Define It
What is the term for the process or period of gathering crops?
HARVEST
This part of the corn plant grows underground delivering water and nutrients to the plant. What is the name of the plant part?
Roots
FUN FACT: Corn plants have 2 sets of roots. One that grows above ground to keep the plant from tipping over called the brace roots and the seconds are the roots underground that deliver the water.
Field corn or dent corn is America's #1 crop. Why is it called dent corn?
The corn has matured. Field corn is ready to harvest when it has changed to a golden brown color and the seed is fully developed and dried down.
Corn is used as a sweetener in many foods. What is an example of something humans consume that contain corn syrup?
sodas, juice, candy, packaged goodies, condiments, ice cream, breakfast foods, fruits jellies, etc
Fun fact: High fructose corn syrup is made from corn. It is the most common sweetener in processed foods.
Corn takes about 4 months to grow. How many days would that be?
120 days
What is the term for an engine fuel alternative made primarily from fermented corn?
ETHANOL!
What is the leaf like structure that wraps around the ear of the corn to protect it?
HUSK
True or False: Corn is believed to be one of the first agricultural crops grown in ND
TRUE
More than 300 years ago the women Native American tribes such as Mandan, Arikara & Hidatsa raised corn along with beans, squash & tobacco in their garderns
Most consider corn to be a vegetable, but did you know that corn can be both a vegetable and a grain for human FOOD? We refer to corn as a grain when we talk about the dried kernels that are used to make other FOODS. What are 2 examples of food that corn grain is used to make?
corn meal, corn flakes, popcorn, tortillas, chips, taco shells, cereals etc.
In 2005, the United States produced 42% of the worlds corn. What is the decimal for 42%?
0.42%
What is the term for a unit of land area equal to 4,840 square yards?
ACRE
Fun Fact: an acre is equivalent to a football field
What is the male part of the plant that produces pollen needed for reproduction?
TASSEL
ND grows 3 different types of corn. Can you name all 3 kinds?
POPCORN
SWEET CORN
FIELD CORN
Some of the North Dakota corn is used for FEED and is fed to Livestock. What are some livestock that eat corn FEED?
Cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens
A corn plant can be 5-12ft tall. What is the difference between the shortest corn plant and the tallest corn plant?
12-5 = 7
What is the term for a unit of volume used in dry measure and equal to 4 pecks, 2,150.42 cubic inches or 35.24 liters?
BUSHEL
FUN FACT: a bushel of corn weighs 56 lbs.
What is the female part of the plant and structure that contains the kernels?
EAR
Fun Fact: Each ear of corn has an average of 80 kernels and 16 rows!
ND is the #________ producer of corn in the whole United States?
Hint: it's greater than 10 but less than 20
18
Most of the corn grown in ND is used to make ethanol. Ethanol is referred to as what "F" word that we get from corn?
FUEL
Fun Fact: Ethanol burns cooler and cleaner than gasoline and ethanol is made at 5 plants around ND.
An acre of land can produce 11,500 pounds of sweet corn. How many pounds of sweet corn can 2 acres produce?
11,500 + 11,500 = 23,000
What is the term for something that is capable of being decomposed by biological agents, especially bacteria?
BIODEGRADEABLE
FUN FACT: Today each of you will receive a recipe so that you can make your own biodegradable corn plastic at home!
What is the carbohydrate portion of the SEED that creates energy for the seed to grow and provides energy in the form of corn starch for animal and human food, ethanol and polymers used in bioplastics?
Endosperm
Some of the corn grown in ND gets loaded into ships to be exported to other countries and then used to make mainly livestock feed. How many days does it take a grain ship to travel from the United States to China?
35 days!
ND corn is used to make many different products. These different uses are broken down into four categories and they all start with the letter "F".
Can you name all four categories ND corn is used in?
FOOD, FIBER, FEED, FUEL
Each ear of corn has an average of 80 kernels and 16 rows. How many kernels are in each row?
80 divided by 16 = 5