The Time Capsule | Roy Marshall
Four years ago I was doing a magazine article on the Zephyr bombing and stopped at the Adams County Free Press to pick up some photos taken by the editor in 1943. I arrived at about noon and found J. Wilson, assistant editor in 2012, at his desk. He had just opened a beer. It wasn’t his first.
Wilson was not regressing to his college days. The beer at work had been approved by his boss. He was expanding his faith by following in the footsteps of 17th century monks who fasted on beer during Lent. Four a day of his own dopplebock was his ration, with an extra on weekends. His blog attracted attention and he was soon giving regular media interviews – CNN, FOX, BBC and The Chicago Tribune were among those checking with him each day. By the time Lent ended, Wilson had lost a few pounds and made TV and newspapers all over North America and Europe.
I’ve known J., a fellow homebrewer, for several years. He’s a devout Christian who did what he did – living on beer and water for 40 days – for reasons other than the publicity. My wife and I were talking about him last summer on an evening when the few ears in my small patch of sweet corn were being enjoyed. My wife said we needed more next season. I agreed, saying if J. Wilson could live on beer for 40 days we could do it with sweet corn. This was an offhand remark of the sort she usually ignores. This one she didn’t.
How about, she said, not living on it but having sweet corn every day for 40 days? Or more? All of it picked fresh within a few steps of the kitchen range?
If the weather cooperated, it could be done. But much as we like roasting ears, 40 days straight seemed a little much. The idea was shelved until a cold evening in February. With the wind howling and snow piling deep in the driveway, the dreamer thumbed through a seed catalogue and talked about the first ripe tomato, the first roasting ear. She handed me the catalogue and said let’s do it. If I’d produce the corn she’d keep it interesting by fixing it 40 different ways on 40 consecutive days.
She started her list: corn chowder, tamale pie, scalloped corn, creamed corn, corn fritters, sweet bell peppers stuffed with cheese, black beans and corn, corn and bacon quiche, a sweet corn omelet and so on. Before the weekend was over she had her 40 dishes, all different. A magnet pinned the list to the refrigerator door, and that wasn’t enough. By mid-March the list was supplemented with glossy color pictures clipped from cooking magazines; corn with the husks peeled back sharing a grill with kabobs, a photo of a slice of deep-dish corn and cheddar pie and a glorious and bubbly sweet corn soufflé. The images accosted my senses each time I passed. Most of the recipes called for commercially canned corn. How much better would they be with ears just snapped from the stalk?
The challenge couldn’t be refused. Within a week the seeds were ordered. On paper it’s easy – combine short-season and long, and stagger plantings. Roadside stand suppliers do it. All I needed was nature’s cooperation.
The soil temp on May 7 was borderline, but I took a chance on three rows, each about 10 feet long. That first five feet of each row was Honey Buns, a 72-day variety, with the rest of the row a week later to Incredible (84 days).
Germination was good, and 14 days later I planted the main crop of three 35-foot rows of Incredible. Weather cooperated to the extent that on the 28th I planted two short rows of “Gotta-Have-it,” which is advertised by Gurney’s as the tastiest of all, so we decided to see.
Last planted were a few hills of Miracle (84 days). Cross pollination can be a problem with certain varieties, but the combination and planting dates looked to be OK.
The weather hasn’t been perfect, the wind did some damage, but I’ve only had to water once, and by early July my part of the deal was tasseled and on schedule.
We’re now, by the time this goes to press, in the 21st day of our 40 ways in 40 days crusade. More than half of the recipes have been completed and we’re looking for more, as I’ve raised the bar to 50 days. I’ll let you know how this turns out.
Roy Marshall is a local historian and columnist for the Red Oak Express. He can be contacted at news@redoakexpress.com.