Knee High by July - Iowa Loess Hills
by Susan Rissi Tregoning
Title
Knee High by July - Iowa Loess Hills
Artist
Susan Rissi Tregoning
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
I found this beautiful cornfield in the rolling hills of the Iowa Loess Hills National Scenic Byway.
"Knee High by the 4th of July" is a common saying in the Midwest to gauge how the corn is growing. A farmer hopes his cornfield is at least that high by late June to early July. I think this farmer is delighted with his crops!
The farmers in this area of Iowa practice terracing and contour farming to limit erosion of the loess. Loess (pronounced luss) is the German word for loose or crumbly. It is the name for the type of soil found here. The Loess Hills are incredibly fragile, and at almost 40 tons per acre per year, they have the highest erosion rate in the United States.
The Loess Hills are a natural geologic wonder, running 200 miles along Iowa's western border. This extraordinary landscape is a mix of prairie and forest-covered steep bluffs, narrow ridges, and rolling hills.
Copyright 2021 Susan Rissi Tregoning
Uploaded
June 22nd, 2021
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