[mjg000]

I have successfully (?) secured my sweetcorn harvest this year, having had it grabbed by marauding squirrels for the last few years.  My question is this.  The tassels are mainly dark brown, the cobs look swollen.  We go away for a week on Saturday morning..... do I harvest NOW ( ie tomorrow morning)  and freeze whole cobs.... or do I tempt fate and leave to harvest individual cobs when we get back?

[JayG]

Make a slit about half way up the sheath of the cob you think is probably the most advanced and squash one of the seeds - if the juice is milky or even thicker than that they probably won't keep well for another week.

If the juice is clear they aren't quite ready yet, so you should be OK for a week (barring a very unlikely heat wave!)

[Goosegirl]

Follow JayG's advice and, if they're ready, get them in the freezer. Better that than they go over.

[mjg000]

THANKYOU for the advice .... went to the allotment this afternoon at 2pm, did some jobs, went into the Corn "tent" and tested and picked 16 large corn cobs.  They were home, blanched and frozen by 5pm - all except the 4 the grandchildren  took home for their tea at 4.30, and the one I ate as I was preparing them for the freezer bags. So 22 delicious half cobs waiting for us when we get back from Arran next week-end.  I think would have dithered and left them without your help on working out what to do and they would probably gone over.

[Kleftiwallah]

I just froze the cobs off the stalk last year, leaving the protective leaves on.  I cook them in that state for 8 minutes in the microwave.    Cheers,  Tony.