Quantcast

How green is our valley? Corn stalk pokes up at Smith St ‘farm’

How green is our valley? Corn stalk pokes up at Smith St ‘farm’
Photo by Bess Adler

And on the sixth day — of a Boerum Hill art project — there was life!

A lone, delicate plant has emerged from a rare corn seed planted last week at the corner of Smith and Bergen streets, part of an art installation called Maize Field.

This corn is certainly not as high as an elephant’s eye — but the first signs of life temporarily overwhelmed artist Christina Kelly, who has been dutifully nurturing the plot since planting it last Tuesday.

“I was relieved it came up,” she said. “I’m a fussy artist, I wanted to see the seeds through germination.”

More corn seedlings are expected to pierce the soil soon, and Kelly plans to plant beans and squash in the plot, which stands in an area cultivated by the Marechkawich Indians in the 17th century. The project, she said, hearkens to the borough’s agrarian past, and offers a commentary on the nature of change.

The next phase Kelly will be on the look out for is the formation of silk near the corn’s stalk, an event expected in July. Forty stalks of blue flint corn will be visible some time in August.

To learn more about the project, go to www.brooklynmaize.org.