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Bidding the cormorants good day, we carried on home enjoying the afternoon light.
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One of my readers was curious about those corn rows I posted about and kindly provided answers..
“I found it very curious to see those rows of corn left standing, so I did some searching and found this on the Nebraskacorn.gov website: Several rows are left standing at the end of the rows and parallel to a highway or busy road, it is likely they were left there to stop snow from drifting over the roadway during winter. Some farmers also leave a few rows unharvested as food for wildlife.”
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“It’s also possible that a farmer might leave several rows of corn in a field because it is diseased, had a major pest infestation or for insurance purposes. If a section of field was damaged or if the farmer bought a particular variety of seed that didn’t live up to its billing—say, for example, the seed variety claimed to protect against worms that attack the corn’s roots, but the field still suffered extensive worm damage—an insurance agent or seed company representative may need to inspect the field.”
Thank you, Bonnie!
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Along our route there are certain trees that always get a hello and often a photograph.
This is the Allen tree.
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Simply because that’s the name on the mailbox.
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The background trees get a picture too.
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We by-passed Greenwich and came home through Easton.
Northern Cross is the name of a winery there.
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Lots of horses get a hello too.
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This is one of our scenic routes.
Come to think of it, most of them are.
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Never can decide which angle is best.
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Kestrels don’t pose nicely!
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As well as corn, soy is grown here.
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It adds another hue to the landscape.
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The yellow barn looked fine in the afternoon sun.
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Cresting the hill.
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Cattle were lying around in the grass.
I so wish they had a better life.
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Visiting relatives in Wiltshire as a child I liked walking, but the experience was ruined if I saw that there were cows in the field. It made me feel like a sissy, but I was reading recently that quite a number of people are seriously injured by bovines.
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In fact, the article suggested that cattle are the most dangerous large animal in Britain.
It’s possible I would not have been told this as a child but I have the impression that this was not always the case.
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Of course there are always people who behave unwisely around animals, but excluding that sort of thing, it appears that cattle have become more aggressive?
Can we blame them?
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“Oh, not you folk again!”
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When spotting a bird like that, I am urged:
“Quick! Quick! Quick!”
As if I need to be told!
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We were able to pause for the heron’s picture, but all too often we can’t stop which can be very frustrating.
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This morning we took a detour coming back from the post office and suddenly came upon a whole flock of wild turkeys.
Wouldn’t you know, a car had just turned onto the road behind us.
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If I’d been driving, I would have pulled over or at the least slowed down, because I’m not as considerate as the man.
“So turn around!” I suggested.
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“There’s no place to turn.” He said
“Oh balls!” was my opinion of that!
Sometimes we bicker:)
Cows became more aggressive during the lockdown period, and attacks began to increase after that. They kill and injure more people in Britain than any other animal. https://killercows.co.uk/ Good information from Bonnie about the corn left behind!
Best wishes, Pete.
Thank you, Carolyn, for your beautiful photographic study of the harvest fields, the landscapes of true beauty, and the handsome heron!
Joanna
Cattle are pretty much the ONLY large mammals common in the UK Carolyn – and there are really quite a lot of them. People also do act like idiots around them. Beautiful photographs as always.
It’s very interesting to read about the corn fields – it makes more sense now (and thanks to Bonnie who helped solve the mystery). I’m sure all the roads around your house are scenic routes – one as beautiful as the other. Bickering – we do too … but it’s usually over in the blink of an eye, because I never win (well, I do … in my head)! Lovely photos – that heron – wow!