A nice group photograph of what appears to be a good portion of the town shucking the corn crop. Note remnants of outer leaves on the ground. I'm not sure how much work they got out of the two fellows lower right. I have to say they appear to have spent the day with corn liquor instead of shucking tools. Photograph by Lorenzo Short, Rondout NY circa 1905.
 |
| CLICK TO ENLARGE |
Would you like an interesting item to collect which will cost you virtually no money, yet provide a constant source of admiration and humility? I present my collection here of Corn Huskers. Nope, not a sports team…a handheld tool used to pry ears of corn from the stalk back when corn was produced on a family farm and used as food and feed, not turned into "corn syrup" to line the pockets of huge food conglomerates and ruin our teeth.
As you can see here (but you will see better if you collect a few) the corn husker tool was not only important for survival, each one became a highly personalized utilitarian object used every day until the job was done. Some were decorated, as the one here with cool brass or silver buttons applied. The tool consisted of a blade, some made by hand, later by factory, affixed to a leather wrist strap often with additional pads to protect the hand. Now I won't claim anyone LIKED their corn husking tool. In fact, it was a horrible thing to put on every morning and was hated, though appreciated by the end of a long day. Each one developed real character through use. I am sure plenty of blisters formed around the edges.
Who used them? Every damn person available. In the photo here titled "Corn Husking In Kansas" on the reverse, you can see the work crew near the end of the job. Young, old and animal. There was a day when the harvest meant more than a hayride the Chamber of Commerce puts on around Halloween.
My collection cost about five bucks each, and they have the feel and import of ancient relics. I guess they are.
Collection of Corn Husking hand tools and an original photograph, circa 1900 All Collection Jim Linderman
BROWSE and ORDER books and Ebooks by Jim Linderman HERE at Blurb.
