hard-dent corn | Life on a Colorado Farm

Those that have raised onions and potatoes are now starting thier harvesting projects. The last thing to be harvested will be the hard-dent corn. This is the corn used for cooking (corn meal) and critter feed.

So far the weather is holding…we got very close to killing frosts, but we are now heating back up. Which is good, if you are trying to get produce in. Killing freezes tend to kill what you are trying to harvest.

The pick’n corn is at the hard-dent stage. Now we wait until all the moisture leaves the ear. If shelling corn is harvested wet it will mold. Last year we hauled our first load to the Elevator on October 20th. One month away.

Of course that doesn’t mean there isn’t lots still going on, just that we have reached our goal.

Linda

Terry is planting the last field of hard-dent corn.

Hard-dent corn is what is used for corn bread, corn meal/flour, cereal grains and grits for people food. It is also the corn that is mixed into other grains to feed cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens. Either white or yellow, dent kernals contain both hard and soft starch that become indented at maturity. We plant yellow dent corn.

We do not plant sweet corn. Sweet corn is primarily eaten on the cob, or it can be canned or frozen for future consumption.

Planting season is about to end. The pinto beans will be planted in about two weeks. Of course the work hasn’t ended. Just the planting. And only after the pinto beans get in the ground.

Suppose to snow here again. Geez, what a mess this spring as been. I hope it goes around us, or stays in the mountains.

Linda