Dolly Potts, Agricultural Research Intern
Sept. 13, 2017
Fall is on the way and just around the corner is the harvest
of the traditional agricultural research plot. Adam and I have been checking
the plot at least three times a week. The stalks are drying and we get a peek
at the kernels every now and then. Mostly when we find a cob the raccoons have
taken down and chewed on. So our tally of raccoons has grown to eight. Thanks to
Don Reiter, with the Environmental Services for live trapping the bandits and
releasing them elsewhere. The damage was minimal with the raccoons getting
twelve to fourteen ears.
Today we measured the moisture of the corn using a moisture
reader a farmer would use. Adam picked a cob out of the plot to measure. The
corn registered at 42% moisture content. We will pick the plot at 15% moisture
content. The corn is shrinking and drying out on the stalks. A few of the ears
are still green. They were planted later to fill in the spots that did not
germinate. Adam, Rebecca and I have been discussing the harvest and working on
the procedures for the testing. I braided a few of the cobs and hope to do some
traditional harvesting braiding the corn. In the meantime, Adam and I have been
assembling the soil lab at SDI. I will write another blog about this project soon.
Tomorrow Adam, Rebecca and I leave for Minnesota to attend a
Food Summit and Native American Nutrition conference. My poster on Traditional
Gardening and Gathering Practices was accepted for a scholarship to the events.
We are hoping to learn more about the traditional practices used to grow and
harvest crops. Our posters are on
display in the atrium at CMN for viewing along with the rest of the summer
interns’ projects.
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| Adam holding corn |
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| Rebecca Edler holding the moisture reader |
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| Bear Island Flint corn braided |
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