Corn Lessons

We planted corn again this year. We are not quick learners, apparently. Once again, our corn was planted too close together because we did not thin the seedlings when we should have. Then, it is kind of too late because if you pull the shoots up when they have grown up a bit, you risk disrupting the root system of the corn you want to keep. Thus, we had crowded corn and the ears were small with many underdeveloped. Actually, many were pretty pitiful.

We kept waiting for the ears to get bigger. But they did not because the stalks were competing for nutrients and water, and the corn development suffered. Well, then in mid Augugst we got busy with a new job starting for me, Labor Day weekend, and back to school for our daughters. And the corn was neglected. What little ears of corn we did have, were ready for harvest. But I was not.

Finally, last week I took off a few ears of corn and my DH took one look and remarked how pathetic they looked. But, they were our pathetic corn, and I do not like food to go to waste. So I made chili and put the corn in and to go with it, I made cornbread muffins, adding some of the corn. It was pretty good really, just that the corn was more mature than we like.

Today, I went out and got most of the ears of corn and shucked them, blanched them and put up 4 quart bags in the freezer. There is more to do, but I was doing it all by myself and I was tired from a long week, and I had already grated a bunch of zucchini down at the church this morning. So, I was kind of tired of processing food. I probably have 3-4 more qts. I can put up, and I hope next weekend won't be too late and the corn too mature. The corn is at the point of not being very palatable if we let it go much longer. If so, I guess the chickens and horses will be getting an extra special treat.

Lessons learned: Don't crowd your corn, and check it regularly for readiness. We will see next year if we remember our corn lessons.