Farm Tour and Hands Off Way To Cook Corn!
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Oh merciful Heaven! This corn is so good that it doesn’t even need butter, and I am one of those people who ALWAYS adds butter and salt to my corn! What did I add to this? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. There is no prep work involved, either. None! It really is a Hands Off Way To Cook Corn! Before I give you this recipe (if you can even call it that), let me show you a little from my recent field trip!
This past Monday I has the pleasure of joining some other bloggers in my area on a Family Farm Tour of Miller Farms in Boaz, Alabama. This is a farm that has been in the Miller family for over 100 years, and has therefore earned the designation of “Century and Heritage Farm” from the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries.
This is the view of a beautiful peanut field. The Miller family grows cotton and peanuts in addition to raising chickens. While I’m personally familiar with farming from my childhood days spent on Papa Reed’s farm in Toney, Alabama, I was unaware of how high tech it has all become. In my mind, folks are still driving around on red Farmall tractors like Papa had, tilling up potatoes while the grandkids walk behind putting them in buckets. At least, that is my experience. Pretty much like the video below, this is actually very much like his farm appeared to me as a child:
But nowadays more tractors are the big green guy and equipped with GPS technology so that the farmer can actually track exactly what part of a field has been fertilized, treated, and harvested. Lance Miller said that some tractors are even capable of operating on their own, without a driver in the seat!
But then who would sing “Howdy Neighbor!” and wave at folks?
Speaking of tractors, here is Conni, fitting comfortably inside the wheel of one. Conni blogs over at Cosmopolitan Cornbread and is my local blogging partner in crime. She has only lived here 2 years and even though I have lived here all my life, Conni knows more people and more about what is going on any given day than I will ever know. She has a gift, that one. Plus, she gets out more. I’m a cave dweller :).
and just so you know, in my dreams, I drive a truck that has tires this big….
These are some of the peanuts Lance Miller’s family is growing. They aren’t ready just yet but he pulled some up to show us what was going on underground.
This is my friend, Paula, of AKA Jane Random standing looking all beautiful in 200˚ weather in the middle of a cotton field. Cotton fields are very dear to me because they feel like a connection to my ancestors. I’m sure my fond memories of them are vastly different from my ancestor’s memories of them, though. If I ever leave Alabama, the thing I will miss about the land the most are the cotton fields, especially when they are in full bloom.
This is Conni with a baby chick from the chicken houses. They were surprisingly cool and comfortable, the coolest place on the farm!
One of the saddest things for me is knowing how hard American farmers work and how much of what little income they earn goes to taxes. Logic would dictate that our government would want as much of our food as possible produced on our own soil, but logic doesn’t seem to be a factor in much these days. I’ll end my little commentary there.
Used to, whenever I went out to blog, I’d take my phone and use whatever camera it had. But this is what I’m up against these days…Conni doubles as Inspector Gadget! Knowing this, I brought a video camera and my big camera. Of course, I ended up using just my phone camera but hey, I put the thought into it at least.
This is Lance explaining to us how some of the machinery works. It’s amazing how all of this stuff works. I asked Lance if any training was offered when you purchased the equipment but he said he just sat down with the manual.
Man, I want a tractor.
We ended the tour with a wonderful lunch of fresh, seasonal food and that is where this corn recipe comes in. Stephanie Miller (the wife behind this operation) served this amazing corn and told me how she made it. I have never made corn in such a hands off way before and I gotta tell ya, it’s pretty amazing. I’ve had it twice in my own home this week so far. I’m usually one to add butter and salt to my corn but making it this way, I add nothing!
We left with lots of fresh picked corn, goodie baskets, and an even greater appreciation for the American Farmer. They really are a rare breed that, in many ways, have to swim upstream in order to be able to provide us with the simple resource of food in this country. If at all possible and as much as you are able, it is always wise to support your local farmer and try to build a relationship through buying person to person on a local level. I encourage you to seek out local sources and let me know what you are able to provide for your table in this way!
Ingredients
- Corn. Fresh unshucked, untouched just like it comes from the field.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚.
- Place corn on a baking sheet or directly on the oven rack.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Special thanks to my friends at Alabama Farmers Federation for inviting me to this wonderful tour! We’ve been members of ALFA for as long as I can remember and they have taken good care of us.
“Know your food, know your farmers, and know your kitchen.”
~Joel Salatin
Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post and all opinions written by me are my own.
We cut off a little of each end, leaving the husks on and wrap in a paper towel. Wet it down and place in microwave three min per each ear. Just use paper towel to pull husks and silk off in one step. When it is not so hot I’ll try the oven method. Thanks for the tip.
🙂
But, what do you do if you find a silk worm AFTER baking. I’d be so sick I wouldn’t be able to eat.
Retha I so agree! I was shucking a bushel of corn and every time I would accidentally squeeze a worm it was nauseating to me. I’m not afraid of that stuff I guess It’s because silk worms are so big and fat.
Just throw it away with the shucks. That is just part of it in my mind I guess.
We pick the corn and put the whole thing in the microwave for 3 minutes per ear. You have to be really careful when it’s done because it’s so hot and steamy when you shuck it.
Don’t know if any easier but we’ve been shucking and silking then place in steam basket 15 min. and that corn is so sweet. Then butter and little salt. Delicious!
Glad you enjoyed the tour and love that you loved my corn “recipe”! I do want to point out that the tour was sponsored by Monsanto. The Alabama Farmers Federation just supplied goodie bags and sent a reporter! 🙂
Okay, I have never seen that movie. Now I need to look for it! LOL Love old classics like that.
You have to see it Connie!!
Love those sunglasses. best corn on the cob ever……I used to do mine in the microwave the same way but this is wayyyyy better.
Thanks Barbara!!!
I don’t understand…how does one bake corn just as it comes from the field and when is the silk removed,before baking or after…