July 12, 2010
Sweet corn growers in Colorado expect late harvest
Spring cold snaps have translated into a late harvest this year for western Colorado's renowned sweet corn, according to a pair of regional growers.
Joseph Harold, with Olathe-based sweet corn grower, Tuxedo Corn Co., said this year's crop is running a week or two behind because of recent cool nights and rain, which means they could be harvesting possibly into the second or third week of September.
"We're usually done by then," said Harold, whose family grows at several farms in Montrose and Delta counties. "We just need that heat to make it grow."
"We're looking to start harvesting July 19," he said.
Harold said the operation, which is a supplier for Olathe's annual Sweet Corn Festival in August, has added additional acreage of sweet corn. "Late, but we will have more corn," he said.
Harold said they anticipate having plenty of corn ready for this year's festival.
Similar delays were experienced at Orchard Mesa's Okagawa Farms, which plucked its first ears on Thursday (July 8). Smaller ears of "head start" corn are being picked, co-owner Leta Nieslanik said.
"We usually harvest around July 4," Nieslanik said, noting that last year's crop came in July 3.
"We had a freeze May 1, which was very unusual for us."
Grand Junction's historically warmer temperatures, compared to the Montrose-Delta area, means growers like the Nieslaniks traditionally see corn before their counterparts to the south.
Okagawa Farms harvested sweet corn last year through October 15, and Nieslanik said they hope to produce this year through the end of October, if the weather permits.
