818-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 4, 1998
Pennsylvan
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) After two years of late
starts for Pennsylvania’s veg
etable crops due to cool spring
weather, 1998 is shaping up to
be an early start for many veg
etable -crops including the all
time favorite—sweet corn.
Abundant supplies of fresh,
locally grown sweet corn are
expected this season.
Many growers will achieve
their goal of supplying
Pennsylvania sweet corn for the
Fourth of July holiday and some
growers who cover their early
crop with plastic are already
harvesting. In certain localities,
however, growers do not expect
the season to really begin until
mid-July.
“Mild weather in early spring
allowed many growers to plant
extra early,” explains Fred
Funk, former chairman of the
Pennsylvania Vegetable
Marketing and Research
Program and Lancaster County
corn grower. “Most areas experi
enced extended periods of rain
in early May followed by cool
and dry periods that may cause
some gaps in the harvest
sequence The recent warm
weather has increased the sugar
content so that the early vari
eties are unusually sweet this
year,” he adds
For sweet corn, sufficient
rainfall at the critical periods of
pollination and ear development
is essential for quality corn
although many Pennsylvania
growers are equipped with irri
gation to provide the needed
moisture during the critical
periods. Some growers cover
their early sweet corn with clear
plastic mulch creating a green
house environment over the
seeds This encourages quick
germination and early growth,
producing corn one or two weeks
earlier than a crop grown on
bare ground
The key to good sweet corn is
freshness The sugar in sweet
corn rapidly begins turning to
starch within hours after being
harvested. About 40% of the
sugar can be lost in six hours at
room temperature. Refrigeration
slows this process, but the soon
er corn is eaten after harvesting,
the better.
Many growers are growing
sugar-enhanced or super-sweet
varieties that genetically have
more sugar in the kernels. Some
of these early sugar-enhanced
varieties were developed at
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a Sweet Corn Is Here
Penn State University. Because
they have more sugar to begin
with, they can be stored for
longer periods and still have
acceptable sweetness. However,
standard sweet corn varieties,
when purchased freshly har
vested, will still have a deli
cious, traditional corn flavor and
sweetness.
According to growers across
the state most Pennsylvanians
prefer bi-color corn, traditional
ly known as Butter and Sugar.
However, in south central and
southeastern Pennsylvania,
white is the preferred corn.
Certain localities and clienteles
still like their corn to be yellow
so many growers continue to
grow yellow varieties on some of
their acreage
Regardless of the color,
Pennsylvanians can expect to
enjoy an abundant supply of
sweet corn each year. It is the
leading vegetable crop in the
Commonwealth with about
19,000 acres grown annually.
Most of this sweet corn acreage
is grown for fresh market sales.
As a result, Pennsylvania ranks
as the sixth largest fresh sweet
corn producing state in the
nation. Fresh corn will be avail
able form July into October
About 2,700 acres of the sweet
corn acreage are grown to be
processed into frozen, dried or
canned corn products available
year round
While fresh sweet corn is a
delicious ingredient in many
recipes, it is most popular
served right on the cob, and is so
simple to prepare. Simply boil
husked ears for 5-7 minutes, or
grill the ears in the husk for 15-
20 minutes after soaking them
in water for about 10 minutes
Fresh corn on the cob is also eas
ily prepared in the microwave by
wrapping two husked ears in a
damp paper towel and cooking
them for seven minutes on high
power, turning the ears once.
No matter how it’s prepared,
fresh sweet corn is a good source
of vitamins A and C, and a single
ear contains only 90 calories.
The following corn recipes from
the 125th Anniversary
Pennsylvania State Grange
Commemorative Cookbook are
two additional ways to include
corn in your meal;
CORN CHOWDER
(serves 6)
3 potatoes, diced
6 cups corn
3 hard boiled eggs, diced
1 quart milk
1 pint water
2 tablespoons butter
V 2 teaspoon salt
Vs teaspoon pepper
Cook potatoes in the water
for 5 minutes or until soft. Add
corn, butter, eggs, milk and sea
sonings. Cook 10-15 minutes
and serve. Use fresh corn when
possible.
Joan Mauser,
North Jackson Grange #1740
CORN PIE
(serves 6-8)
3 cups fresh corn
3 hard boiled eggs
% cup milk
V 4 cup flour
V 4 stick butter
1 teaspoon salt
dash or pepper
1 double 9” pie crust
Make pie shell. Mix corn,
eggs, salt, flour and milk togeth
er. Put into pie shell. Dot with
butter and sprinkle with pepper
Put pie crust on top. Bake at 450
degrees F for 10 minutes Then
finish baking at 250 degrees F
for 1 hour.
