Little Boy Blue, There Are Cows in the Corn!

This little Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme came to mind early this morning as I walked the dogs:

Little Boy Blue,

 Come blow your horn,

The sheep's in the meadow,

 The cow's in the corn;

Where is that boy

 Who looks after the sheep?

Under the haystack

 Fast asleep.

Will you wake him?

 Oh no, not I,

For if I do

 He will surely cry.

Why? Because there were cows in the farmer’s corn! Many cows! And my first thought was they were not supposed to be there.

You'll have to enlarge this image to see some of the cows in the corn!

It has not been a good year for corn crops in this area, owing to the lack of rainfall at the corn’s critical development stage. However, behind our house, in the distance, there is a low-lying area in which corn was planted. We have watched it thrive and not become affected by the lack of rain. Just a few days ago we commented this may be the only cornfield in the county which will yield corn to the farmer.

I decided to do my good deed for the day and telephone the man who either rents or owns this field. When I told him the reason for my call, that I’d seen cows there eating his corn, he seemed not to hear me. “Oh, you are welcome to go out there and pick all the corn you want,” he said. He went on to explain that the corn ears did not properly form, but if one cut the undeveloped tips off, it was still some “good eating.”

An ear of freshly picked corn

“I’ve already gathered all the corn I want from the patch, so we just turned the cows in there. But you get all you want.” I thanked him, but explained again that my call was just to alert him of the cows' presence there -- to ensure those weren't errant cows -- and that I’d pass on gathering corn for myself.

A corn field. They have not looked green this year, due to the lack of rainfall.

He thanked me profusely, but I hope he didn’t think I was some busybody trying to mind his business. I have also called him in years past when I saw a fence down or an escaped cow roaming around.

“Roastn’ ears” is a term many country people use to describe corn at its peak and ready for roasting, or any other way one cares to prepare it. Have you heard that term? 

Because I hadn’t heard it in many years, it made me smile, remembering how good those “roastn’ ears” tasted when they were picked, brought to the house and prepared for dropping into a kettle of boiling water! A little butter and salt on the side makes that corn taste like a little bit of heaven. So maybe I should make that trek down to the corn patch and gather a few “roastn’ ears” for tonight’s table.

Fresh corn roasted on the grill

Only problem is, the grass is tall and I’m afraid of snakes, especially after seeing a long black one in my front yard this morning. I almost stepped on it, but fortunately was wearing my yellow rubber boots. But it was a long snake!

And I fear the tall grass between me and the corn is full of those critters.

On second thought, I think beans or peas will work quite well with tonight’s dinner.

Happy Thursday to you.