...A Sweet Corn Farmer

Let's talk about Sweet Corn!

Hello to all! Ashlee signing on to tell you all about why corn is a family favorite + I touched on a bit about my opinion of GMOs, Organic, and Conventional. & Questions are welcomed!

Sweet Corn is a crowd favorite in my family. I blame this on three things - 

1. Sweet corn is stinkin' delicious!

2. Because of the hard work, dedication, and passion my dad puts into the crops as he learns to grow, plans to grow, and grows corn. He truly is an amazing farmer and grows the best corn I have ever eaten! 

3. It is in our roots!

Great Grandma Alice Hanson, Gary, Ashlee (that's me), Hayden, and Kayla

My dad's family were farmers in Denmark and Czechoslovakia. The two families (Hansens and Kerchalls) immigrated to America in the early 1900s and just as before became farmers here. There has been 5 generations of farmers in the Hansen and Kerchall families in the United States - all growing CORN! Each generation passed down the legacy of farming to the next and the love and passion they had for the land, natural resources, environment, and crops.

Iowa Family back in the day at Sunday Dinner

On our farm we grow a hybrid variety of corn called Peaches and Cream. As sweet and delicious as the name implies, each ear of Peaches and Cream Corn boasts a combination of tender white and yellow kernels. It is known to be one of the sweetest and most tender corns ever developed. This has proved correct at the Farm! 

Hybrid - "A hybrid is created by crossing two unique parents. Crossing involves taking the pollen from the male and transferring it to the female. The first generation of offspring from this cross all look and act the same. They also show what’s known as hybrid vigour: these plants come out stronger than their parents. But you can’t plant their seed in order to raise these plants the following year. The seed collected from a hybrid plant will either resemble one of the parents, or be sterile.", https://www.westcoastseeds.com/garden-resources/articles-instructions/hybrid-seeds-exactly/. To learn more about what a hybrid seed is head to the website listed. 

Mortimer Farms Sweet Corn

It is amazing to me that due to modern knowledge and technology we (farmers, doctors, welders, teachers, psychologist, and every other career path) can do our jobs better than ever before! It is just as amazing to me that the public and the consumer has the ability to research different processes and ways and are able to form their own educated opinion about the subject! 

This time of year I get lots of questions about topics like organic, GMO, certified, local, natural, etc. To all these questions I have the same answer - No matter the label, no matter the marketing tactic, and no matter the trend farmers and ranchers cannot continue running a business, making money, or providing food for their family and yours if they do their jobs wrong. In order to be successful they have to grow the best crops and supply the best produce, fruit, and beef. THE ONLY WAY to do this is to take care of the land, take care of the environment, and use natural resources wisely. Crazy enough it does not do the farmer or rancher any good to hurt those eating what they grow and raise (that's called bad business).

For more info about GMOS -  https://modernag.org/innovation/the-science-inside-gmo-seeds/?gclid=CjwKCAjwspHaBRBFEiwA0eM3kXlppD8eaww1HKZ9k6O9azlQkegGJaraH_UBm7D8VIH0JXRdskXReRoCq-8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

For more info about organic foods -  https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means

This is one of my favorite pictures of all time! I took it last year a few weeks after planting the sweet corn for the season.

I eat "organic" grown crops, I eat "conventional" grown crops, I eat "GMO" crops (there are less then 10 crops that have GMO seeds available - all of these crops have non-GMO seeds available as well), I eat "Natural", I eat "Hybrids", and I eat everything in between - I eat it all and support all farmers and ranchers! There is not one type of growing practice better or healthier than another! I ask that you yourself do research! That you look at scholarly reports, articles, etc. that are peer reviewed and deemed accountable. In the end, I don't care what you decide to eat as long as you eat and know that all types of agriculture are healthy and grown sustainably! 

Bottom line no matter the crop (sweet corn included) ask questions, know who grew it, learn where it was grow, how it was grow, and EAT IT! 

Just Eat It!