Maggie's Farm

Eat it as you like, it's a free country Or was.

I grew up picking sweet corn, 120 acres to harvest by hand between the 4th of July and Labor Day. We started picking at first light and picked until the days' orders were filled and shipped off to market. When the last truck was loaded we went to the house for a real breakfast, nothing light about it, then began the hard work that continued through the heat of the day.

I ate many a raw ear but only because I was hungry. I can't imagine eating one for pleasure without salt and butter. I wouldn't. Not margarine, but butter. Just thinking about it could lead me to a discussion of today's butter vs the real thing made from the yellow milk of Guernsey cows but I won't bore you except to say you don't know what you're missing.

That was old breeding sweet corn, the early hybrids, before sweet and super sweet genes. Today's corn stays sweeter longer but I miss the old taste and texture.