Sweet Corn

I thought I would post about the sweet corn even though there is no picture to post yet. The main reason is when I planted the first block, a picture of bare dirt isn't exactly interesting to look at. Now that the seedlings are two to three inches tall, another reason for no picture has emerged. The second of the four rows is crooked. To non-farmer types, that may not seem like a big deal, but believe me, in farmer land, crooked rows gets you kicked out of the club. Other farmers drive by your fields and if the rows are crooked, they make it a point to bring it to your attention. My plan is to wait a few more days so they get taller and then use a camera angle that doesn't make it front and center.

The variety I'm planting is called Silver Queen. It was one of the first white varieties to get popular at farm stands back in the 1970s. It was quite a bit sweeter than the yellow varieties at that time. Today, most of the sweet corn in stores and farmers markets are what are known as super sweet types. They have been bred to have a much higher sugar content than the old varieties and the sugar does not turn to starch after harvest as fast as the old ones. The old varieties were notorious for getting starchy after the corn was picked. My dad used to tell my mom to have the water boiling already for when he would get home from my grandfather's farm with fresh-picked sweet corn. He thought this was the best way to enjoy the corn at its peak and not have any starchiness. For those that don't have the luxury to go out and pick a few ears right off the stalk, the best way to make sure it's at its peak is pop one of the kernels with a fingernail. If the juice is milky and the kernel is crisp, it's perfect. If the kernel is soft and the juice is more like toothpaste, it's over the hill. If the kernels are small and shiny, it was picked too immature.

Sweet corn is one of those vegetables that has a lot of folklore about it. When I would sell corn at farmers' markets, many people would insist on white or yellow based on having a good or bad experience in the past. They might have had corn that was terrible and if it was yellow, they would never buy yellow again. The reality is that there are many factors beside color that will determine whether you get corn that is great. The best way, of course, is to grow it yourself so you can go out and pick some while the water is already boiling and in a few minutes, you'll be eating the best corn you ever had.