Tag Archives: stalks

Photographs: Agriculture, Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Winter Corn Stalks

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Winter Corn Stalks
“Winter Corn Stalks” — Winter corn stalks, with the crop left behind.

This is where I should share a corny joke, maybe one about stalkers. Sorry… What we have here is a photograph of a corn field that is maintained all the way into the new year. Why are these stalks still standing on New Year’s Day, and why has the corn not been harvested? This crop is grown to provide feed to migrating waterfowl.

Over the next month or two, before the birds begin to depart the California Central Valley for distant summer homes, the stalks will be gradually knocked down so that the birds can feed on the corn. On our visit we passed this spot when the midday bird activity had declined, so I paused next to the field and made a few photographs of these textures, shapes, and colors.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Agriculture, Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Winter Corn

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"Winter Corn" — Old corn left on the stalk in a winter field.
“Winter Corn” — Old corn left on the stalk in a winter field.

We don’t usually see corn on the stalk this late — by now it usually has been harvested, either for human food or animal feed. The stalks are left to decay for a while or sometimes salvaged for seasonal autumn decorations. Eventually they are knocked down — and it parts of California they get burned. It is quite unusual to find stalks with fully mature ears of corn on New Year’s Day, which is when I made this photograph.

So, why are the ears still there in this field? Not everyone understands the multiple factors driving support for wildlife refuges. Many of us are simply grateful they are there, providing safer places for migratory and other birds. But hunting and agriculture have played a big part. Here, attracting birds to places that are not someone’s field is one of the goals, and this crop provides feed for migratory birds.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | Post | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California

Acanthus

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Acanthus
Acanthus plants in a San Francisco Peninsula garden.

Acanthus. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Acanthus plants in a San Francisco Peninsula garden.

This clump of acanthus stalks was growing in a lush, green area of this garden. We were there in the early evening, and the soft light fills that shadows and reveals details that might be hidden in harsher conditions. In many places the stalks were growing close to other plants, but here they grew along and provided some distance to separate them from the rest of the garden.

The stems are striking — almost vertical (though these do lean a bit) and thick, covered with thick, patterned leaves that include green, purple, and almost black colors. Up close you can also see that there are stickers on some of the leaves.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.