No Sweet Start For Corn This Season

The woman who answered the phone at Bedners Farm and Greenhouse let out a big sigh when asked about the availability of fresh-picked sweet corn.

“We won’t be harvesting until August, the sign outside even says so,” she said politely, before explaining that a wet spring had prevented many growers from getting their crops into the soil as early as they may have wanted.

Patrons to local farmers' markets know that, generally, July is the month when those ears start cropping up on local shelves. But those same patrons also probably know local farm-picked corn isn't just unavailable at Bedners, located in Cecil Township.

Overall, it hasn't been a sweet start to the local sweet corn season.

According to ' Advertising and Marketing Director Courtney Robinson, corn was a "big question" mark this season. So much so, Picnic on Our Porch, held last Saturday, was created to replace the farm's annual corn roast.

"The rain had a big effect on our corn crops," Robinson said. "We actually had to replace our yearly corn roast event because we didn't have enough.

"We plant corn weekly so that we always have fresh corn ready to sell. But, during the month of May the ground was too wet and we couldn't plant. We had a dry spell for a couple of weeks in June, but luckily we had corn for the fourth of July."

in Peters had problems at the beginning of the season, but has rebounded nicely with a solid crop. Victor Torres, one of the farm’s workers selling produce at the South Fayette Famers Market off Route 50, said the first wave of corn grown at Simmons was smaller than usual.

Although the crop is not as good as last year, it’s still improving and the farm expects a good finish to the season.

“We had problems with the early (crop), but it’s fine now,” Torres said. “We already passed the bad season. But the corn we have right now is really good.”

Upper St. Clair Community Flea Market customers had to wait a little longer for corn season as well. 

"It was really hard to get into the fields to plant because of all the rain," said vendor Jami Jodikinos of Jodikinos Farms in Clinton, Pa.

"We had to plow the first fields under because the (corn) didn't come up," said vendor Jim Christoff of Christoff's Farm and Greenhouses in Bridgeville." The seeds rotted.

"It caused us to get a late start, but it all balances out. Every year is different. What is good this year will be lousy next year."