How to Find Ripe Corn
First, make sure you're aware of the number of days until harvest for your particular variety of corn. Check the seed package or with your seed supplier to find out. Another guideline is 20 days from when the first tassels appear at the end of the ear of corn.
When you look at an ear of corn in the garden, you will see tassels on the end of the ear. These tassels are the part of the plant that both bears and receives the pollen.
When corn is ready to harvest, the cornsilk turns from a light blond color to a dark brown. When the cornsilk is dark brown all the way down to the husk, you can assume that the corn is ready to eat.
To double-check the ripeness of the corn, pull back the husk a little bit and take a peek at the kernels. Make sure the kernels are filled all the way from the base of the ear of corn to the very tip of the plant. Rub your thumbnail along the kernels. They should feel tender and squirt a bit of milk out as you push your nail against them.
Hearty corn will have firm, dark green husks. The silk will be dark but held tightly against the ear. You will be able to feel individual kernels through the husk.
How to Pick the Corn
To pick corn properly, grab the ear firmly, placing your thumb toward the top of the ear and your middle finger closer to the base of the ear. Snap the ear against the stalk and pull upward. That's it! Now your corn is ready to cook and eat.
How to Cook Fresh Corn
You'll want to cook freshly picked corn as soon as possible, because as soon as you pick it, the sugar in the kernels begins to turn to starch. Within the first 24 hours, corn loses 25% of its sugar to starch. The most freshly picked, cooked and eaten corn tastes the best!
If you're selling your corn at the farmers market or straight from your farm, soak the picked corn in lukewarm water until you sell it. This will help keep it fresher.
Boiling fresh corn is the most popular way to prepare it. Choose a pot large enough to hold the amount of corn you're cooking, plus enough water to fully cover the ears. Get the water boiling before you pick and husk your corn so that it will be as fresh as possible. Pull off the husk and silk, and drop the corn into the boiling water. When the water returns to a boil, remove the corn - it's done!
You can also grill fresh corn. Pull the husk back to the base of the ear, but leave it attached. Remove the silk and rinse the ear. Pat them dry and rub softened butter along the kernels if you wish. Or grill in the husk, soaking in water first to prevent the husk from burning. Another option is to bake them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes in a baking pan or directly on the oven rack.
