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  • From: "Shoemaker, William H" <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
  • To: Brian Metcalf <duckhollowfarm AT yahoo.com>, Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Help my popcorn won't pop
  • Date: Fri, 4 Dec 2015 02:04:16 +0000

I think the ideal moisture content is about 13%. Overdrying in an oven could reduce moisture content too much. Perhaps you may be able to restore the moisture content in a humid environment. A small room with a humidifier set at 55% humidity might allow the kernels to take up enough moisture to restore them to the right humidity level. I've grown popcorn many times and not had problems, but I would just let it dry down naturally and store it in paper bags, on the cob. I never had a problem with it popping, even after a couple of years. But then I live in a fairly humid region, northern Illinois.

Bill

William H. Shoemaker

Retired fruit and vegetable horticulturist

University of Illinois

wshoemak AT illinois.edu


From: Market-farming [market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] on behalf of Brian Metcalf [duckhollowfarm AT yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2015 7:33 PM
To: Market Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Help my popcorn won't pop

I was told by a grower that the popcorn had to have a specific moisture content -I beleive it was between 10-15% - but I don't know the specific amount, but he said it was critical for popping the corn.
 
Garlic for Good Health


From: Marlin Burkholder <burkholders AT glenecofarm.com>
To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 3, 2015 8:06 PM
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Help my popcorn won't pop

I have little experience, but have read that the kernels need to dry and I assumed that meant on the cob.  We have not had very good success either.  Does it need to mature on the stalk to a certain stage before plucking.

By the way, I was told that you can put a cob in a bag and pop it in the microwave.  I have found that the bag needs to be big enough and sealed.

Christine Burkholder
VA


On 12/3/15 5:01 PM, "andrea davis-cetina" <andrea.m.davis AT gmail.com> wrote:

I am at a lost with my popcorn this year.
I have been growing heirloom popcorn for the last couple of years with no problem.
In the past I have hung the popcorn ears from the rafters by their husk and let them dry a couple of weeks Then I would have the shelled popcorn for sale around the 2nd week in Nov.

But this year I decided to dry them by removing the husks and putting the ears in cardboard boxes. I should have known I would not get good air circulation but the fall harvest is such a busy time, it just seemed so quick and easy. Every week I would test a few kernels on the stove top but just 1/3 would fully pop

After a few weeks lot of the popcorn started to develop mildew. So I cured the ears in the oven for 2 hours at 170 degrees. 

I'm worried I over dried them, as the popcorn is still not popping, during my stove top test just 1 in 3 pop, and 2 out 3 just crack. But when I test the popcorn that I did not cure I get basically the same result or better with sometimes 2 in 3 pop.

This year I started harvesting my dakota black popcorn on Oct. 3rd and finished by Oct. 18th

Any ideas or suggestions on how I can save my popcorn crop?

Thanks in advance,
Andrea 

Quarter Acre Farm
Sonoma, CA

quarteracrefarmsonoma.com <http://quarteracrefarmsonoma.com>




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