Middlesex rain arrives just in time

Corn crop “high and green” — farmers anticipate good yields

by Tom Chillemi –

The rain that dampened many outdoor plans over this past weekend saved the area corn crop.

With well-timed rain this growing season corn is high and green from Deltaville to Water View. However, last week the ears were just beginning to form and the corn was “tasseling,” and during this pollination rain is essential. Corn has shallow roots and needs moisture replenished as the ground dries.

Area corn farmers hope for rain around the Fourth of July holiday when the corn is beginning to pollinate, said E.G. Fleet of Fairfield Farms in Hartfield. On Friday afternoon, Fleet was hoping for rain. Last year’s corn crop was one of the best in his 50-plus years of farming. And whether this year’s corn crop could survive and come close to the 2021 yield depended on one thing — rain.

Irrigation

Friday afternoon, Craig Revere of Revere Farms in Deltaville turned off an irrigation system that waters about 100 acres. He’d been waiting all week for the promise of rain that never came. By Friday rain looked like a sure thing. This time Mother Nature delivered. On Saturday, 2.8 inches of life-giving rain fell near his farm’s main buildings and produce stand, located diagonally across General Puller Highway from the Deltaville Market.

The July 9, life-giving rain soaked Middlesex County and neighboring areas blessing the corn, which was at a critical stage of development. “Mother Nature has been kind again this year . . . so far,” said Revere. “This will make a lot of corn because it’s hitting at the right time.”

Revere hopes to get at least an inch of rain by the end of next week. “Then we’ll be in pretty good shape…”