Corn is said years ago that it should be “knee high” by July 4, about 80 years ago when my Dad was farming, just when hybrid corn and fertilizers were becoming popular and equipment and products were in supply again after World War II. Amidst the rows of stalks, farmers gauge their crop’s progress, invoking an age-old saying: “Knee High by the Fourth of July.” This phrase, steeped in agricultural tradition, has been a benchmark for corn farmers across America for generations. The corn is as high as an elephant’s eye, an’ it looks like it’s climbin’ clear up to the sky.” “Knee high by the Fourth of July” may be in the past, but thanks to its catchy nature and once practical use in predicting yields, the phrase has transformed into a tradition for many. The old adage "knee-high by the Fourth of July" was used as a benchmark for corn crop progress. However, modern farming techniques and genetics have led to taller corn crops by Independence Day. Above normal temperatures and humidity have made life uncomfortable for human beings this summer, but A quick check on a search engine shows that while the phrase “knee-high by the Fourth of July” has become outdated by modern farming methods, it always signaled that the farm was on track for a In 1945, a wet, cold year, finding corn that was knee high by the Fourth of July proved difficult for a Gazette photographer. He found some at the D.D. Liebe farm east of Marion, where The old saying is "Knee High by the 4th of July" and we use this time of year to benchmark our corn and family's growth each year. But, farming has come a long way since the 17-hundreds. You have probably heard the saying, “knee-high by the Fourth of July,” which refers to the height of corn. A quick check on a search engine shows that while the phrase “knee-high by the Fourth of July” has become outdated by modern farming methods, it always signaled that the farm was on track for CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — “Knee high by the Fourth of July,” is an old adage farmers use to measure the success of their corn’s growth. Some of the corn in Champaign County, however, is Knee High by the Fourth of July? June 29, 2021 Kristin Lawson, Communications Coordinator With Independence Day right around the corner, you’ll likely hear the saying “knee high by the Fourth of July”. If you take a look at the corn fields in my neighborhood, you’ll see that most are more than knee high by mid to late June! I hope that’s true for your crops too. That makes me wonder Definition of knee-high by the 4th of July in the Idioms Dictionary. knee-high by the 4th of July phrase. What does knee-high by the 4th of July expression mean? According to BASF, “Knee-high by the Fourth of July” is an old adage used by corn farmers to measure the success of their crops at Independence Day. Thanks to advancements in farming equipment, research, and crop science, knee-high these days is actually an indicator that something might be wrong. Knee-high by the fourth of July means that if your corn is up to your knees or past them, your crop is on track for a successful harvest this year. Some years the corn is almost up to your shoulders, but on difficult years it is just knee-high. There's an old saying in rural farming communities: "knee-high by the 4th of July". This phrase refers to the ideal height that corn crops should reach by Independence Day in order to be on track for a successful, bountiful harvest by the end of the growing season. Google just confirmed that. Apparently in colonial times, it meant the corn should be knee high when you were sitting on a horse. To others in more recent times (still before herbicides), if the corn was knee high if signaled the end of cultivating to control weeds, most often this was around the Fourth of July. According to an old farming adage, the Fourth of July isn't just our nation's birthday, it's also an important benchmark for your corn crop. If all's going well, it should be "knee-high by the “Knee-high by the 4th of July” is a popular Midwest adage. Learn its origin, how it connects Midwesterners, and whether it is still popular today. “Knee-high by the Fourth of July” is an adage most growers know. According to BASF, knee-high corn in early July was at one time believed to be an indicator of high yields. “Knee-high by the Fourth of July” is an old adage used by corn farmers near and far to measure the success of their crops come Independence Day. Last week, farmers across the United States celebrated the Fourth in the same spirit as generations before them.
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