Fresh sweet corn is back on the market in DeKalb County

DeKALB – Fresh sweet corn is back in stock at DeKalb County farm stands, and while most Midwesterners know there are many ways to prepare corn, a farm stand worker in DeKalb said sometimes the cobs are so good she’ll eat it raw.

Nancy Guerra, who has worked for Wessels’ Family Farm in DeKalb for more than two decades, said during peak sweet corn season, cooking isn’t always necessary.

“[I] love it grilled, microwaved or the water boiling. Here, when it’s fresh, we don’t even cook it. We eat it cold, fresh,” Guerra said. “When it’s fresh it’s so good, you have the juice running down your face.”

Wessels Family Farm, 2023 Sycamore Road, DeKalb, began its summer season – which centers around sweet corn – on July 17.

The farm stand is not alone. Throughout July, DeKalb County corn farmers have begun selling their produce after what some have described as a particularly productive growing season.

In Maple Park, Wiltse’s Farm at 50W379 Illinois Route 38, is now picking sweet corn and produce for the season. Wiltse’s is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Theis Farm Market, 6N953 County Line Road, also in Maple Park, offers a variety of sweet corn and seasonal produce, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

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Rob Wessels, owner of Wessels’ Family Farm, shucks an ear of sweet corn Thursday, July, 18, 2024, at the market in DeKalb. (Mark Busch)

Yaeger’s Farm Market, 14643 Route 38, DeKalb, began selling sweet corn as early as July 7.

“[I] love it grilled, microwaved or the water boiling. Here, when it’s fresh, we don’t even cook it. We eat it cold, fresh. When it’s fresh it’s so good, you have the juice running down your face.”

—  Nancy Guerra

Jessica Stark, whose parents own the farm market near Cortland, said the 2024 sweet corn season has had a great start.

“It kicked in earlier than what we were expecting, but we’re really happy about that and thrilled. It’s always nice to have fresh produce, the earlier the better. It’s going really well so far,” said Stark, before explaining why the harvest came earlier than usual. “A little bit of the rain, in that it was timely and we needed it. We got it and we weren’t necessarily overly wet or overly dry. So, that really helped and then just the weather in general, too. The consistently warm days without the crazy extremes. So the corn really loved it, and that kind of kickstarted that to come early.”

Ironically, it was the weather that nearly brought catastrophe a week ago, however. DeKalb County was battered with severe weather for multiple days, a tornado in Esmond and even an earthquake north of Somonauk on July 15.

Storm damage was found throughout DeKalb County after the midsummer storms, including at Yaeger’s Farm Market. Stark said a large pine tree was ripped from the ground near the market’s parking lot.

“That pine tree out there, you can see that kind of fell over, so we had that damage. As far as the garden and the vegetables and everything, we were very thankful we didn’t really have much damage out there, but some of the surrounding trees did have some damage,” Stark said. “At least it wasn’t the vegetation besides the trees, though.”

Rob Wessels has operated Wessels’ Family Farm store at the corner of Route 23 and Greenwood Acres Drive since 2001. He’s said construction on the building’s parking lot forced patrons to park in the grass, where Christmas trees are staged in the winter.

He called the first couple of days of the sweet corn season a success for his family business.

“It’s been good. People are excited to get fresh produce again, and we’re excited that we’re back for the summer,” Wessels said.

Sweet corn is the predominant crop of the season in DeKalb County, but peaches from southern Illinois also do well, Wessels said. His business also sells peaches, cantaloupes, watermelon and tomatoes that were grown in Alabama, Kentucky and, when they’re in season, DeKalb County.

With about a month left until DeKalb Corn Fest, sweet corn is the biggest seller this time of year at both local farm markets. As for what corn is best, Wessels said it comes down to personal preference.

“Different people have different ideas of what they’re looking for in sweet corn,” Wessels said. “Some are just going for as big as they can find and they don’t really care as much about tenderness. Some people come in and they’re looking for a smaller one because they know smaller, more tender, and so it’s personal preference.”

There’s no consensus on determining the best ear of corn to buy, and while most prefer to cook it, don’t expect everyone to get on the same page when it comes to how to prepare the cobs.

“People are very die-hard about the different ways that they like it. Personally, I love it boiled. That has always been my favorite, but I do love the taste that grilling has,” Stark said. “I feel like whatever way you prepare it, it has its own unique flavor.”