There Can Never Be Too Much Corn!

We have corn lovers in our house.

I think it might be a combined case of genetics and environment.  The Doris Family has eaten A LOT of sweet corn over the years here at Dorisdale.  Now, I must make a confession.  According to Peter I didn't know what good corn was pre-Doris.  For me, the riper and starchier the better...and I even remember a few times snacking on cow corn because we just couldn't wait any longer for our first feed!

Our kids are definitely following in the family tradition - they can't get enough!  They're happy to eat a few cobs of corn twice a day...and have even been caught sampling a cob or 2 at breakfast with Peter.  They're following Grandma Bernadette's saying, "You can't sell something you haven't eaten!".

The kids have been doing sales today.  That has left me (with assorted help between customers) for other corn projects.  We have jars of Corn Zucchini Relish cooling, bags of Aunt Sara's Freezer Corn freezing for a winter treat (see below), Corn Bread ready to eat (baked by Maggie)  and even a big pot of Mexican Rice with Corn (and some extra zucchini) simmering for dinner.  And Liam is snacking on crackers with Corn Relish as I type!  Claire googled a Corn and Feta Salad she wants to make tomorrow.

I still have a few dozen corn on the kitchen counter waiting to be made into something else.  Maybe some plain blanched corn for black bean salad?

If you have a favourite recipe, send it our way!  Post it here or on our Facebook page - search Dorisdale Farm or click on https://www.facebook.com/DorisdaleFarm.

And don't forget to drop by for corn...time is running out!


Aunt Sara's Freezer Corn (thinking of her today!)
10 cups corn (raw, cut off cob)
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
6 tsp sugar

Bring to boil in pot and let simmer for 2 minutes.  Cool and bag into preferred servings sizes to enjoy!

Labour Day Corn Memories

We are coming into another Labour Day weekend.  By my count, this will be 41 or 42 years for the Doris family of selling corn and Labour Day is one of the busiest corn weekends of the year.

One of the memorable Labour Day Weekends for me was was 1991...it was my first summer in the "real world" (a.k.a after university) and I had started to work for the Ontario Cattlemen's Association.  I spent the Friday leading up to Labour Day in and around Grey County and ended up at the home of Joan and James McKinlay (friends, Simmental breeders and Joan was working for OMAF at the time). After a great supper and visit, I left the McKinlays's home about 9:30 or 10 p.m which put me back in Peterborough around 1 a.m.

I can still remember my father calling me from the bottom of the stairs at 6 a.m. to pick corn because there were around 100 dozen pre-ordered plus what we needed for table sales!  Wearily, I got up and picked with Mom and Dad and the orders were filled.

The worst thing about picking the corn is thinking about it in bed before you get up...once you're out in the field, it is all good!  Peter

P.S.  I mentioned Mom and Dad as a corn picking duo above;  I note that Carolyn is now apprenticing as a full fledged corn picker - she has been out picking most days for the last two weeks.  The training is arduous, the pay is not so good but the experience is priceless!  I will let you know when she gets her ticket as a fully qualified person from the Amalgamated Union of Corn Workers, Cow Chasers, Fence Fixers and Stone Pickers!