Corn Cribs: Gone Forever?

Every once in a while, something will jog a memory in us that has layed buried deep in our brains for years.  Tonight, while out for a drive and passing canola fields, grain fields and corn fields, the kids started asking about the difference between 'people corn' (sweet corn) and 'cow corn' (field corn).  I grew up in the city and these were my names for them.  I told them what hubby and neighbouring
Amish and Mennonites told me about picking field corn very small and pickling them.  I had always assumed that it was a form of sweet corn that came in a mini-size.  So much I don't know!

The memory was this:  when I was young, every farm it seemed had a corn crib.  I never see them around the countryside anymore and even homesteaders don't mention them.  To me growing up, corn cribs were one of the things that epitomized farm life and country life.  I have no idea why except perhaps it was because most, if not all, farms had one.

Corn crib interior in Pinehurst, NC

Corn cribs had slats in them to allow for airflow to dry the kernels.  Even though the cobs are exposed to the elements they still dried.  Wiki says "some corncribs are elevated above the ground beyond the reach of rodents."  Considering how much complaining the old farmers did about rats and mice, I'd have to guess it didn't work, at least not around here.  Hubby's dad had a crib like the top photo.  He says there was a conveyor belt of sorts that ran under it when it was time to get more corn that you forked/shoveled the corn onto.  Corn could be fed to cows this way, cob and kernel together (as well as the whole stalk) but for pigs, the kernels need to be removed from the cob and only the kernel fed to the pig.

Sibley, Illinois was once known as the home of the largest corn crib in the world.  It could hold 125,000 bushels and was destroyed in 1965.  A  shame!   I can't find any photos of it.

The above corn crib allowed for 2 vehicles - tractor, truck, buggy - to be parked on each end with corn stored in the crib in the middle while the building below allowed for 1 vehicle in the middle and a corn crib on each side.  Saves on space and lumber!

Corn crib modeled on 1915 plans   http://www.farmcollector.com/

Daryl Dempsey's new old-style corn crib, complete with elevator and a load of corn. "Many corn cribs can still be found like this today in Ohio," he says, "but few are still used, and I doubt you'll find a newer one than mine." (Image courtesy of Daryl Dempsey.)

Read more: http://www.farmcollector.com/Farm-life/Good-Enough-for-Granddad.aspx#ixzz1U8JVWJkf

Crib by Leamington, On.  http://www.leamington.canadianlisted.com/

Crib near Iberville, Quebec

http://www.cassandrapages.blogspot.com/

John W. Berg Standing beside the barn and corn crib he built on his farm
1-1/2 miles northeast of Meriden, Ks.  Around 1900.  This barn burnt in June of 1995

http://www.garybo.com/

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