Page 21 - USA ROAD TRIP SUMMER of 2000

the types of corn to plant, the uses for corn, when to plant, when

to harvest, how to harvest for feed or for getting the corn off the
husks.

Later as we drove towards St. Paul, I saw some men in a large
parking area with the large short metal round storage sheds we

had seen for days. Not the tall silos – much shorter and fatter.
With nothing ventured, nothing gained; I stopped and asked if

they would teach me about the sheds. There were three men in
their 50’s. Two probably brothers and they took to their teaching

with gusto. Learned how the combine takes the kernels off the
husks, drying to 13% water content, heating the corn bins in

summer and cooling in winter to avoid condensation, storage of

the kernels, pricing, corn futures, size of farms, transport to the
Mississippi, the difference between storage in the silos and in the

bins, and the average production on their farms. They get about
150 bushels an acre. One of their farms was 2000 acres. Of course,

their first question was what we were doing in this area. The locals
can’t believe we are actually just driving around the countryside

on a vacation.

In the mid-afternoon, it was time to get back on the Interstate and

head north towards St. Paul. This required taking the beltway
around Minneapolis. Word to the wise – never try this in evening

rush hour traffic with a full bladder after drinking two diet cokes in
a row.

We have seen very clever traffic control in all the big city beltways.
The traffic that is trying to get onto the Interstate is held by a red

light on the access ramp. Some sensor on the Interstate checks

21