Pile that oh-so-sweet local corn onto bruschetta
Near the end of July, sweet corn stands pop up in gas station parking lots and at farmers markets. In Madison, Stoneman’s Famous Sweet Corn (2559 S. Syene Road) sits on the edge of town, and the customers come to them.
It was founded by Bill and Muriel Stoneman, and 2018 marks their 56th season of selling sweet corn and a century of the Stoneman family farming this property.
Kevin Opperman, one of the Stonemans’ three grown-up grandchildren, said they plant different areas of their 10 total acres of corn every two to three days to ensure a steady harvest in late July and August.
“We have experimented with different varieties over the years but have settled on two favorites: a super-sweet yellow variety for the early weeks and a bicolor super-sweet for the rest of the season.”
Opperman said they have a lot of devoted fans. That includes local folks picking up corn for dinner, some stocking up as they drive up north for the weekend and a surprising number of people who buy and ship corn to friends or people who used to live in town.
“I’ve heard of people shipping corn to every single state, even Alaska,” Opperman said.
The farm is truly a family affair. Opperman said revenue from selling the sweet corn ($7/dozen) has helped put two generations through college. Essentially, whoever was in school that year would be in charge of the summer selling operations. Now that Opperman and his two siblings have graduated, everyone is lending a hand harvesting and selling.
Opperman grew up in Milwaukee, and his parents, Mary Sue and Jim Opperman, live in Brookfield. Jim recently retired from Alverno College and Mary Sue from the West Allis Health Department. But both still continue the tradition of bringing 50 to 60 ears of corn back to their former places of employment each week.
You can also find Stoneman’s Famous Sweet Corn at the Fitchburg Farmers Market (3 to 6 p.m. Thursdays). The Stonemans were among the original founders of this market.
Opperman’s preferred method of cooking corn: “I’m a steamer. Bring the water to a boil, add the corn (water not quite covering the ears), simmer 3 to 4 minutes.”
Does he dress the corn with salt and butter?
“No, it doesn’t need anything else.” Most of the family does add butter and salt, and his brother adds black pepper, too.
To preserve the harvest, here is the Stonemans’ recipe for freezing corn at its peak: 16 cups of kernels (cut raw from about 20 cobs), 3 cups water, 1⁄4 cup butter and 3 to 4 teaspoons salt. Combine all ingredients in a large kettle, bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool, do not drain. Package with the cooking liquid in freezer bags. Yields seven (2-cup) packages.