Detasseling Corn

Growing up in SE Indiana, detasseling corn was one of the few summer jobs available and I did it for several summers.

For all of you city folk who have no idea what I am talking about:

Corn detasseling is the crucial last step in producing hybrid corn seed. It involves removing the pollen-producing top part of the plant, the tassel, so the corn can't pollinate itself. Instead, pollen from another variety of corn grown in the same field is carried by the wind, pollinating the detasseled corn. The result is corn that bears the genetic characteristics of both varieties and can produce healthier crops with higher yields. Despite technological advances in agriculture, detasseling is still a task that for the most part is done by hand.

Detasselers all wear pretty much the same uniform at work. Gloves protect the hands, hats guard against sunburn (though I wore a visor so my hair would bleach in the sun). And despite the heat, nearly everyone wears a bandana around the neck, a long-sleeved shirt and long pants, all to avoid getting cut up by the corn leaves and corn rash.

You get up before the sun comes up, meet and get on the yellow school bus that takes you to the field. You know that your first 10 steps into the corn are going to be anything but pleasant because it's full of dew. You're wet head-to-toe no matter what you're wearing. The corn is tall, you're walking through mud or dry deep ridges and engaged in repetitive physical exertion for the next 10 hours. In the morning, it's wet and chilly. By 10 a.m., steam is rising from the field. By noon it's hot, and by three, it's extremely hot and you're exhausted.

It's hard, sweaty work that requires you to keep your head looking up for hours at a time. It's lonely work if you're ahead of or behind your co-workers. All you hear is chirping and screeching of bugs and birds, and all you see are rows of corn above your head, and you begin to panic and think they've all left. It's just you and the corn.

I remember saying over and over, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Just to get to the end of the row and get a little cup of cool water.
My boss was also my high school counselor and I respected him greatly. I wanted to do a good job to please him. I wanted him to look good for his boss…the owner of the field. I worked hard not to leave behind a single tassel.

As horribly hard as this job was, I still got up the next day before dawn to do it all over. And then I would still do it again the next year.

To this day, it is the hardest job I ever had. Housework and cleaning toilets seem like a promotion by comparison.

What does all of this talk of detasseling corn have to do with anything? I had the same thoughts and experience these last 4 weeks. Taking in 2 more children bringing the number to 9 ages 11 and under was quite hard. The children themselves were behaviorally challenged. Add to that lice, sickness and then Neil and I getting sick Christmas Eve…sometimes all I could say was, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” over and over!

Yet I didn’t want to let Jesus down. I wanted to hug these children for Him. I wanted to love and teach them well. One step at a time. He always had a cool cup of water waiting for me at the end of the row…uhh day. ☺

It was hard and yet I will probably do it again. The children heard the story of Christmas for the first time in their lives. They experienced love and stability and safety. Maybe this is what Christmas is supposed to be about.

Maybe it’s not about me. Me sitting with eggnog looking at the tree in quiet…me being able to listen to Christmas music to my heart’s content…me not doing 5 loads of laundry a day…me not being sick…me not getting enough rest…me me me me me…

It was about the children. Making lots of cookies. Teaching them to sing the Christmas Carols about Jesus. Lighting Advent candles every night and reading the Christmas story…one door at a time. (We have a great Advent book!) Praying.

I talked a lot more to my Father. Had a lot of deep heart and soul searching late at night and early in the morning. Doing the next thing. Doing it for my God. He is so worthy and glorious. What in this life compares?