Do you realize how long it takes to clean 3 lbs of popcorn kernel off of the cob? No? Well neither do I, because as I was doing it, I was lost into a deep dark mind numb that is the RNC pre-show. Not in the mood to talk politics today, let's just say that Joe Lieberman and I have a lot in common. I have filled my green glass Ball jar. The one I keep my popcorn in. I guess I will be making a lot of popcorn balls for Christmas.
Popcorn is a great mainstay on the homestead. You can grow a lot in a little space. The stalks grow 1-4 ears on them. It is a wonderful whole grain that helps with energy. It also makes a great animal feed if you plan on growing your own. 1 1/2 rows of the stuff is enough for my family for 1 year. I still have 2 1/2 rows to pick. eek! What to do with all that popcorn? My 6 year old (turns 7 today!) informed me that under no uncertain terms, am I to give popcorn to a mouse. Because If I do that, he'll want to go to the movies. And who wants to go to the movies with a mouse!?! I agreed with him, and told him that rats are much more fun. (Phelan, pet rat keeper)
There are all kinds of things you can do with popcorn, and you don't have to keep it as a snack. We have it with our dinners. You can pour a light pesto sauce over it, or mix it with fresh fruits and berries. Popcorn is a great thing to have on hand when you have a house full of boys. You'd be amazed how quickly their mouths stop emitting noise when full of popcorn.
oh popcorn, so much better then a gag.
12 comments:
how do you do your popcorn? Do you let it get hard and dried on the cob first? I have never done this before but we have tons of sweetcorn this year and would like to try it out. Thanks! =)
Popcorn is dried on the cob before harvesting. I don't think you can pop sweet corn, but if you are looking for something, you can try parched corn, aka corn nuts.
What variety of corn do you grow for popcorn? I'd like to try some next year, but I don't know what kind is good.
Also, your masthead makes me laugh out loud. That picture should be your Christmas card!
Taylor, I use Japeneese white and strawberry.
If you have extra, feel free to send it my way. We don't have the room to grow it, but I keep telling Husband that REAL popcorn is totally different than what you buy in the store. (I actually don't know that for a fact, but I try not to let facts get in my way)
That was one of YoungSon and I's favorite books, btw!
Good info on growing popcorn. I will add that to my planting list. We snack on it about once a week and have transitioned away from butter to a savory mixture instead - made with soy sauce, cumin, garlic powder, a littel cayenne. Seems quite healthy as well!
I love to put parmesan on popcorn and float it on top of my tomato bisque. I also like it in salads instead of croutons. It is definately on of the more fun under rated foods. My lab loves the stuff and it makes for a great small training snack.
I was turned onto homegrown popcorn at a local vegetable stand. He sell it on the cob and you just put in a paper bag for 1 1/2 minutes in the microwave and there you have fresh microwave popcorn. We grew some for a first this year, we will see how it dries up.
~Kim
I once read of a company that used popcorn instead of styrofoam packing peanuts. The company was shipping something-or-other mostly to farmer-types who hated getting stuck with those nasty peanuts--couldn't compost 'em, hated taking them to the dump. The company started hot-air popping popcorn for their shipments: no oil, no having to store huge quantities of the packing peanuts since they could just pop the popcorn as needed. And if they ran out, they just headed for the grocery store for more... Meanwhile, the farmers receiving the popcorn-as-packing loved it: could compost it, feed it to animals, toss it out for the birds, whatever they wanted.
Meadowlark, well, it is a little smaller due to the fact you don't sift out all the smaller pieces. If you have any sort of yard, you can grow popcorn.
Renee, that sounds good!
Maggie, not only underrated, but has gotten a bad rap in previous years.
Country Girl. I have done that as well. It doesn't store as well on the cob though.
KF, ok, now that's cool. Guess what I'll be shipping my stuff in from now on.
I love popcorn on tomato soup. Seriously. Mix a little parmasan cheese on the fresh popped corn and sprinkle it on hot soup.
The kids LOVE it too!
Skippymom
oops! sorry maggie...you said it first.
great minds! :D
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