On Kewanee's DeRycke farm, the corn is well over knee-high by Fourth of July

Every farmer will tell you that each year is different, depending on the weather, the markets and the cost of what it takes to produce a crop.

Markets and costs aside, 2022 has thus far been a good one, weather-wise, for area grain producers.

Periods of cold and wet weather in April slowed planting somewhat, but many farmers were able to get into the fields on schedule, unlike 2019, when there were three planting seasons – a few days in April, a few in May and a few in June – between days when it was too wet, too cold, or both to one in the field.

That year, Hattie Rose measured the corn planted April, 24 on her father Mark’s farm east of Kewanee at 3’ 9”, the shortest in recent years.

For this year, heat and stress were beginning to take their toll on this year’s corn crop, but a healthy dose of rain last weekend gave it the drink it needed. The Illinois State Water Survey’s drought monitor, released Monday, shows the southeast half of Henry County with no drought, while the northwest half is experiencing moderate drought conditions. More rain is needed replenish soil moisture throughout the state. 

Although most corn nowadays is usually knee high by June 4, the old farmer’s expression, “knee high by the Fourth of July,” still refers to the ideal time to see how tall the corn is at this stage of the season.

Each year the Star Courier asks a local farmer’s daughter, or granddaughter, to head for their best field and measure the height of the corn.

This year’s Knee High Girl is Rachel DeRycke, a junior at Kewanee High School and daughter of Cory and Michelle DeRycke. On Friday, June 24, we ventured to a field on one of her grandfather, John DeRycke’s farms in the “sand hill” country north of Annawan.

There we found taller corn than most we’ve seen this year, but heat stress had spindled the leaves in the early afternoon sun. Rachel brought along a ruler owned by her great-grandfather, local building contractor Vernon Blackert, and measuring from the tip of the tallest leaf down to the root, 5’ 4” Rachel taped the plant at 5’ 8”

That corn will probably spurt over 6-feet by Monday, July 4, thanks to last Saturday’s soaker and more moderate temperatures this week.

Last year Daci Her, of Kewanee, measured the corn at 6’ 7” and Mary Miller, of Neponset, measured a field at 7’ 9” in 2020. Those fields were planted May 7 and April 21, respectively. The DeRycke’s planted DeKalb seed corn in the field we measured this year on April 21.

An ag career

Rachel DeRycke is thinking about a career in agriculture, possibly some facet of livestock production or veterinary medicine.

She is already active on the livestock scene showing Angus beef cattle, showing a heifer and steer at the Henry County Fair, and will show at the Section 3 FFA Fair next month and at the Illinois State Fair in August. Rachel did the research and selected the genetics for her show steer.

Rachel was also chosen to serve as a 2022 Junior Beef Ambassadors by the Henry County Beef Association. In that capacity, she, and other beef ambassadors, helped show young, first-time exhibitors in the Bucket Calf Show at the Henry County Fair how to present their calf before the judge, and told them about the opportunities in the beef industry. Next year she will be a Senior Beef Ambassador and, at the completion of her two years of service to the organization, will receive a scholarship from the county beef association.

Rachel said when she was three or four years old she tagged along with her older brother, Nathan, as he prepared his cattle for the show ring, which sparked her interest in raising and showing beef cattle. The siblings now have a “friendly” rivalry to see who wins the most ribbons. 

FFA is now a big part of Rachel’s life, inspired, she says, by Kewanee High School ag teacher Kindra Callahan, who has provided her and the other students with opportunities to learn and experience various aspects of agriculture.

Earlier this month she and other chapter members volunteered for a wetlands restoration project at a wildlife refuge in Putnam County.

This year she is vice president of the chapter after serving as chapter reporter last year. She has also participated in parliamentary procedure competition as well as livestock and soil judging contests. She just attended the annual Illinois State FFA Convention, in Springfield, for the second summer of her high school career.

“FFA has meant a lot to me and has helped me with skills that will prepare me for life after high school,” DeRycke said.