The sweet corn is plentiful right now and even though you think you’ve enjoyed sweet corn, until you’ve picked it in the field and taken it directly to the house and cooked it, you have not really had the ultimate sweet corn experience. And Iowa sweet corn is some of the best in the world!
I think it’s nearly the most delicious meal we have – sweet corn and sliced tomatoes!
And when you have a good neighbor, you might get a couple dozen ears to cut off the cob and freeze with butter and half and half.
Soon these elderberries will be ready to make into syrup – something I’ve never done but Sam wants us to learn so thank God for the internet.
The pampas grass is shooting up plumes and the hydrangeas are ready to pick for winter.
Colton spends his days in the hay bunk sleeping.
Ivy is visiting for a couple days while her family enjoys the bike trails at Lanesboro, MN. Walks through the woods are always fun!
This pattern for Rail Fence will be in our online store very soon under the category of “quick quilts”. If you know someone wanting to learn, this would be a possibility.
You know how it goes when I try to take a picture on this table – Millie is right there! Grooming herself!
I am going to quilt the chickens tonite but I thought I’d show you the back before I start. We think pressing is as important as the piecing! We hate having seams flipped up making a “bump” in the finished quilt. Connie is the queen of pressing! I do okay but my backs are never as flat as hers.
I also had to piece my backing to get it big enough – using the very last strips in the jellyroll.
I can’t wait to show you this finished quilt and the “freedom” quilts I made with the leftovers!
Love this little Dirty Dozen house quilt!
Have a nice weekend, Everybody!
Hi Mary, the sweet corn 🌽 looks delicious, yum! The dogs certainly know how to enjoy life,my Bella is busy barking at people on the zigzag as usual.enjoy the day, take care, best wishes from sandy
I’m jealous about the elderberries! My Uncle Mike loved elderberry jam, so I used to go up and down the country roads and pick elderberries that were growing along the sides of the road, so I could make jam for him. He said it brought him back to his childhood.
Love the chicken quilt….made one from one of your books years ago…actually made 2 of them! Raffled one off for the Heart and Stroke charity and had to make another just for me.
Iowa sweet corn is the best.
My mouth is watering over homegrown tomatoes and corn!
One of our family jokes when visiting Iowa is the vegetable of the day being sweet corn. Here in the Dallas area it’s often broccoli (my husband’s favorite). Me, I love the sweet corn! Millie made me laugh – cats always must be the center of attention when taking quilt pictures! I’m picky too on the pressing of my quilts, that and keeping threads clipped as I sew. The little house quilt is cute, I love the colors chosen.
Oh, the corn, tomatoes, cats, dogs, the importance of pressing, and the cheerful house at the end. Love it all!
You are so right about the sweet corn and sliced tomatoes from Iowa being the best meal. Great reminder on pressing the backs of quilts. Love your rail fence and the Dirty Dozen house quilt–wonderful colors!
Sweet corn cooked in an air fryer is fantastic! Spay with butter spray, salt, pepper or whatever seasonings you prefer. Air fryer 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Turn each ear over after 5 minutes.
Last Friday we went to Ossage snd ee a couple girls selling corn, oh my it was so sweet. I love corn and I really pig out, but then it is only a summer treat. I like to freeze corn with a little sugar and milk. That Millie is so funny. I too love the little house, it is so colorful.
I don’t know about Garner, but it is hot today.
I struggle with flat seams on the back. Is there a trick or a better iron? Thanks!
Several weeks ago you talked about a large nest, high in a tree on your walk in the woods. Have you seen it again or know anymore about it’s inhabitants? Charlotte’s house quilt is soooo cute!
There are so many leaves on the trees that I can no longer see the nest! Sorry, this message is for Susan
Maybe you’ll get another look at it in the fall and winter. My husband and I watch a similar nest when driving in western IL and have the same problem. Before the leaves covered our view we saw two owls sitting in the big nest, so awesome!
I’ve never heard of freezing corn with butter and half and half. Can you tell me more. I always put up fresh corn in the summer just blanched and cut off the cob. That sounds interesting.
Well look at Colton. What a lazy boy!
And that’s what a good cat does on the farm.
Hi Mary, hug Colton for me 😉
Sue Davis, Argyle Tx
Hi
Iam so glad. This session is Summer. Here maney Sweet corn field. Boild sweet corn make Salad. When I can went my village then I go fild. Picked Sweet corn . Very Sweet test. We enjoyed party in fild.
Never heard of adding half and half to the sweet corn. Can you share how much butter & half and half for a batch of 1 doz. ears. I would love to try this.
I agree that a flat back is great when you go to quilt it. I just finished a hunter star table runner, pressed with steam and Best Press, and found it much easier to stitch over intersections. Enjoy the weekend, we are supposed to get rain each day, we need it.
Marj in WI – 16 cups of corn, 1 lb butter and I pint half and half. Nothing else added – it’s heavenly! Bake in oven for one hour at 350 degrees. Cool pan of hot corn in ice water and package for freezer.
Nice. to weekend passed.
Hi Mary! When we lived in Ohio I made elderberry pies and my Dad made elderberry wine! I miss those pies! Also miss absolutely just picked corn. Don’t get either in southern Arizona!
Be calm. Be still. Take a deep breath!
Being home this summer was not our first choice, but we have really enjoyed the Midwest sweet corn. Our neighbor is keeping us supplied with beautiful tomatoes.
