or in rural areas. Guess what? Not one of them has ever heard of corn sweating…
Okay. So what’s the story here. Well, it’s a little more complicated than it sounds. Remember when you were a little kid and you learned the song about the shin bone being connected to the ankle bone, etc. Well, we have a similar situation here. Seemingly, many things all contribute to make this oddity happen. And this years it is worse that most other years.
It turns out that there is some significant science and weather related information to consider here. First, corn seeds start to grow and receive water nutrition through their root systems. Then, as the plants grow, water is released back into the atmosphere through tiny pores in their leaves called “stomata.” The released moisture then enters back into the atmosphere, thereby increasing humidity. This is particularly prevalent in cornfields that are very large and have poor air circulation. This added moisture makes the temperature feel even hotter for those of us who live in the Midwest. What has surprised me more than anything else is the magnitude of what happens. A single acre of corn can release 3000-4000 gallons of water back into the atmosphere per day! Yes, that’s thousands of gallons per acre each day… and it’s worst in the time immediately following a significant rainfall.
In fact, the scientific name for this corn sweating activity is evapotranspiration. According to Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, it is a mix of the word evaporation, which is water rising from the soil, and transpiration, water released by plants. Who knew!
But it doesn’t end there. You know when you perspire and your clothes actually get wet? That’s because the air is so full of moisture that the perspiration doesn’t evaporate from your skin. Drier areas of the country don’t have this same issue. In the southwest, with lower humidity, we can tolerate higher temperatures because the process of evaporation is much more effective in those areas. At this time of year, in the peak growing season of late July and early August, the atmosphere is already loaded with moisture. It has been as high as 98% here in Indiana.
Anyway, the air is so full of water that the corn can’t shed enough moisture into the atmosphere. In order for corn to reach its peak condition, the kernels need to start to dry out. It is possible, even probable, that the harvest may even be delayed because the ears of corn are still so moist. And when the harvest occurs, farmers are already talking about harvest in the early morning and later in the evening when less moisture enters the atmosphere. Part of our issue here in Indiana is that we are in a naturally more humid area than several other large corn producing areas, such as Nebraska.
In the Bible, the word “corn” often refers to grain in general, symbolizing sustenance, provision and even God’s blessing. It’s a staple food, representing life, prosperity, and the fruitfulness of the land. In some contexts, it can also represent Christ or the bread of life. A good harvest of grain was considered a blessing from God.
Our verse for tonight is from the King James Version. The apostle John gives us the words of Jesus in John 12:24. Jesus tells us, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” This verse reminds us of the necessity of dying to self and following Jesus. In fact, it highlights the fact that Jesus laid down His life for all of mankind. Isn’t it remarkable that Jesus used corn (wheat and other grains) to illustrate one of the most important lessons He ever taught?
My encouragement this evening is that corn and other grains, as well as manna, have sustained life across the world since the beginning. It is a fundamental part of our lives that many of us take for granted. My prayer is that we will always pay attention to the little things – and realize that God created our earth in such a way as to connect us to Him in ways that we don’t even know enough to ponder. God’s hand is everywhere, even in our cornfields. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…