In article , Persephone
wrote:

On Fri, 18 May 2007 13:42:57 -0700, Bill Rose
wrote:

[...]

hen comes the art form of telling when they are ripe but that is a
whole different post.
[...]

What happened to the old thumbnail in the kernel test? If it
spurts, it's ready.

Persephone

It would be Persephone.

I understand that there are at least 3 ways in which to pick corn,
penetrating it, gawking at it or, groping it. The ol' thumbnail in the
kernel ploy is accurate BUT you have to pull its' husk down to do it. If
the corn doesn't spurt, then you have to push the husk back up again. It
is not such a good deal to try and push the husk back up over the cob to
wait for the kernels to swell and spurt, then you have to pull it back
down again and if it's still not spurting, push it back up again,
besides you now have a point of infection in the ear (of the corn). Then
I understand there is the ol' tassel ploy, whereby either when there is
hair the corn is ready or, when the hair starts to turn color the corn
is ready and, then there is the ol' groping ploy whereby you train your
finger tips to slide over the husk, feeling for any hidden swollen or,
distended kernels. That last one is to be avoided as it is likely to set
off another round of the "Easily Increase Fertility" rapture that
recently swept through wrecked gardens.

Of course there is also the pick in the morning vs. the pick just before
you cook it controversy.

Actually, growing the corn is the easy part. Picking it is the hard part.

Gardening is really easy if you know what to do and when. Reminds me of
the patient who walked into the doctor's office with half a watermelon
pushed down over his head, green beans coming out of his ears and
carrots coming out of his nose. He asked the doctor what was wrong with
him and the doctor said,"Your not eating properly":-)

- Bill

Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)