Your favorite non SE corn?

maryinoregon · September 11, 2007

I absolutely loathe supersweet corns. I am looking for a plain sweet corn. Heirloom or old fashioned hybrids that last a day or two or three after you pick them. Golden Jubilee used to be what the farmers grew here. Now it's almost exclusively the supersweets and sugar enhanced. I have found a farmer who grows Honey Select, and it's pretty good. Yeah! I don't have much room and so spend most of my space on heirloom tomatoes, but some really nice sweet corn would be a treat. I would appreciate any suggestions for next year.

GreenThumbGal_07 · September 11, 2007

If you can find it, get NK199 (also known as Elephant Ear). It's a regular sugary (su) hybrid, originally from Northrup King. Stalks are very tall. It's a mid-to-late-season variety. Ears are blocky, with 18-20 rows of deep yellow kernels. Really good corn flavor, tender, sweet kernels.

I am warning you: the corn earworms LOVE this variety (maybe because the husks are slightly loose and therefore easier to penetrate). Well, it shows they have good taste!

This variety freezes really well, too.

montanamato · September 11, 2007

My favorite OP varieties in the past have been Whipples White and Buhl.
Sand Hill has a good selection and good descriptions (you can tell Glenn likes corn vs tomatoes) of many OP varieties...
Bodacious is the only hybrid corn I have grown and it did poorly in our conditions...mostly germination problems.

Jeanne

Gimme3 · September 11, 2007

Mary...i can only reply in this way. I've tasted the bi-colored hybrids grown around here, an the yellow sweet corns...but none of em, hold a candle to Silver Queen. Its a white sweet corn, not a great yielder, but a Fine taster. Its a hybrid, an i dont think nobody knows exactly the the parentage, i kinda think thats a closely -guarded secret, or a labyrinth to try an imitate.

Silver Queen corn will always give you one Premium ear, and if u really gave it a happy home, a second ear to be happy about. It has a fresh taste...u can dream about...)))

**Lee** · September 12, 2007

Well, Gimme beat me to it.... Silver Queen is the best tasting corn I've ever
tried... But it doesn't last long.

Get your pot of water boiling before picking for maximum flavor, and you'll know
what we're talking about!

Lee

montanamato · September 12, 2007

Silver Queen was our staple for years when we lived in eastern Montana and had a bit warmer nights...It is great corn. Lee and Gimme jogged my memory...

Jeanne

Tormato · September 12, 2007

Hawaiian #9 lasts a week in the fridge. It's OP, but it's also a supersweet.

Tormato

**nctomatoman** · September 12, 2007

Best non-SE or sh2 corn I've tasted is the old Butter and Sugar that we used to get at farm stands in RI and MA when I was a kid (either that, or time has improved the memory!). I once grew a very odd corn, Hooker's Indian corn - very short (3 feet tall), very small ears, about 6 inches long, 6-8 row, white ripening to blue black - delicious!

I've always wanted to taste the "big 3" of OP corn - Country Gentleman (shoe peg), Stowell's Evergreen, and Golden Bantam, just to see what they were like when fresh picked - I imagine that they go starchy quickly!

Tormato · September 13, 2007

Craig,

Your memory is fine. Butter and Sugar is "da bomb". I've been eating it here in MA for decades, fresh from the farmstands.

However, the only thing worse than day old Golden Bantam, is two day old Golden Bantam. I once had a farmer at his farmstand sell me some Golden Bantam. After making the sale, as I was walking away, he then said..."You might want to add some sugar to the boiling water."

And, my Hawaiian #9 has been almost entirely shoe peg, this year. I already have seed for Country Gentleman, so I may be comparing them next year.

Gary

maryinoregon · September 13, 2007

Thanks to everyone who has responded so far. I have read about Silver Queen, but don't know anyone our here who has ever grown it. Might be a tad too cold at night, not sure. Very likely could grow it on the east side of the mountains, especially in a place like Yakima in Washington state. I grew Golden Bantam once. I thought it delicious, but you have to have fabulous timing. You're right Gary, old G.B. is nasty. If I had room for Craig's experiment, I would do it, but would have to pull out the front lawn. Unfortunately, that would not be received well I think.

