Corn Day

Last Saturday was "corn day." Each spring we have the guy who plants our field corn for us, plant several rows of sweet corn as well. Then we choose one day when we think the majority of it is ready and invite family to help. We spend the most part of the day, picking, husking, silking, cutting, and bagging the corn for the freezer. At the end of the day, each family goes home happy with enough corn to last them for the coming year. Of course it is a lot of work, but I really like getting it all done in one day. Corn is sticky and messy and I would just as soon have all the mess contained in one day, so I only have to clean up once.

 

Family members that helped this year were Dad & Mom, Shawn & Awstin (Melissa was working), Jay, Kristen, Alexis, Lydia & Mark, and Megan, Steve and myself. Now granted, the grandkids didn't help but they were all really good and entertained themselves very well. Unfortunately, my hands were usually sticky, so I didn't take many pictures. Looking back, I wish I would have gotten some of us cutting the corn off the cob. Mom, Kristen, Shawn & I did that job. Megan and Jay took care of boiling and cooling the corn, and Steve & Dad picked, husked and silked most of it.

 

We didn't count but we figure we did between 80 and 90 dozen. We filled the wagon (pictured above) twice and guessed that each wagon load held about 40 dozen. It was a busy day, but with so many people helping it went smoothly. It always feels good to put the containers and kettles away and know that I won't need them again for another year.

 

Nothing makes men happier than to figure out a more "efficient" way to do tasks that we women have done the same way for years. Here, Steve is setting up a cooling system for the corn. Why would you want to use the sink?

 

Dad and Steve faithfully silked most of the second wagon of corn. I don't think they enjoyed it, but being able to discuss and solve many of the world's problems made it bearable :)

It was a fun and productive day and I now have plenty of corn in the freezer to last me until next summer when we do it all again.