Sweet-corn season now begins later, but lasts longer

It’s August and corn is now available at stores and farm stands from area farmers.

For Daisi Hill Farm in Millerton, the corn season began on July 16; some years, the season continues all the way into the first week of October.

Theresa Freund of Freund’s Farm Market in East Canaan said that up until the heavy rain two weeks ago, corn growth has not been at its strongest. 

Like all the farmers interviewed for this article, Freund said that every year is different, and this year happened to be a dry one. Therefore, the corn season started later than normal, on July 25, but it could go as late as October. 

Twenty years ago, she said, most farmers would not have corn past Sept. 15. However, due to climate change the corn season now extends into October. 

Howden Farm, on 30 acres in Sheffield, also started its season in July, and will continue selling corn until September. Bruce Howden said that the corn is planted in succession early in the season, and that the early part of the season was hard on the plants. Not only was it dry, but birds were pecking the ends of the ears. 

At Paley’s Farm Market in Sharon, every year is different, but this year the lack of rain also made it harder to farm. 

According to Charlie Paley, last year was spectacular for all the farm’s produce, but this year’s crop yield is lower. However, the rain last week helped to save their crops, and Paley is pleased with this year’s production. He plants corn in succession, from May 1 to July 4. 

The corn is picked in the early morning, when it’s cooler, and then placed right in the walk-in, he said. That helps keep the sugars in the corn from turning to starch.