Jeanne, Bodacious is what most of the farmers grow here, as well as Supersweet Golden Jubilee and sometimes Precocious. I think they all taste terrible.

Will make note of the others. I really appreciate the responses.

eyolf · September 13, 2007

It sounds like this thread has been put to bed, but I thought I'd observe that there are fewer and fewer of old "real corn flavor" types left out there, if what the seed companies offer is any indication.

I grow NK199 or Jubilee every year in my N. Mn garden; they are similar as far as taste, it really depends on what's available in the spring. Last year I scored Jubilee at a produce market that also sells seed and bought a pound. I also usually grow Earlivee, bred by Stokes, but apparently no longer marketed by them. Some of the mail-order seed companies have it...I got mine this year from territorial.

Sweet corn seed will last for 4 years, maybe more, if you store it in the freezer. It will lose germination slowly...my experience has been down to about 50% at year 4. I've not kept any longer than that.

maryinoregon · September 14, 2007

If anyone else has any more corns they want to mention, I'm all for it. But as you said, their doesn't seem to be that much available. I just wish they didn't go to starch so fast. Thanks about the info about keeping corn seed in the freezer. That's good to know.

stratcat1 · September 15, 2007

Triple Play has been a good OP sweet corn for me. The kernels are white, yellow and blue/purple. I've read it's a selection of Hooker's Indian.

The stalks were around five feet tall this year and the corn tasted great. I planted them close together and they didn't take much room from my tomato patch.

Seeds of Change carries Triple Play on their website:

http://www.seedsofchange.com/garden_...item_no=S10906

korney19 · November 9, 2007

I personally have my best results with Honey Select here. It's actually considered a TripleSweet or synergistic. It's 75% SE and 25% sh2. I always get ears at least 8" and full tips. Never had an earworm or corn borer worm. It was an All-American Selections winner a few years back.

I actually like my corn sweet and this was sweet but more tender & less crunchy than How Sweet It Is. It tastes great raw while working in the garden too.

maryinoregon · November 14, 2007

That's interesting about Honey Select. All goes to show you that it depends on where you grow it, and of course, taste. I get Honey Select from a local farmer here. It tastes more corney than the usual supersweets, Bodacious being the most popular. I can understand it from a farmer's point of view. If you want to grow corn in western Oregon, grow one you stand a chance of harvesting. We had very little summer this year, except for some warm to hot days in July. I'm sure many farmers were glad they grew Bodacious, although I think it taste like *****! Luckily, the farmer I get my corn from did grow Honey Select.

September 11, 2007	#1
maryinoregon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Oregon Posts: 361	Your favorite non SE corn? I absolutely loathe supersweet corns. I am looking for a plain sweet corn. Heirloom or old fashioned hybrids that last a day or two or three after you pick them. Golden Jubilee used to be what the farmers grew here. Now it's almost exclusively the supersweets and sugar enhanced. I have found a farmer who grows Honey Select, and it's pretty good. Yeah! I don't have much room and so spend most of my space on heirloom tomatoes, but some really nice sweet corn would be a treat. I would appreciate any suggestions for next year.

September 11, 2007	#4
Gimme3 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northeast Georgia, USA Posts: 348	Mary...i can only reply in this way. I've tasted the bi-colored hybrids grown around here, an the yellow sweet corns...but none of em, hold a candle to Silver Queen. Its a white sweet corn, not a great yielder, but a Fine taster. Its a hybrid, an i dont think nobody knows exactly the the parentage, i kinda think thats a closely -guarded secret, or a labyrinth to try an imitate. Silver Queen corn will always give you one Premium ear, and if u really gave it a happy home, a second ear to be happy about. It has a fresh taste...u can dream about...))) __________________ ....Can you tell a green Field.....from a cold steel rail ? Roger Waters, David Gilmour

September 12, 2007	#5
Lee Tomatopalooza™ Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NC-Zone 7 Posts: 2,188	Well, Gimme beat me to it.... Silver Queen is the best tasting corn I've ever tried... But it doesn't last long. Get your pot of water boiling before picking for maximum flavor, and you'll know what we're talking about! Lee __________________ Intelligence is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put one in a fruit salad. Cuostralee - The best thing on sliced bread.