Charlotte, the little house quilt is adorable!
Iowa is known for its corn. Grilled cheese with tomato and bacon, an ear of corn and a tall glass of sweet tea…am I dreaming?
Great visit today
Thank you all for the nice comments on my house quilt. This is the center of a larger quilt I made years ago. I had planned on making two but this is all I finished. I’m giving this one to my granddaughter. One more UFO done!
Yes, living in Florida I sure do miss the Iowa sweet corn. We were right across the Mississippi in Moline, Illinois. I had seen it cut off the cob and frozen, but never with the half n half.
The back of the quilt looks great. Flat seems are so essential.
Take care!
What’s the name of the corn you like? Paula in KY
We have been enjoying sweet corn & tomatoes as a a meal also. Our neighbor has a produce stand & I go early in the morning to get fresh pick of the day here in SW Ohio. Been enjoying seeing your patterns for your online store as I have several already. 30 Stars for 30 Years pattern has been on my bucket list for years.
The sweet corn has been so good this year with our meals. And very reasonable when I buy it from the stands. Our Roma’s are coming on fast and they seem quite large this year so sandwiches with mayo have been a staple this week between giving away to family and friends too as garden extras are fun to share with those who don’t have time nor space to care for them. I am going to make a cheese danish with the end of our blueberries later today so can enjoy that with church tomorrow morning on zoom. If we aren’t meeting in person yet, I don’t have to be without fellowship food!
Kathy in western NY – oh, what a good idea! We are meeting in the church at two services. I miss seeing all the younger folks and kids who go to the second service.
You’re making my mouth water. I’ve eaten many an ear of Iowa corn straight from the field. There’s nothing like it and no way to accurately describe the taste. You have to sample it to know.
Patsy – raw sweet corn in the field is indeed a pleasure!!!
Where I live in NC, we especially love (white) Silver Queen corn … my mother would cut it off the cob, and cook it with a bit of water and salt to soften it, for 10 min. or so. Then she added a T. of butter per large cob of corn (or less, to taste), some 1/2 & 1/2, plus a good pinch of sugar per cob, pepper to taste, and a bit more salt. And as they say on TV cooking shows, you can’t remove that salt, so it’s best not to go crazy adding it. She’d simmer it for 10-20 min. longer, but that depends how soft or crunchy you like it. If it’s too “wet” just crank up the burner and boil it hard for a bit. Anyhoo, that’s how we make it. My challenge is not eating up the raw corn after I slice it off, yum!
PS – Mary … I keep wondering where Spyro ended up living? Hoping that he’s a much happier dog now.
There’s nothing like vegetables right from the garden. When I worked at a farm market, we’d eat the sweet corn raw, right from the field. I have a funny story to tell you-one of my co-workers had her in-laws visit from the Netherlands. It was summer, so Mimi naturally fixed sweet corn. When she put the plate of corn on the table, the in-laws laughed and said “That’s pig food!” They wouldn’t eat it.
I don’t know who’s cuter, Colton or Ernie JM.
Linda Baker, I knew a woman from Germany, his father would not eat sweet corn for the same reason. Didn’t know what he was missing, right?
Linda Baker – do you suppose all Europeans feel that way?
Fresh corn and tomatoes are my favorites. I saw on a cooking show that they put the corn cob in the hole of a Bundt pan and then slice the kernels into the Bundt pan.
Sheri B – we use an angel food cake pan. – same thing – works great! Along with an electric knife?
My type of blog!! You ladies and your recipes and thoughts about quilts , corn, elderberries…even sleeping cats was just wonderful! I love to hear your food stories and recipes. I became a vegan at 64 due to a cancer diagnosis and my oncologist ( who was very progressive) suggested I become vegan. Instead of thinking” I have to become vegan” , I thought ” I get to be vegan”! Anyways I went cold turkey and will never return to the traditional diet I was on despite cooking for meat eaters everyday. My garden is filled with jalapeno peppers, basil ( both regular and thai) and Asian eggplant. So my meals are filled with Mediterranean flavors these days. What has been fun on this new food journey is to go into Middle Eastern and Indian grocery stores as a blond white Middle class senior and ask for esoteric items like fennegrek and see the look on their faces! Made a lot of “grocery friends” and when I go into these markets now they have a cheery greeting for me and ask me what I am cooking that day! Wonderful! My simple way of embracing and getting to know the different cultures of people living in my immediate area. I am so blessed! Have a wonderful food day and I am off to buy some “imported” Iowa corn ( pig food)
Carolyn Barnett – I admire you going vegan but I’m quite sure I couldn’t do it. I don’t LOVE vegetables in the first place – how would I live on them? You go, Girl!
Nice. to weekend passed.
Barkat – HI! Did you forget you were going to email your picture to me?
So refreshing to see your photos of farm life. A nice escape from the News and city living.
I just now found this post in my spam file along with quite a few others before this one. That is so weird, because I had been getting them right along. You would think the powers that be would have recognized this email address from you. Pays to check your spam file more often than I do.
We will be traveling on Wed. to get our corn to freeze. Also, peaches, melons and peppers. I also simply blanche, cool quickly, cut it off the cob, bag and freeze. No salt, butter, sugar. Nada. Then I can use it in whatever dishes I want. I am wondering if I could add cream and sugar after it is frozen? I’ll try that.
Fabulous photos, Mary, as always and so much fun to look at.
Cute, cute house quilt, Charlotte.