Picture of the day - August 25, 2005

Chopping corn

Today's picture features a familiar sight during harvest time in my neck of the woods: the chopping of corn into silage. There are many dairy farms still in operation in southwestern Virginia and all of those "milk cows" will need a steady supply of nutritious and tasty food come winter - and corn silage is the "feed" of choice in these parts. I have always loved watching a field of corn being chopped up into silage as it's really quite an interesting process. One person operates the chopper, driving it around the perimeter of the field as it chops several rows of corn at once into tiny 1/8 to 1/4 inch pieces. Nothing is wasted - the entire plant is chopped up, not just the "ear". Then you have the driver of the truck who must keep it moving in lockstep with the chopper, lest the precious silage miss the truck bed and land on the ground. When the truck bed is full, the driver hauls the load to a "silo" where it will be stored until needed. If you ever happen upon a corn field while a chopper is in operation, pull over and watch the action for a minute or two. If you're anything like me, you'll be amazed at the way the entire process plays itself out right before your very eyes!   Visit the POTD Archives for previous "Pictures Of The Day"!     Submit a photo of your own!            Why I publish the "Picture of the Day"