The main problem with harvesting corn is that the cobs mature at the same time. The period between when the first cobs ripen and when they become overripe and begin to harden is only about a week to ten days. So to avoid wastage you will have to process your surplus corn.
DRYING
Corn can be left on the cob to fully mature then ground into corn flower, but this is best done using maize corn varieties.PRESSURE CANNING
Corn needs temperatures higher than boiling point to preserve it, otherwise you run the risk of contracting Botulism. In order to safely can corn you will need a specialised canning pressure cooker.BLANCHING AND FREEZING
This is easy to do as it requires no specialised equipment (other than a freezer), though you will be limited by the freezer space you have available.
Blanching and freezing is my preferred method of preserving excess corn as it is the easiest to do, though it does take up a lot of room in our freezer.
REMOVE THE HUSKS AND CHOP OFF THE BASE OF EACH COB
CHOP THE COBS UP INTO FIVE CENTIMETRE PIECES
These small pieces are called cobettes. Corn cobs can be left whole but they pack down better if cut up into cobettes.FILL A LARGE POT WITH WATER AND HEAT ON A STOVE TOP UNTIL THE WATER IS BOILING VIGOROUSLY
Use the biggest flame under the pot as possible.PLACE THE COBETTES IN THE POT UNTIL THE WATER HAS STARTED TO BOIL AGAIN
COOL THE COBETTES
As soon as the pot starts boiling again poor the contents into a colander and rinse with cold water to rapidly cool the cobettes.WHEN THE COBETTES ARE COLD PLACE THEM IN PLASTIC BAGS, SEAL AND STORE IN THE FREEZER
Corn frozen this way, while not tasting as good as fresh corn, tastes pretty good and should last months, rather than the ten day window of opportunity you have to eat it freshly picked. If freezer space is limited you can strip the kernels and just blanch and freeze them. Though nothing beats corn on the cob.
Corn stripped of its husks and cut into cobettes.
Corn cobettes after they have been blanched then cooled with running cold water.
Frozen corn cobetts.
If freezer space is limited you can strip the kernels and just blanch and freeze them.
