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The Early Growing Season Trend Continues with Illinois' State Vegetable
There's a picture that's worth a thousand words.
Local Food Forum recently reported — with the early arrival of peaches in Chicago region markets — that many crops are coming in a couple of weeks ahead of schedule.
I had heard that Kankakee Valley Homestead (Walkerton, Indiana) had sold some corn at Green City Market's Wednesday session, which I missed. So when I got to Green City's Saturday flagship market bright and early, I made a beeline and sure enough...
I learned that this variety is called Bolt. I Googled and according to Ohio's Rupp Seeds (the first site that popped up):
"Bolt XR is a first early planting, bi-color fresh market hybrid, with first class eating quality. Excellent husk coverage and tip fill. A dark green husk package and sound ear size make Bolt XR an ideal hybrid for roadside stands."
Then I walked a few yards farther to the stand of Nichols Farm & Orchard (Marengo, Illinois), and found the even-bigger pile of corn in the top photo. (Not surprising that it was bigger, as Nichols in the largest diversified produce farm in the region.) The variety is Temptation, and I love this colorful description from Seeds 'N Such of Augusta, Georgia:
"Surrender to this satisfying delight, beguiling your taste buds with a tender, toothy bite. Mesmerizing home gardeners and market growers alike, Temptation Hybrid Sweet Corn delivers excellent cold soil seedling vigor for reliable starts of mid-early maturing corn. The resulting quality stands produce mature 6-ft. stalks which bear generous 7½ to 8-in. ears brimming with 16-18 bicolor rows of sugary sweetness. Market sellers appreciate the picture perfect husk cover and ample tip fill that draw customer attention, while home gardeners savor those simply irresistible kernels."
Seriously can't wait to try it. I'm not sure how corn-gasmic it will be — first of the season crops are sometimes a little short of peak — but the season is off to a great and spectacularly early start.
But wait, there's more new crop news.
Nichols grows the region's biggest variety of heirloom and artisan apples, including these first of the season Lodi and Yellow Transparent apples. We'll have a little "What is It and What Do You Do With It?" fun with these.
Meanwhile, more and more farms are joining the peaches party. The ones below were at the stand of Mick Klug Farms (St. Joseph, Michigan), as was the pretty berry and cherry display that follows.
Somewhat cooler and less humid weather than we've experienced lately made the early market morning even more pleasant for customers and their four-legged pals.
Finally, my market haul: English muffins from Dorothy's Chicago; peaches from Mick Klug Farms; Yellow Transparent apples, green bell peppers and two ears of corn from Nichols Farm & Orchard; four other ears of corn from Kankakee Valley Homestead; and bacon from Finn's Ranch (Buchanan, Michigan).
There are lots of farmers markets open the rest of the weekend. Get some of this good stuff and support your local farmers.
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