Ah, corn, beautiful corn

By LISA LOSASSO BELL

These are the months we look forward to husking, preparing and savoring the wonderful flavor and hardy texture of fresh Ohio sweet corn. Careful planning on the part of area farmers has led to a bountiful harvest.

According to Craig Mercer, owner of Catalpa Grove Farm and Market in Fairfield Township, planting season begins in March, when the soil temperature reaches about 50 degrees or more.

The common practice for Catalpa Grove Farm is to dig 8-inch trenches, two at a time. The seeds are then planted and covered with plastic, which acts as a greenhouse.

“That allows us to plant corn a little earlier than usual,” he said. “Without that, the seeds would not germinate and the corn would not grow properly.”

Bare-ground corn is not planted until around April 10.

According to Mercer, although they have had to irrigate due to minimal rainfall, there have been no major setbacks. He explained that, in their area, it has been a bit dry, with light scattered rains off and on throughout the beginning of the growing season. “We’re prepared to irrigate when we have to,” he said, explaining that sweet corn needs about 1 inch of rain every five days.

According to USDA standards, a Grade 1 ear of sweet corn is at least 6 inches in length. But, according to Mercer, the average length of an ear of sweet corn this year has been about 9 to 10 inches long.

“Early varieties are not as big,” he said.

Although first corn tastes good, it is not as flavorful as longer season corn, and definitely not as big. The earliest corn, he explained, is a 75- and an 80-day corn, which are planted at the same time.

Catalpa Grove Farm, said Mercer, averages 1,000 to 1,200 dozen ears of sweet corn per acre, in addition to about 20 acres of field corn, which is grown and sold to local grain dealers who sell for export.

Corn is hand-picked, fresh from the field, daily. All leftovers are discarded, and they start fresh every day.

Every five days or so, they have another patch ready to pick, depending on the weather.

“I want to have a new patch of corn to pick in every five days,” said Mercer. “We pick until the first frost, which usually comes around October 15.”

Catalpa Grove is offering a freezing corn special, which is $3.50 a dozen for 10 dozen ears or more. It is best to call ahead, but is not required.

Mary Ann Gasper, owner of Gasper’s Garden, said she and her family begin picking sweet corn between July 4 and mid-July.

“Some of the cold evenings set back maturing,” she said. “Other than that, it’s been a good growing season.”

Like Mercer, the Gaspers do irrigate, although they use a floating row cover, which is 60 feet wide by 1,000 feet long.

“It’s much like an interfacing fabric [used in sewing],” said Gasper. “You can fertilize and spray through it.”

According to Gasper, their average sweet corn crop is about 20 acres. Because she and her husband, who is almost 70 years old, do all of the planting, they planted only eight acres this year.

“We decided to cut back,” she said.

Also, because their grandson, Kyle Nesbitt, does all of the picking along with the help of a friend, they will be picking only until mid-September this year.

Nesbitt is a senior at Western Reserve and is involved in 4-H.

“He is already talking about increasing the acreage next year,” said Gasper. “That will be his college money.”

According to Gasper, that is how they put all three of their children through college.

A common theme this summer has been increased fertilizer costs, which, according to Gasper, have gone from $240 a ton to $1,000 a ton for pot ash alone.

Although prices are higher this year at $4.75 a dozen, sales are comparable to previous years.

“The quality is exceptional,” said Gasper.

Corn recipes are available many places, including local cookbooks and ourohio.org, where these originated:

Spaghetti corn

1 (16-ounce) can whole kernel corn, undrained

1 (16-ounce) can cream-style corn

1 cup uncooked spaghetti, broken

2 teaspoons onion, chopped

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1‚Ñ2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Spoon into a buttered 11‚Ñ2-quart baking dish. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Submitted by Katherine Douglas, Berkey.

Note: The addition of cooked cubed chicken would turn this into a main dish.

Fresh corn salad

4 cups corn, cooked, cut off cob

1‚Ñ2 cup vegetable oil

1‚Ñ4 cup cider vinegar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1‚Ñ4 cup fresh parsley, minced

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon dried basil

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 large tomatoes, seeded, coarsely chopped

1‚Ñ2 cup onion, chopped

1‚Ñ3 cup green pepper, chopped

1‚Ñ3 cup sweet red pepper, chopped

In large bowl mix the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, sugar, salt, basil and cayenne pepper. Add corn, tomatoes, onion and peppers to the oil mixture. Mix well. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight.

Submitted by Anna Mae Nagel, Avon.

Note: Diced cucumbers would make a nice addition to this recipe.

Deviled corn and crab

1‚Ñ4 cup butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon lemon juice

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon salt

Dash of pepper

1‚Ñ2 cup milk

1 (71‚Ñ2-ounce) can crab meat, flaked

2 eggs, hard-boiled, chopped

1 (16-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (16-ounce) can cream-style corn

1‚Ñ2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1‚Ñ2 cup cracker crumbs, crushed medium

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In saucepan, melt 1‚Ñ4 cup butter; stir in flour, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, monosodium glutamate, salt and pepper. Add milk all at once, cook and stir until mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat; gently stir in crab meat, eggs and both cans of corn.

