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OT Corn questions

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Mike CA

07-02-2007 23:09:51




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The corn is getting tall around my house. I thought when the stalks got corn with hair on it, they were ready. But I walked by some today and it's still pretty small. I want my sons to watch a harvest, so I want to know when to be ready. But how do you know when the corn is right for harvest?

Also, someone mentioned to me that grow sweet corn and feed corn around here. What is the difference?

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CNKS

07-03-2007 17:18:36




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 Re: OT Corn questions in reply to Mike CA, 07-02-2007 23:09:51  
Field corn, what you call feed corn is usually combined when the stalk and leaves are dry, meaning the plant is dead, and the grain is 15.5% or less in moisture content. An exception to that is that the feedlots around here (Kansas) will accept high moisture corn, about 25% moisture to mix in their rations. The other method is to cut and shred the stalk and ear in the field with a silage cutter and haul it directly to the feedlots where it is stored in a trench silo. So, since I have no clue what they do in CA, I don't know what kind of harvest you are going to see, provided it is field corn, probably a combine. Corn picking, where the ears are picked and stored intact is non-existent around here.

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BRD

07-03-2007 12:46:49




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 Re: OT Corn questions in reply to Mike CA, 07-02-2007 23:09:51  
As mentioned sweet corn smaller and for humans, field corn bigger and for animals. Time to pick and eat sweet corn is when kernels are well formed and when you squeez a kernel with thumb nail and it squarts back it is ready. Small squart hurry, no squart to late, maybe eaten but not very good. I have never eaten field corn, but probly same procedure. Field corn for silage when bottom leaf dryes. Pick when all leaves dry and moisture content of kernels meats your requirement.

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EL Toro

07-03-2007 14:05:34




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 Re: OT Corn questions in reply to BRD, 07-03-2007 12:46:49  
My late mother-in-law would make corn soup when the corn wasn't quite as milky. You can still get corn soup up in Amish country. Hal



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Janicholson

07-03-2007 06:52:20




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 Re: OT Corn questions in reply to Mike CA, 07-02-2007 23:09:51  
I'll add to the wisdome below that (usually) sweet corn for consumption by humans (as in corn on the cob) is usually modest in height in the field about 5 to 6 feet tall. JimN



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Sam#3

07-03-2007 05:59:35




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 Re: OT Corn questions in reply to Mike CA, 07-02-2007 23:09:51  
When the silks appear the kernels are just starting to develop. When they start to dry the kernels are developed. Somewhere in between you can open the shucks and check for a 'roasting ear' condition but after that it starts to dry and becomes feed corn. In the old days we'd eat the field corn but those were different times. I'm sure the folks that grow corn can elaborate more but that’s the way I remember.

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Bob Kerr

07-03-2007 08:19:56




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 Re: OT Corn questions in reply to Sam#3, 07-03-2007 05:59:35  
Hi Sam, There is a small window of time that field corn is about as tasty as sweet corn. It might be affected by the variety. Makes for good roasting with the husk off. Go much past that"window" and it starts getting a little tough and starchy. I got some sweet corn the other day at the store since ours isn't ready yet and it tasted like old field corn. I was suprised to find out they don't eat sweet corn in Mexico, they roast young field corn.

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Sam#3

07-04-2007 17:20:42




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 Re: OT Corn questions in reply to Bob Kerr, 07-03-2007 08:19:56  
Thats what I remember. If you don't gather and process sweet corn quickly it will toughen also. Prior to freezers that meant canning around our house.



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El Toro

07-03-2007 03:45:06




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 Re: OT Corn questions in reply to Mike CA, 07-02-2007 23:09:51  
Sweet corn is grown for human consumption and feed corn is for animal consumption and can be harvested in several different ways. The ears can be picked when dry using a corn picker or picked and shelled in the field. Most dairy farms
use it as ensilage when the ears are still juicy.

When I was a kid we cut the corn that wasn't used for ensilage and shocked it until it was dry. Then we husked the corn by hand. See why I left the farm. Hal

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