Corn is big in Washington County were we live. In the summer it’s growing everywhere you look. Most of it’s for the dairy cows. But starting in early August, the sweet corn for people is ready to be picked. That’s when we start eating it. And we eat it almost every day, sometimes twice a day, until the first frost and then there’s no more corn till next year.
Some of the best corn, closest to us, comes from the Moses Farm Stand. That’s Moses as in Grandma Moses. Now, her grandson, Will sells his paintings and the Moses Farm sells fruit and vegetables.
So this time of year we’re shucking a lot of corn. And the donkeys and Chloe know all about it. Because they eat everything we don’t. When it’s time for lunch or dinner, we bring the corn outside to the pasture gate to shuck it. The donkeys always show up. Sometimes Chloe doesn’t get there in time, but this is still new to her, I bet next year she’ll be at the gate with the donkeys. When we shuck the corn they get the husks and after we eat it, they get the cobs.
The cats and hens usually come around too. The hens will try to peck at the corn on the cob that’s already been shucked and the cats hope there’s going to be a treat or some scratches for them.
I hadn’t really thought about it till today, when I saw Jon shucking the corn for lunch. What a ritual of late summer this is. Buying the corn from our neighbors, who grow it up the road from us, sharing it with our animals and nothing going to waste.
It seems to me a small wonder. A tiny example of how man and nature can work together in a balanced way.
Maria, how I miss NYS in September! Apples, Brussel sprouts, squash, red bell peppers, ider and corn at the Farmer’s Mkt. I miss making late summer Farmer’s Mkt minestrone soup, roasting bell peppers on the grill and freezing them like an old Italian lady, which I am.
I have been living in AZ for over two years and its beautiful here, but our growing season is just beginning. Its still hot, in the triple digits.
Thanks so much for the piece about corn. I can taste it now.
Janet
You make me appreciate where I am even more Janet. I’ll be wishing I was in Arizona in February.
Maria, I was happy to read this piece and the connection of Will to Grandma Moses. I love the folk art of Grandma Moses. I was able to email Will with a story of how his Grandmothers art has touched lives. I worked in a nursing facility for the elderly where we had 10 wonderful prints of Grandma Moses on the walls. Once a year I took the prints off the walls, told Grandma Moses story, got coffee table books out of the library and had a celebration of Grandma Moses art. I displayed the prints at wheelchair level to enhance our residents experience of her art. They responded so positively that I began to schedule travelling exhibits from our city art museum. It was so wonderful bringing art into the lives of these residents who could no experience art in other venues.
That’s a beautiful thing you did Lois. I so admire Grandma Moses. She didn’t let anything stop her from creating. I often think that there is a great tolerance and acceptance of artists in our area because of Grandma Moses.