Corn

In your share from July through September, sweet corn is a summer treat that few people can refuse, and if you are accustomed to buying your ears of corn at the store then you may not realize how delicious they can be when they are really fresh.

Cooking Tips

We pick your ears of corn the same morning that you get them in your share, but as soon as ears are picked the sugar in the kernels begins converting into starch. For this reason, the fresher the corn the sweeter the taste, so you should enjoy your corn as soon as possible. For a delicious experience, simply peel back the husks and eat it raw on the cob. Many people don't realize that corn can be eaten raw, but really it is one of the best ways to enjoy it. Otherwise, throw your ears on the barbeque or grill, or remove the kernels from the cob with a sharp knife and steam them for a few minutes or saute them in some butter. Try making some corn chowder, or add some fresh kernels to corn bread. There are a million ways to eat sweet corn.

Storage Tips

As mentioned above, to get the full, sweet flavor of your corn you should try to use it as soon as possible. If you can't eat it immediately, store ears in the refrigerator without removing the husks. To freeze corn, you can remove kernels from the cob (or don't if you prefer) blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes, and freeze in a plastic bag.

Nutrition

Fresh sweet corn is high in vitamins A and B complex, phosphorus, potassium, and protein. Corn also contains the compounds carotenoids, lutien, and zeaxanthin, which are know to reduce the risk of chronic eye disease.

History

Corn is a grass native to Mexico, where it has been a staple crop for tens of thousands of years. Its nourishment made possible the Aztec and Mayan empires, both of whom gave it a central role in religious life. In the Incan empire in South America only nobility was permitted to eat corn, and in the Southwestern United States it was grown together with squash and beans as one of the Three Sisters. Corn has since become one of the most important crops in the entire world, and is grown perhaps more widely than any other vegetable. A surprisingly small percentage of the corn grown worldwide is sweet corn, however. The vast majority is comprised of non-sweet varieties, increasingly genetically modified, used to feed animals in stockyards or as fuel in the form of ethanol.

Field Notes

We grow several varieties of sweet corn, including white, yellow, and bicolor varieties, all of which are selected to be especially sweet and delicious when eaten fresh. We also time the varieties to be ready at different times, so corn is continuously available through the late summer. Our corn is started in the greenhouse and transplanted, which is unusual, but keeps pesky birds from eating all the kernels. We plant it out in a large, one acre block, so there will be no shortage of corn pollen blowing in the wind in order to pollinate the stalks and create plenty of tasty cobs. Once a variety has been deemed ready to harvest, a brave soul marches through the jungle of stalks with a backpack to find ripened cobs. This is done early in the morning, the same day the cobs reach you, to ensure they will be fresh and sweet.