Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Friday, July 18, 2014

Puttin' Up Corn


I've been busy here at the homestead.  Laundry was put out again yesterday and today.  The weather is still very nice.

Yesterday I took a quick road trip to buy sweet corn (we only planted black popcorn this year).  When I arrived, the nice gentleman tells me, "if you buy two burlap bag fulls, you get one free."



Well, of course I was okay with that.   A burlap bag is not quite, but close enough, to a bushel.


The kids helped shuck the corn.  Even though they complained, I could hear my youngest making up corn songs, ha ha!  The were working on the front porch.  They did ask me if they had been selling two goats get one free, would I have taken the free one - ha ha!  Silly kids.  



I froze 60 cups of corn before I had to retire my work and start mixing ingredients for lasagna ruffles (for dinner).  Corn on the cob was our side dish on Thursday.


To Freeze Corn:  I double my recipe and mix 2 sticks of organic butter, 2 cups of water, and 1/2 cup of sugar with 20 cups of corn.  I boil it for 5 minutes.

Added note:  You can add salt too, but I do not.  I always add it when I thaw and cook the corn.  It's really up to you.  Also, after thawing this corn, I do not add water when cooking it to eat as is.  It makes it's own water when it's heating.
 


I let it cool, bag it and freeze it.  Just cut the recipe in half to make a smaller batch. 



I did treat the chickens to some corn cobs to clean off.  They love my little treats this time of year.


I also called in and ordered us 20 pounds of blueberries  for this year.  I think my apron got a good work out.  This may count as my first "selfie" but using the mirror to help.  I love this style of apron.  I have three of them, plus many more of different styles.

....more corn to stock up today, along with canning.  It seems like I have only been posting about food lately.  Hopefully I will have some more interesting blog posts soon. 

I spent the evening in the garden gathering veggies, then we all watched a movie together.  I've had very little handiwork time lately, or my hands just hurt by then I can't enjoy it anyway.  I better go down some coffee and get this day started.  We are having a gathering at our place for Son tomorrow.....time is a tickin'......

9 comments:

Kim said...

I enjoy all your posts no matter what they are about. What do you do with the husks? I have dried them in the past and used for bedding.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Kim, that is a wonderful idea. I did put mine in the compost.

Liz said...

The sweet corn is just about ready around us. Cant wait. I will be freezing, but not that much! Oh my!

Susan said...

Ditto, Kim. I love your posts! I have been looking for a recipe for freezing corn - this is perfect (although I will half it)! Have you gotten your refrigerator yet? And I love your apron - I have sone that is very similar and I wear it all the time.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Susan, we do have our new fridge, but we don't have our meat back from Hubby's nephew yet (just no time this week).

My Garden Diaries said...

I am going to have to bookmark that corn freezing method friend as I have never tried it before. Way to go on the free bushel!!! And glad you had little hands to help!! Love the apron by the way! Happy weekend to you and your crew! Nicole xo

RB said...

Two things I remember about corn from my childhood days.
The first is, the first year Dad tried to freeze corn on the cob without cutting it off, and it all came out tasting like the cob, so from then on, we cut it off the cob and blanched it before freezing it.
The last is, one year our entire crop of corn came out as feed corn when the farmer across the road planted his feed corn on the road side right across from ours instead of behind his barn like he'd been doing. Guess the bees went back and forth, back and forth, cross pollinating and it all ended up as feed corn; so we didn't have corn in the freezer that year, but the farmer had PLENTY for his critters cause Dad let him have all ours.
Who'da known that would happen, although I do remember one year Dad planting a row of sweet peppers next to a row of hot banana peppers, and the banana peppers ended up sweet. We didn't even know til the baby, Tom, came toddling from the garden munching on a banana pepper like it was candy, and when Mom took it from him and tasted it, it was sweet instead of hot. LOL
God bless.
RB
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Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

RB, that is very interesting about the corn (feed corn). We haven't been able to grow sweet corn, and the crops that are around us may be the cause. Our popcorn is not tall enough right now either. As for the peppers, for about 3 years we planted cold and hot together, and finally figured out that didn't work, ha ha!

RB said...

If Dad planted the peppers at opposite ends of the garden, they came out as intended. Does make me wonder though how huge factory farms, like those who sell to grocery stores, etc., grow peppers so they turn out as intended. It'd be the pits for them if they thought they had a hundred acres of Jalapeno Peppers, only to have them turn out sweet instead of spicy. Ya know.

Have a great Sunday!

God bless.

RB
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