Lend me your ears
Lend me your ears
Do you know? Is Corn a fruit or a vegetable? Corn is technically a fruit as it derives from a seed of a flowering plant. There are generally two types of corn, sweet corn and field corn. The differences between sweet corn and field corn are that sweet corn is picked when immature and used… Read More »
Do you know? Is Corn a fruit or a vegetable?
Corn is technically a fruit as it derives from a seed of a flowering plant. There are generally two types of corn, sweet corn and field corn. The differences between sweet corn and field corn are that sweet corn is picked when immature and used for human consumption, eating it fresh on the cob, frozen or canned. Field corn is picked when the kernels are dry and fully mature then processed into corn products for human consumption such as corn cereal, corn oil, corn starch, etc. Field corn is also used for feeding livestock and to produce ethanol fuel and is the basis for many bio-based renewable plastics making corn a very important crop.
We grow sweet corn on our farm as we are a fruit and vegetable farmer and to enjoy the fresh tastes of summer. Corn is a row crop which is a popular planting method meaning it is harvested annually, replanted and produced on a larger scale using machines. As part of our sustainable agriculture practices we rotate the crops and you may see sweet corn growing in different parts of our farm when you visit. We continually plant corn throughout the summer to ensure a steady supply of corn for our farm store and markets. The corn we plant typically is ready for harvest after around 8 weeks, the tassels tell us when it’s ready as they will begin to turn slightly brown.
We begin to harvest our first corn crop typically mid July through late October and sometimes even later into the season, if weather conditions permit. We also grow a ten acre corn field on our farm for use as our popular annual corn maze and we also grow popping corn which is dried and used for popcorn which is a fun and natural snack.
Corn is an imperfect flower and thereby needs help with pollination which is aided typically by the wind. Corn contains both male flowers (tassels) and female flowers (silks & ear). Pollen from the tassels needs to land on the silks in order to create a viable crop. Want to learn more about corn and pollination? Watch this video of our Assistant Farm Production Manager, John for more details. 
Looking for a unique way to enjoy sweet corn? Try this simple Polenta Corn & Roasted Tomatoes recipe provided by our Culinary & Education Specialist, Miss Jenn. This recipe will help you truly enjoy the simple and delicious tastes of summer.
Best wishes from our farm kitchen to yours! xo
