Xavier Schuhmacher may only be 5 years old, but he’s already turned into quite the farmer.

Out in the middle of his square sandbox, to the side of all of his play trucks and other toys, there are several stalks of corn growing next to a fence.

The corn, now taller than the young boy, was planted back in May with his brother Juleon. The two attempted to grow corn last year but did not succeed.

Xavier said he got the corn from his grandpa, Frank Nellis, and then he “digged a hole and then put the seeds in it.” He covered the seeds and then flattened out the sand.

When the corn started growing, he installed a white fence around the plants to help protect them, he said.

He admitted he was surprised the corn had come up.

The stalks, which are still green, currently have 15 ears of corn on them.

Xavier’s mother, Amy Pestorious, said her grandfather, Jerry Pestorious, who farmed his whole life, would have been happy to see her son’s little farm in his sandbox.

“I think it’s cute,” his great-grandmother Wilma Hutchins added.

The young boy started kindergarten this year at Sibley Elementary School. The family resides on Spartan Avenue.