In Season: Minnesota Grown Sweet Corn

Minnesota Grown season is literally happening all around you, right now! And it's happening big time in our markets, where you'll find an abundance of delicious, nutritious, locally grown fruits and vegetables. Once again, Untiedt's Vegetable Farm of Waverly, Minnesota, brings us the pick of the crop this month. Their Minnesota Grown sweet corn is the vegetable we wait all year for, and this month it's at its peak!

Down at the farm, Jerry Untiedt and his team use unique planting processes to ensure that their sweet corn crop can be supplied for a longer period of time each season. It's why (weather permitting) you can find it in our markets as early as July and often into October. Using a low-density planting pattern, each ear is allowed to fill out completely, unlike corn planted at high densities, which typically results in plants with a lower number of developed kernels per ear.

Like all crops at Untiedt's, this sweet corn is hand-harvested to mitigate waste and prevent damage to the ears. Once picked, it is promptly cooled and handled with care on its daily drive to Kowalski's. Select corn with green, moist-looking husks and plump kernels that burst with juice when poked. Keep the husks on for storage in the refrigerator and use within a few days of purchase.

Obviously corn is great right off the cob, but you can use fresh corn kernels in a wide variety of recipes, from guacamole, salsas and soups to salads, muffins and casseroles. See below for some flavorful, fresh ideas.