September 12, 2007	#8
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Best non-SE or sh2 corn I've tasted is the old Butter and Sugar that we used to get at farm stands in RI and MA when I was a kid (either that, or time has improved the memory!). I once grew a very odd corn, Hooker's Indian corn - very short (3 feet tall), very small ears, about 6 inches long, 6-8 row, white ripening to blue black - delicious! I've always wanted to taste the "big 3" of OP corn - Country Gentleman (shoe peg), Stowell's Evergreen, and Golden Bantam, just to see what they were like when fresh picked - I imagine that they go starchy quickly! __________________ Craig

September 13, 2007	#11
eyolf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central MN, USDA Zone 3 Posts: 294	It sounds like this thread has been put to bed, but I thought I'd observe that there are fewer and fewer of old "real corn flavor" types left out there, if what the seed companies offer is any indication. I grow NK199 or Jubilee every year in my N. Mn garden; they are similar as far as taste, it really depends on what's available in the spring. Last year I scored Jubilee at a produce market that also sells seed and bought a pound. I also usually grow Earlivee, bred by Stokes, but apparently no longer marketed by them. Some of the mail-order seed companies have it...I got mine this year from territorial. Sweet corn seed will last for 4 years, maybe more, if you store it in the freezer. It will lose germination slowly...my experience has been down to about 50% at year 4. I've not kept any longer than that. __________________ a day without fresh homegrown tomatoes is like... ...sigh

September 11, 2007	#2
GreenThumbGal_07 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern California Posts: 300	If you can find it, get NK199 (also known as Elephant Ear). It's a regular sugary (su) hybrid, originally from Northrup King. Stalks are very tall. It's a mid-to-late-season variety. Ears are blocky, with 18-20 rows of deep yellow kernels. Really good corn flavor, tender, sweet kernels. I am warning you: the corn earworms LOVE this variety (maybe because the husks are slightly loose and therefore easier to penetrate). Well, it shows they have good taste! This variety freezes really well, too.

September 11, 2007	#3
montanamato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Montana Posts: 1,038	My favorite OP varieties in the past have been Whipples White and Buhl. Sand Hill has a good selection and good descriptions (you can tell Glenn likes corn vs tomatoes) of many OP varieties... Bodacious is the only hybrid corn I have grown and it did poorly in our conditions...mostly germination problems. Jeanne

September 12, 2007	#7
Tormato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 4,959	Hawaiian #9 lasts a week in the fridge. It's OP, but it's also a supersweet. Tormato

September 14, 2007	#12
maryinoregon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Oregon Posts: 361	If anyone else has any more corns they want to mention, I'm all for it. But as you said, their doesn't seem to be that much available. I just wish they didn't go to starch so fast. Thanks about the info about keeping corn seed in the freezer. That's good to know.

September 15, 2007	#13
stratcat1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Michigan's Sunrise Side Posts: 83	Triple Play has been a good OP sweet corn for me. The kernels are white, yellow and blue/purple. I've read it's a selection of Hooker's Indian. The stalks were around five feet tall this year and the corn tasted great. I planted them close together and they didn't take much room from my tomato patch. Seeds of Change carries Triple Play on their website: http://www.seedsofchange.com/garden_...item_no=S10906

November 9, 2007	#14
korney19 Buffalo-Niagara Tomato TasteFest™ Co-Founder Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: The Niagara Frontier Posts: 942	I personally have my best results with Honey Select here. It's actually considered a TripleSweet or synergistic. It's 75% SE and 25% sh2. I always get ears at least 8" and full tips. Never had an earworm or corn borer worm. It was an All-American Selections winner a few years back. I actually like my corn sweet and this was sweet but more tender & less crunchy than How Sweet It Is. It tastes great raw while working in the garden too.

November 14, 2007	#15
maryinoregon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Oregon Posts: 361	That's interesting about Honey Select. All goes to show you that it depends on where you grow it, and of course, taste. I get Honey Select from a local farmer here. It tastes more corney than the usual supersweets, Bodacious being the most popular. I can understand it from a farmer's point of view. If you want to grow corn in western Oregon, grow one you stand a chance of harvesting. We had very little summer this year, except for some warm to hot days in July. I'm sure many farmers were glad they grew Bodacious, although I think it taste like *****! Luckily, the farmer I get my corn from did grow Honey Select.