01-Jul-2000 -- It's the Fourth of July Weekend. This confluence, 41 north 87 west is located near the town of Francesville in the heart of northwest Indiana's corn country. I located Brad Wuethrich and received permission to photograph the confluence. The Wuethrichs operate Wuethrich Pork and Grain on about 2500 acres in Jasper County. About a third of this acreage is soybeans, about 600 acres is regular corn, about 300 acres is seed corn, and the remaining is a specialty crop of amylose corn. The confluence is in one of these amylose corn fields. Amylose corn is shorter than regular corn, only about three feet tall while its regular counterpart is about six feet tall.

High amylose corn is grown primarily because of its unique starch characteristics. About 30,000-40,000 acres of high amylose corn is grown annually almost exclusively in the areas of east central Illinois and central Indiana. High amylose corn yields about 60-80% as much as normal hybrids. All production is grown under contracts that are primarily priced on a per-acre rather per-bushel basis and brings a premium price.

Amylose corn is grown exclusively for wet milling to produce a starch that crystallizes quickly. The starch from high amylose corn is used in textiles, gum candies, biodegradable packaging materials, and adhesives for manufacturing corrugated cardboard. There is potential for use in production of other biodegradable plastic products.

Photograph one, two and three is looking northeast, east and south respectively from the confluence. Picture 4 is the obligatory GPS receiver sitting in the amylose corn.

Take Exit 215 off of I-65 and go east on SR 114 toward Rensselaer. Continue on SR 114 through town. Approx. 4.2 miles after the center of town, you will cross over a set of railroad tracks. From the tracks, continue 3.6 miles to County Road 230E. Turn left onto this road. At 4.0 miles you will pass CR 150 S / East Moody Road. Go 0.52 miles (2770 feet) further and stop. Walk 737 feet due east to the confluence. If you come to Ryan Ditch, you have gone 800 feet too far.