Spoon into a 11‚Ñ2-quart casserole; sprinkle cheese over top. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle over cheese. Bake for 45 minutes until heated through. Garnish with hard-boiled egg wedges and olive slices. Serves 6.

Submitted by Mary scherley, Bellevue.

Corn Pie

11‚Ñ4 cup Ritz cracker crumbs, crushed fine

1‚Ñ2 cup butter, melted

2 tablespoons butter

11‚Ñ4 cups milk

2 cups fresh raw corn or frozen

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons flour

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon onion salt

2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine crumbs and 1‚Ñ2 cup melted butter. Reserve 1‚Ñ2 cup of mixture for topping. Line 9-inch pie plate with remaining crumbs. In a saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons butter, 1 cup milk, corn and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook three minutes. In small bowl, add flour to remaining 1‚Ñ4 cup of milk; mix until smooth. Add slowly to hot milk-corn mixture; stirring constantly. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until thick. Cool slightly. Add onion salt. Add eggs slowly; stirring constantly. Pour into pie plate. Sprinkle crumbs on top. Bake for 20 minutes.

Submitted by Julie Cline, Springboro.

Baked caramel corn

6 quarts popped corn

1 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar, packed firmly

1‚Ñ2 cup light or dark corn syrup

1 teaspoon salt

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Coat bottom and sides of large roasting pan with vegetable coating spray. Place popped corn in pan. In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Boil without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla. Gradually pour over popped corn and mix well. Bake 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Break apart and store in tightly covered container.

Submitted by Mrs. Richard Shaferly, Alvada.

Corn Casserole

2 cans whole kernel corn, drained

1 can cream-style corn

1 stick butter, melted

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup sour cream

1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into a 3-quart buttered casserole dish. Bake 45 to 60 minutes, until top is brown.

Submitted by Virginia Stall, Cincinnati.

Note: Many variations to this basic recipe were submitted adding cheese or onion and substituting French onion chip dip for the sour cream.

Corn and Sausage Casserole

1 can creamed corn

2 eggs

1 cup bread crumbs

1 pound pork sausage, browned

1 tablespoon salt

Dash of pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Bake in 2-quart casserole at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.

Recipe contributed by Ann Savor to the “Warren Mothers of Twins Club Cookbook.”

Baked Corn

1 can corn

2 eggs

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon butter, melted

2 cups sugar

1 cup milk

Salt and pepper

Mix all together. Bake in buttered baking dish at 350 degrees for one hour or until golden brown.

Recipe contributed by Madaline Townsend to “Lisbon, Ohio, Feeder’s Digest,” published in 1976.

Corn Balls

1‚Ñ2 cup chopped onion

1‚Ñ2 cup chopped celery

1‚Ñ4 cup butter

1 (1-pound) can cream-style corn

1‚Ñ2 cup water

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

8 ounces prepared stuffing mix

3 eggs, beaten

1‚Ñ2 cup butter, melted

Cook onion and celery in butter until tender. Add corn, water, salt, pepper and stuffing. Mix all. Add the beaten eggs; shape in balls; put in 9x12 inch pan. Pour 1‚Ñ2 cup butter over corn balls. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.

Recipe contributed by Helen Bowman to “Recipes From Midway Mennonite Church,” published in 1976.

Corn Fritters

2 cups cooked or canned corn

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs (separated)

Add dry ingredients to corn; beat egg yolks until thick and add to above; mix. Beat egg whites stiff, fold into dough. Drop by teaspoon into hot fat; cook to a delicate brown. Serve hot, plain or with syrup.

Recipe contributed by Ruth Weaver to “Recipes From Midway Mennonite Church,” published in 1976.

Corn Pudding

2 cans cream-style corn

1 can whole kernel corn

6 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons flour

6 tablespoons melted butter

1‚Ñ2 cup Pet Milk

3 eggs

Blend sugar, flour, and eggs in a large bowl. Add 3 cans corn (do not drain) and mix. Add milk and butter to mixture. Pour into a glass 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Recipe contributed by Lillie Johnson to “American Cancer Society Relay for Life; Trumbull County Children Services Cookbook,” published in 2002.

Broccoli and Corn Casserole

1 bunch cooked broccoli

1‚Ñ2 cup melted butter

11‚Ñ2 cup coarsely chopped chicken-flavored crackers

1 (16-ounce) can creamed corn

1 (7-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

Mix butter with cracker crumbs and divide mixture in half. Use half of mixture with broccoli and both kinds of corn. Sprinkle remaining crumbs on top. Use 11‚Ñ2-quart casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Recipe contributed by Stacey Nicholas to “American Cancer Society Relay for Life, Trumbull County Children Services Cookbook,” published in 2002.