Counting down to harvest

The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.

~ William Blake

Things have slowed down a bit here on the farm. We're done irrigating the popcorn for the year. The kernels are now fully mature and full of starch. We're servicing combines and rigging up new (to us!) equipment, while counting down to the "most wonderful time of the year" - HARVEST.

Though the ears of popcorn are fully mature, they're not quite ready for harvest. In order for popcorn to pop, the kernels need to be at the correct moisture: 13.5%. Too wet, it won't fully expand. Too dry, there will be more "old maids" or unpopped kernels.

In order to know when it's "go time", we test the moisture on the popcorn. Each variety of popcorn matures in its own time, depending on when it was planted, where it was planted and how much water it received. A recent test of our red popcorn tested at 23-25% moisture. Getting closer but not quite ready.

We actually start picking our popcorn at 16-17% moisture so that there's less damage to the kernels as they run through the combine. After harvest, we'll store the popcorn in grain bins where the kernels will continue to dry down in an consistent and controlled environment. Once they reach that 13.5-14% moisture level, the popcorn will be cleaned (to remove broken kernels, dirt, etc) and bagged and ready to be shipped to you!

If you've been following Free Day Popcorn for a while,
you'll know that we only sell the current harvest.
We take pride in the fact that we sell popcorn fresh
from the farm without blending it with older popcorn.

Before we bring in the harvest from the field,
we need to make some more room in our shop!

Our remaining inventory of Popping Ears
(Individual and 6 pack bags)
are 50% off with code

POPSALE50

while supplies last!

SHOP NOW!