Sometimes It Is Not As Bad As It Seems

I was out yesterday looking at more stressed corn.  The picture below is how the field looked.

Customers have been asking about corn plants burnt up to the ear and what to expect.  We all assume the worst.  A week ago this crop would make you cry.  It was shrivelling in the heat because the rains continued to go around.  3/4 of an inch arrived on Friday night.  I went about 10 rows from the edge and picked the ears shown below from 7 consecutive plants in the same row. 

Five of the seven are respectable.  And with a little more moisture it may surprise.  We all have been in a combine and seen a lot of little ears coming in the header and corn piling in the bin.  The season is not over and the plant can pack a lot of test weight into these kernels.  A week ago you would want to plow it under.  Yesterday, not so fast.