Corn

We had our first taste of sweet corn this past week, and it triggered memories of past corn experiences. Living in Wisconsin, I pass massive fields of corn every day. It is only mid-July, and the corn is already tasseled which is very early according to my memories. I also remember my parents telling me "knee high by the 4th of July". This used to be the standard for corn; this year on the 4th of July, the corn was easily six feet high.

It was always fun to walk down the rows of corn and feel like you were in a jungle. Many times I was warned about how people can get lost in cornfields, and you can never find them. I often wondered how that could be possible as long as you stayed in one row and just kept going. Perhaps you would get so confused and eventually distraught that a person wouldn't be able to stay in one row. Who knows?

My parents always raised wonderful sweet corn, and it was quite well known around the area. The brand name was Bodacious, and it was an all yellow variety. They used to sell it at the end of the driveway or used "the honor system" if we weren't home. My children got to sell it and keep the money. They would look forward to that every year. I don't think it was ever a money making business for my parents; just a fun thing to do. My mother would freeze large amounts in the fall so we could enjoy it all winter.

When we lived in Minnesota, Schonberg's corn was the best. He had an organic system, and it was bi colored and absolutely delicious. Starting in August, we would have sweet corn with our meals at least twice a week. Some times in the fall, I would buy large amounts and freeze it.

Who would think that corn could encompass so many memories? Now I am making new corn memories as I share it with grandchildren.

Thought for the day: Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is the pencil, and you are thousands of miles away from the corn field. Dwight D Eisenhower