Carrying a spade, he probes roots and checks carefully to see what sort of insect problems he has. And if a stalk is sprouting extra tiny ears of corn, he plucks them off so they don't draw plant energy away from the main ear. In private, some do ask. But his yields are so good that he says he earns as much profit per bushel as his larger neighbors. Mr. Childs doesn't give away all of his secrets.
Devotees often speculate about what they are.
He angles his rows such as to maximize sun exposure. Told of this theory, Mr. Childs chuckles. Another theory is that he cheats. I'm somewhat skeptical. What he does is hard to understand.