selecting corn

[Jaymes]

I'll eyeball it, but it's not worth it to me to stand around feeling up a bunch of ears. 

Of course, for some of us, that's the most excitement we get all week.

[Jaymes]

caterpillars in the corn is a good sign, it means that the farmer did not use pesticides...or at least not a lot of pesticides.

I use zero pesticides organic or otherwise so yes we have caterpillars, we just cut that part off and enjoy

I went to the Amish farmer's market a short while back, specifically to buy corn. Unfortunately, by the time I got there, the corn was all gone. I expressed my disappointment to the farmer, and he said, "Well, I've got a couple of sacks of corn with caterpillars at the top. Those are the ones we usually eat, since few customers will buy them. It works out really well for us because the ones with the caterpillars are the best. For one thing, you know for sure that those ears are ripe and ready. Just cut off the top where the caterpillars are. We've got so much corn right now back at the farm that I'm not sure we can get to these before they spoil, so if you'd like to take them, you can just have them."

So I took home three large brown paper sacks full of corn. Got home, shucked it, cut off the worms, cut the kernels off of the cobs, made a huge skillet of southern fried corn, and we ate great the rest of that week.

[sparrowgrass]

I don't use pesticides in my garden, so my corn almost always has earworms. They rarely go farther than the top inch of the cob, and I just break or cut off that part. If they happen to wander lower, I use a sharp knife to cut out the damaged kernels. The chickens love the husks, ends, and particularly, the worms!!

I am doing low-carb (high blood sugars) but I think fresh corn is worth the carbs.

[Paul Bacino]

Pull Back the husk slightly and then give a couple kernels the finger nail test, if it pops open with a nice supply of milk you can bet its somewhat fresh. But thats for early season supermarket stuff.. otherwise I buy from two local producers at a farmers market that I trust.

[heidih]

I went to the Amish farmer's market a short while back, specifically to buy corn. Unfortunately, by the time I got there, the corn was all gone. I expressed my disappointment to the farmer, and he said, "Well, I've got a couple of sacks of corn with caterpillars at the top. Those are the ones we usually eat, since few customers will buy them. It works out really well for us because the ones with the caterpillars are the best. For one thing, you know for sure that those ears are ripe and ready. Just cut off the top where the caterpillars are. We've got so much corn right now back at the farm that I'm not sure we can get to these before they spoil, so if you'd like to take them, you can just have them."

My local farmstand where the corn is growing in the background does something similar. They market the corn already husked and trimmed; so they are trimming off the wormy bits. They usually sell 6 to a bag but when the trimming makes the cobs much smaller than usual they just toss in a few more to even things up. You can still get it in the husk if you prefer, and I have not asked about or noted their "pull back" policy. Will check next time.

[Boilerfood]

Maybe its because I spent summers on the farm, but I will always pull back the husk and check the kernels. Most of the grocers around here have trash cans for people who husk their corn in the store, and the stands at my farmers market all seem confident enough in their product that they allow you to test it. Then again, I only test one or two, not dozens.

[Paul Bacino]

I'm just curious.. if anyone asks.. if this is " Genetically Modified " sweet corn?

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/hort/ext/veg/MWVVT2001/html/INBallard2001SweetCornBio.htm

Edited July 20, 2011 by Paul Bacino (log)