Kim's Thoughts

What’s my favorite season, you ask? Well….it’s “corn season”, of course!!! Actually, it’s the entire season when you can go to open air farm markets and get the freshest, picked that morning, local fruits and veggies……but, my drop dead favorite part is when corn is in season!!! I could live on grilled, steamed, or roasted fresh corn on the cob and nothing else all season, if I thought I could get away with it….but, I’d be really sad if I eliminated summer squash, zucchini, tomatoes, peas, cucumbers, and all the rest from my daily menus!!!

I, personally, usually like the bigger kernel corn on the cob – when selecting ears from a basket at the farmer’s market, I search for the fattest ears I can find! LOL But…..I don’t refuse ANY size kernels…..the skinny ears are just fine with me, too!

When I was growing up, the field beside our house was corn most years (every few years, they switched to cabbage to put some nutrients back in the soil – they’d let a certain percentage of the crop rot and plow it under to enrich the soil). It wasn’t sweet corn, though – it was field corn (we always called it “cow corn”) – it was bigger and chewier than typical sweet corn and raised mainly to feed the cows. We’d go over to the edge of the field along our property and pick a few ears for Sunday dinner on occasion (yes, the farmer knew we did it and was OK with that — he was our neighbor). Maybe that’s why I like the fatter ears of sweet corn – I grew up on field corn!!!

The weather has been so good this year – no late snowfall or heavy freeze to stunt early crops – that it was difficult to find a corn field with corn stalks this short to get a photo that represents that wonderful old saying “knee high by the fourth of July”. There were a few other fields that aren’t much taller than this, but they were set back behind a deep ditch that I wasn’t about to wander through for the photo!

Most are already waist high or higher!!!

In fact, I was able to get some fresh ears at Rush’s today for my Fourth of July dinner! And, I saw some at other places, as well! So, some farmers are already picking their corn!

Corn is a huge crop in Orleans County — not only for sweet corn consumption and “cow corn”, but also for the local ethanol plant in Medina!

In addition to the corn I got from Rush’s, I picked up summer squash, zucchini, and grapes from Circle R and sweet cherries from Kirby’s…..I went to Kirby’s specifically to get edible pod peas – LOVE THEM!!! But, they didn’t have any. When I asked about them, they said those peas are struggling cause they don’t like the heat – they had a few this morning, but were gone by the time I got to their market. Hoping I can get there at the right time sometime before they are done for the season so I can at least get a couple handfuls to chomp on!!!

Something else I LOVE from Kirby’s: Apple Cider Slushies!!! They are soooooo good!!! This is the first one I’ve had this season!!! Ice cold, refreshing, and delicious!!!!

So much deliciousness, so little time……the fresh fruit/veggie season is just beginning, but it’ll be over before we know it…..gotta get my fill as much as possible throughout the summer and into the fall! With so many wonderful farm markets within just a few short miles of my house, it won’t be difficult!!!