Putting up Corn

After our trip to the Farmer's Market yesterday, we ended up with a bunch of corn (3 dozen) that needed shucked, cleaned, cut and cooked.

Early this morning we sat outside and shucked and flicked at silk worms and peeled silk off ear after ear of corn. Our little helper, looking cute as always, helped us by playing nicely on her blanket and watching the squirrels run up the tree.

Then we cleaned it and cut it all up. This is really the hardest step because it takes forever and it's hard to get down as far as possible while not sending it flying all over the kitchen. I've heard of using a bundt pan and putting the ear in the middle of the hole and cutting it. Maybe if I were a little taller and I could get on top of it it would work better for me. But I used a dip serving dish and it worked out pretty well. Here is all of the corn, seems like sooooo much, yet my grandparents used to do about 5 times this much. I can't even fathom it!

Once it's all cut up, it goes in a pot with some salt, sugar, and butter. I cook it for 5 minutes and then scoop it into snack size ziplock bags. (my grandma says you can ONLY use ziplock and who am I to defy 50 years of practice?) It makes about 10 portions that are just right for us and we'll be able to eat on it all winter. The rule is frozen corn isn't to be eaten until the first snow falls, but that is easier said than done.

And now we have lots and lots of yummy summer-fresh corn for the whole winter. And we might have a little for dinner tonight, there is nothing better than when it is still warm from being cooked fresh, yum!