Ideal weather boosts corn season

It's a summertime staple for both young and old looking for a deliciously healthy treat as corn season makes its annual return.

At Barrie Hill Farms in Springwater, the fields are being picked for the sweet corn season, one of the farm's most popular summer staples.

"(The) season has been fantastic for this year's corn. We've had lots of heat and lots of rain, and corn likes heat and rain, so it's been a really great season," Morris Gervais, Barrie Hill Farms owner. 

With ideal weather conditions, the farm's corn season kicked off in July, with August often the most popular time for customers to come in and either pick their own corn or purchase it from the market.

David Dowhaniuk travelled from Kitchener to purchase some fresh corn, which has become an annual tradition for his family.

"I think that it's important to support local farming and I think that food security is an important thing, especially in southern Ontario, with the amount of urbanization that's happening," he said.

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Supporting local is what the Simcoe County Federation of Agriculture says is vital to maintaining regional agricultural longevity.

"Simcoe is a big county, you know, one of the largest in southern Ontario, and agriculture is a big part of that. And then we support local agriculture. We're supporting local communities and the County in Simcoe," said Simcoe County Federation of Agriculture president David Ritchie.

According to Ritchie, more than 75,000 acres of corn are grown in Simcoe County each year, with the local corn industry generating nearly $58 million.

"That money trickles down into a variety of places whether it's a local implement dealer, or the seed, salesman, or grocery store or all rest of them," said Ritchie.

Barrie Hill Farms has about 30 acres of corn this season, with consistent planting happening throughout the season.

"We're planting every few weeks, so we start in the spring, and then when that grows, we plant another block and into the summer as well so that we will have always sweet corn available at the market," said Gervais.

With Mother Nature's cooperation, corn season isn't expected to wrap up until mid to late October.