Q: Why did the farmer win the Nobel Prize?
A: Because he was outstanding in his field!

Explanation: The Nobel Prize is awarded to people who “have conferred the greatest benefit to mankind.”  That is, they have done something really, really important because it is something that is good for a lot of people.  Outstanding means exceptionally good.  People who win the Nobel Prize are outstanding in their field.  In this case, field means the special area that they know a lot about such as literature, science, math, …

Field also means an area of open land where farmers plant their crops.  After they plant their crops they have a soybean field, or a corn field, or a wheat field…  When farmers inspect their crops, they might walk out into their field and stand there.  That is, they are out in their field, standing.  I could also say that they are out standing in their field.

This joke is funny because it plays with the words outstanding and out standing, which sound the same.  And I am sure there are outstanding farmers who are out standing in their field of corn right now.

Speaking of corn and other crops, check out the seed art from the Minnesota State Fair: