Hello, my fellow gardeners! I have another update today about my brother’s corn and how he managed everything after the harvest.
My brother Arnold was supposed to harvest his corn last week, but because of the continuous rain, he wasn’t able to do it. He started to worry because the corn was getting damaged from being too wet. The water made the cobs too moist, and he was afraid they would start to rot inside their husks. He couldn’t do anything but wait for the rain to stop.
I remember back when I was in high school, this was exactly what we used to do every Saturday when we didn’t have classes. My siblings and I would help our parents on the farm. Now, it’s my nephews who do the same. That’s just how life is in the province it’s hard work, but it’s truly happy and simple. All the food is fresh, straight from the farm.
Before he started the harvest, the sun came out for two days. He thought carefully about the weather and waited to see if the sunshine would continue. When he saw that it stayed warm, he decided to start harvesting while the weather was still good. He asked help from our brothers and cousins so the work would be faster in case it rained again. He felt disappointed when he saw the corn some had already changed color and others had mold. If they didn’t harvest soon, the damage would get worse, and they wouldn’t be able to sell it anymore.
They worked quickly some were peeling the corn while others were carrying the sacks. That’s what they did while the weather was still good. My brother Arnold said that during their harvest, there was actually an earthquake. They wondered why the corn plants were shaking even though there was no wind. Later, they found out it was an earthquake when our mother called to tell them about it.
After the corn is harvested from the farm, it still needs to go through the siling process. Then, it’s dried under the sun. Once it’s fully dried, it’s ready to be sold. That’s the usual process of corn here in our place.
Because of the continuous rain, the road going to the farm became very muddy. It’s not cemented, so it’s really hard to pass through, especially when hauling the harvest. Sometimes, the truck tires get stuck deep in the mud, and they have to pull it out using a rope tied to a cow. That’s how difficult it is during the rainy season. My brother said they are hoping that the local officials will fix the road because farmers suffer a lot when it rains. He said even just a small help, like a donation of gravel or a proper drainage system, would already mean a lot.
The past few weeks have been difficult, but my brother didn’t give up. Despite the rain, mud and spoiled crops he still managed to harvest what he could. That’s what I admire most about farmers they work hard no matter what happens. Rain or shine, they always stand strong, hoping for better days ahead.
Thank you for reading and for visiting my blog. See you again on my next post!