I Asked Three Farmers How to Choose the Sweetest Corn and Discovered Something Surprising

On family road trips during the summer, or sometimes just on our way to a rural golf course, my Dad would take us past endless fields of corn. As an Iowan, the phrase “knee-high by the Fourth of July” was as familiar to me as saying something is “easy as pie”—a saying used to gauge how tall corn should be by Independence Day.

Growing up in the Midwest, fresh corn was synonymous with summer. My Dad’s charcoal-grilled corn, seasoned simply with a dash of salt, was a weekly treat during the height of corn season, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. According to Dana Peters, a produce inspector for Whole Foods Market from Barney, Georgia, this is the peak season for sweet corn across the U.S.

Corn has been a staple of my diet since childhood, so I always thought picking the best ear was a no-brainer. But after talking to three seasoned farmers, I realized I had been overlooking some key details that make all the difference in selecting the perfect cob.

Meet the Experts

• Farmer Lee Jones, a regenerative farmer and the founder of The Chef Garden in Huron, Ohio
• Dana Peters, a Barney, Georgia-based produce and floral field inspector at Whole Foods Market (who grew up on a small family farm)
• Jerrold Watson, co-owner of Watsonia Farms in Monetta, South Carolina

How Farmers Select the Sweetest Corn

There's nothing worse than peeling back the husk to reveal mealy or missing kernels. Whether you're at the grocery store or picking up fresh corn from a farmer's truck, it’s important to avoid peeling the husks or poking the kernels, as this could make a seemingly perfect cob look like 'damaged goods' to both retailers and shoppers alike.

Rather than breaking those unspoken rules, we consulted with a group of farmers to learn the secrets of picking the best corn. They shared four key factors to consider when selecting top-quality ears of corn.

• The husk. The "wrapper" that surrounds the cob of kernels should be "green and tightly wrapped. Dull, dry, or brown husks may indicate age," explains Farmer Lee Jones, a regenerative farmer and the founder of The Chef Garden in Huron, Ohio. Aim to select sweet corn rocking a bright green husk that looks well hydrated.
• The silk. The exposed portion of silks (thin strands of fiber that are part of corn's reproductive system) should appear full and brown, according to Jerrold Watson, co-owner of Watsonia Farms in Monetta, South Carolina. File this under "things I wish I learned sooner:" The corn kernels mature right around the same time the tassel turns from light yellow to brown, so the fact that the tassels are brown is actually a great thing. If you can spy any silks under the husk, those should be clean, glossy, and pale yellow.
• The kernels. The corn kernels that line the cob "should be plump and well-filled," Jones says. You can examine this without peeling back the husk by gently pressing on the cob and running your fingers along the rows. Check to see if they feel firm, and inspect for significant gaps. "Sparse kernels suggest that the corn may not be sweet or has been overripe," Jones adds. By the way, the variety of the corn, not the color of the kernels, impacts the flavor. Some claim yellow corn is sweeter than white or white-and-yellow kernel corn, but there's no real flavor difference. There is, however, a bit of a nutritional difference since the yellow hue in that type of corn is due to the antioxidant beta-carotene.
• The weight. "Avoid undersized ears, which are usually poorly filled with kernels or under-developed," Peters says. Hold the cob in the palm of your hand, perpendicular to your fingers. An immature ear will feel light for its size. Mature and healthy corn will fill the palm of your hand and should seem heavy for its size, indicating juicy kernels full of sap (a sign of freshness).

How to Enjoy Corn on the Cob, the Farmer’s Way

The Dinogo recipe archive features over 800 creative ways to cook fresh corn, including favorites like corn fritters, corn chowder, cowboy caviar, and corn salad with chili cheese Fritos. However, farmers agree: when you’ve got top-quality corn, you don’t need to overdo it.

According to all three of our farmer experts, the best corn recipe is actually no recipe at all: simply grill the corn, brush with butter, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. It’s pure perfection.