For generations, that saying was a benchmark for the season’s progress. If the corn has reached about knee-high by Independence Day, it was considered to be on track for a successful harvest. The saying dates back to the 1800s, when corn was typically planted later in the spring and grew much slower than today’s crop. One theory says it first appeared in an eastern Iowa newspaper on July 3, 1884, while other claims date it back to colonial times. 

Over the years, advances in seed technology, new farming techniques, crop protection, and earlier planting have made the phrase outdated. If the corn were only knee-high by the Fourth of July in 2026; many farmers would be concerned.

That's where another famous phrase took root.

"The corn is as high as an elephant's eye by the Fourth of July."

The phrase "corn as high as an elephant's eye" comes from Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1943 Broadway musical Oklahoma! in the opening song, Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'. Over the years, farmers blended the two sayings as a more fitting benchmark for today's corn crop. 

Be it knee-high or reaching an elephant’s eye, the Fourth of July has remained a milestone in the growing season, giving a clear picture of how the crop is developing through the summer.

Author Bio: Bailey White is Pifer's Senior Marketing Coordinator. As an NDSU graduate with a major in Fine Arts and a minor in Creative Writing, Bailey's creativity and talent in illustration has helped Pifer's create a fresh and clean look. Bailey enjoys freelance painting, portrait work and creating unique murals for businesses. If you are in the Fargo/Moorhead area, you may see some of Bailey's mural work around town!