The summer after 7th grade, I tried to grow corn in the sand. I did it! (I was not a bright Child.)
I loved popcorn. I still do, but back then I was possessed with popcorn. For my birthday this year I got my own hot air popcorn machine. That was cutting edge technology. Now, to Me it was.
One day my mother casually mentioned that if I planted a popcorn kernel, a corn plant would grow. That blew my mind: I could grow my own popcorn?!? Again, I was not a smart kid.
Anyway, the next day I set about growing my own popcorn.
The only problem was that we lived among sand dunes on Lake Michigan. The soil wasn’t exactly ideal for growing anything. Well, it was sand! That didn’t stop me. I took my handful of popcorn corn and planted it next to the beach grass that grew sparsely around our house. I diligently watered the soil (I mean, the sand). My parents and older siblings giggled and thought I was crazy. Then the most incredible thing happened: little corn plants sprouted from the sand next to the beach grass.
My family was shocked. I was excited and proud. I grew corn!
Then the corn plants died. Was Sand, after all. You can’t grow corn in sand. (At least I could not.)
This summer I’m growing corn again, this time in a suburb of New York City. My wife and kids giggle a bit at me and think I’m crazy. This is my third year in a row trying to successfully grow corn. If my recent harvests are any indication, I’ll probably be feeding my family this summer a whole meal of corn of all my efforts.
Could I buy cheap fresh corn anywhere? Sure! But I don’t have grow this corn.
Besides, I’m still not that bright.
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Story produced by Lucie Kirk. Editor: Mike Levine.
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