2009 Sweet Corn Harvest
Prior to harvesting, the corn is inspected to ensure each ear is developed with full kernels from end to end. After inspection, only the top ear on the corn stalk, known as the primary ear, is harvested by hand.
When harvested, “Olathe Sweet” sweet corn is immediately slush iced in the fields enabling the corn to be shipped to coolers within one hour of harvesting. This rapid corn cooling halts the sugar-to-starch process, giving the sweet corn a distinctively sweet taste.
The packing is all done in the fields via portable field systems. The corn is picked, loaded off the machine, boxed and then 480 boxes are loaded onto each truck. The goal is to load 12,000 to 14,000 boxes a day. There are 48 ears of corn to a box; each is harvested by hand
The pickers are 4 on each side and 4 in the middle. They pick 30 rows down and 30 rows up.
Although, this is not our corn, I always stand in amazment at the labor it takes to get sweet corn from the field to the table.
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Can you please mail a copy of the Word Press article on harvesting Olathe sweet corn. Reply e-mail address: oldmanmcdonald@gmail.com
Bob McDonald - August 15, 2009 at 8:20 pm
Very unique process for the Olathe sweetcorn, it must be mighty special corn! Very interesting Linda! Have you ever done a taste testing?? I think that would be fun!
Far Side of Fifty - July 31, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Hi, Just came over from Red Pine Mountain. I have never seen the picking like this before and I live where corn grows. I guess just bad timing.
That corn is an intensive crop is an understatement. We grow about 15 rows of corn for ourselves and the watering and weeding alone is a lot for us to keep up with.
But sweet corn is sooooooo tasty.
Julia - July 31, 2009 at 4:02 am
Very cool to see the whole process. It takes a lot of work to make such fabulous sweet corn!!
Megan - July 30, 2009 at 6:21 pm
There is nothing that tastes better than Olathe sweet corn drizzled with warm butter and sprinkled with a dash of sea salt!
Brenda @ Split Rock Ranch - July 30, 2009 at 5:44 pm
I do love that sweet corn. Now I will appreciate it even more (o:
Pam - July 30, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Holy cow! Or should I say Holy Corn! I wonder, when we are picking for home enjoyment, should we carry a bucket of ice water out to the patch? Interesting information…as always.
thecrazysheeplady - July 30, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Very interesting post, I learned something new today, thank you!
julie - July 30, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Hi Linda
Are the workers on this farm shown “locals” – or are they “registered” workers from eg: Mexico or some other country with Green Cards?
Here in Australia we are having trouble with the “unemployed” ( read unemployable) to do this sort of work in the fruit growing areas. They just collect their “dole” money ( read Social Security I think in the States) and continue on their merry way of living in poverty and still breeding where they get more money for their unfortunate offspring.
City “slickers” have no idea of the hardships of the people on the land. Take away the McDonald outlets and they would all die! Sorry about the bluntness.
Cheers
“HB”
Colin Huggins - Australia - July 30, 2009 at 3:19 am
Cool! I learned something new today.
And it looks like it might be kind of fun to ride on the harvester.
~Faith
Faith - July 30, 2009 at 2:56 am
And I bless everyone of those workers because I love me some sweet corn.
Michele - July 30, 2009 at 12:59 am
How I wish I could be at your supper table when that corn is brought to it! It does take a lot of labor to get a good harvest! blessings,Kathleen
Eggs In My Pocket - July 30, 2009 at 12:45 am
Thank you for sharing this amazing process! I had no idea.
threecollie - July 30, 2009 at 12:35 am
I’ve ALWAYS wondered how sweet corn was handled. Man I’d like to see that up close and personal
Thanks for posting this.
Linda - July 30, 2009 at 12:21 am