Arlene Fachler,
Elizabethtown Grange #2076
Recipes from the 125th Anniversary
State Grange Commemorative
Cookbook, copyright 1997
Pennsylvania State Grange,
used by permission. Cookbooks
can be obtained from the State
Grange by calling 800-552-3865.
Quick buying tips for
Pennsylvania Sweet Corn
The Pennsylvania Vegetable
Marketing and Research Program
offers these tips when buying
sweet corn:
—Look for fresh green husks
and ears that are filled all the
way to the tip.
—Kernels should be tender, full
and firm enough to puncture
easily under the slightest pres
sure.
—To preserve the corn’s sugar
content and flavor, refrigerate
immediately after purchase.
0 4-H
HAPPENINGS
4-H County Fair
For the first time, the
Gloucester County N.J. 4-H Fair
will run from Thursday, July 23
through Sunday, July 26.
For all four days, the
Gloucester county 4-H
Fairgrounds in Mullica Hill will
become a beehive of activity.
Route #77 will swarm with a
steady stream of vehicles bring
ing more than 900 4-H'ers and
their exhibits to show off to more
than 12,000 fair visitors. The
fair hours will be Thursday, July
23, from 4p.m.-9:30 p.m.; Friday
and Saturday, July 24 and 25
from 9a.m. - 9:00 p.m. and
Sunday, July 26 from 9 a.m. - 6
p.m.
Four the four days of the
annual Gloucester County 4-H
Fair the animal barns will burst
with rabbits, horses, pigs, goats,
steers and cows, and the exhibit
barn will show visitors 4-H
woodworking, needle work,
quilts, crafts, vegetables, and
flowers.
Exhibiting marks the culmi
nation of a full year of work for
4-H members.
In addition to 4-H exhibits
and shows, the fair will also host
both the New Jersey Peach
Festival and the Gloucester
County Tomato Expo, both of
which will provide exhibits, tast
ing, and contest throughout the
four days
On Thursday, horse, and
swine shows will be followed by
the naming of the Gloucester
County 4-H Ambassador* Team
and a performance by the
Pitman Hobo Band at 8 p.m
Friday's events will include
sheep, rabbit, and small animal
shows, a Western Horse show, a
livestock auction, and the Miss
Peach Pageant.
Children can also enjoy a
magic show and compete in a
Kiddie Tractor Pull. The Gangi
dancers performance will be fol
lowed by country dance lessons.
Saturday is "Kids Day."
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Activities for kids start with a
diaper derby and baby parade
followed by turtle races and a
frog jumping contest. On stage,
Sci Fi Robot will present a chil
dren's program and 4-H Leader
John Means will present a Rock
'N Reptile Show. The entire fam
ily can enjoy an English Horse
Show and a Draft Horse Pull
and on stage, the Gloucester
City Old Time String Band.
Sunday will feature a Mini
Horse Show, a dairy goat show,
and a dog show It will also
include something new, a pig
roast.
Prize 4-H market lambs and
hogs will be auctioned off Friday
evening, July 24, at 7.30 p.m. at
the 4-H Fair.
Arrangements will be made
to have your purchased animal
taken to the slaughter house
and packaged for your freezer,
roasts, chops, bacon, even scrap
ple. The 4-H members who raise
these animals use the money to
purchase new animals for next
year. Many set aside any profit
they receive toward their future
educational goals.
Is your preference chicken,
seafood, or pork? On Thursday,
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
from 4 pm. - 7:30 p.m a special
food will be the feature for din
ner. On Thursday, you will
choose from steamed clams,
clams on the half shell, shrimp
or barbecue ribs or all of them
Each item is priced separately
Fresh picked sweet corn, rolls,
and ice tba will Complete this ala
carte menu
On Friday and Saturday,
enjoy 4-H's delicious chicken
barbecue dinner. This includes
sweet corn, fresh Jersey toma
toes, rolls, iced tea and potato
chips. On Sunday from 1 p.m to
4 p.m. there will be a pig roast
At 6 p.m. on Friday, Miss
Peach for 1998 will take the
crown and the Governor's trophy
will be presented for the finest
quality peaches.
HEALTH KICK
&