When I was six years old my mother took my brother and I by train to visit our grandparents.
They were country folk, I could tell by the chickens and the overalls and they lived in a tiny town called Sacramento.
We lived in the city and this was our first excursion to the country.
In fact, this was our first time for a lot of things.
Grandpa enjoyed showing us his workshop, chickens and garden as much as we enjoyed seeing them.
But he was tricky, as grandpas sometimes are.
As we walked through the garden he said "...
and here's the Popcorn".
I remember clearly thinking "he's not fooling me".
Even a six year old knows popcorn comes in bags not on bushes, and I was from the city and too smart to be tricked.
He insisted, but I knew better, after all, I was six years old.
I also remember at that tender age how very mature I was, coming from "the Big City".
My poor grandpa wore old coveralls and wasn't as smart as me.
My brother believed him, but he was only four years old, so what did he know? I didn't believe my grandpa and he knew it.
We went to mother who assured us that popcorn grew like any other corn...
and I didn't believe her either.
They couldn't 'prove' it to me, because it wasn't ready to pop, giving credence to my theory that this was a mean trick.
They insisted we had to wait for the popcorn to dry, which reinforced my point because 'real' popcorn was ready to eat.
The absolute proof was that it was yellow and I popcorn was white.
This was a trick and I was smart enough to not fall for it.
My foolish little brother bought it hook, line and sinker...
the subject was dropped.
Fast forward 10 years.
I was shopping at a boutique food coop one day...
and there it was POPCORN--on the cob.
In fact, I was holding a bag of six cobs of popcorn in my hand.
I had forgotten the issue many years before and was shocked to discover it was true, POPCORN grows like any other corn.
Eventually I discovered Potatoes didn't grow on bushes, carrots grew under the ground and seeds don't come in envelopes with pictures, but that's another story.
Those first 6 cobs were the beginning of a new venture.
We had great fun popping them in the microwave and watching through the glass as the white clouds jumped to life and then eating them right off the cob.
Growing popcorn and watching it pop should be part of every child's youth.
It let's us know that 'real' food is grown, by real people, out of real soil.
There is something profound about learning that the same POPCORN that comes salted and buttered, candied and crunched, bagged and bottled grows from a seed.
POPCORN that can be kept like potato chips, molded into balls at Halloween with caramel and nuts and POPCORN that no movie can be watched without actually grows in a garden, next to the carrots and peas.
I am still AMAZED as the tiny kernels spring to life...
and that now I enjoy showing my grandchildren.
I have since become a gardener and have enjoyed many rows of POPCORN and you can do the same.
Here are some tips on growing popcorn, and I'll leave it to you to astound your friends.
You can pinch it off the cob and put it in a bag, or store and Microwave it, right on the cob.
Wouldn't some fresh popcorn be a sweet thing to have if the lights were out and the campfire were bright.
Don't wait for an emergency...
plant some popcorn this spring and have talk-of-the-town popcorn in the fall.
Here are some growing tips for popcorn.
Did you know Popcorn was eaten on this continent before the pilgrims landed? Columbus "discovered" popcorn when he landed on the shores of San Salvador.
Today you can buy popcorn in any grocery store, and if you keep your eyes open you'll find some still on the cob.
There are more than 100 varieties of popcorn, different colors, shapes, and hulls.
But, take my word for it, once popped, it's all white.
Cheese is yellow, popcorn is white and don't let anyone tell you they grow 'cheese popcorn', that's where I draw the line.
Popcorn grows yellow and pops white.
Mushroom and snowflake are common varieties.
Mushroom pops small and round and is preferred by companies that make caramel corn.
Snowflake pops up large and fluffy.
It's served at the movies and sold for home use.
Snowflake is tender and the most common to be grown at home.
As far as preparedness goes, garden-grown popcorn stores just like store-bought "popcorn", imagine that.
Planting- Popcorn needs lots of ground, lots of sun, and good drainage.
In Idaho mid-late June is often the earliest you can get corn planted.
In warmer climates it could be Mother's Day.
Plant your popcorn kernels two inches deep, two or three to a hole, not more than 10 plants to a row for good pollination.
When the plants are six inches tall, thin them to stand ten to twelve inches apart with three feet between the blocks.
NOTE: If you are growing 'sweet corn' (distinguished from Popcorn) don't plant them any closer than 100 feet, so they doesn't cross-pollinate.
Be sure your popcorn gets two inches of water a week during the growing season (about 100 days).
My neighbor adds nitrogen fertilizer at planting time and actually had good success with that.
He said that if older leaves turn yellow or the younger leaves are pale to add fertilizer again.
If I ever get real serious about my popcorn, I'm going to try that.
I keep the weeds pulled and mulch my corn.
Corn doesn't like to compete with weeds, and I water from the bottom, not the top, as corn pollinates itself and I don't want to wash away the pollinating dust.
Like a corn, popcorn is prone to garden pests and why go through all of the trouble only to have critters eat your harvest.
I am not an organic gardener and suggest asking your garden shop about spraying because crop pests and their causes are often local.
When your corn begins to fill out, take pride, but don't take the corn.
Let the ears dry and the husks turn brown...
It's ready for picking and storage when the kernels can be rubbed or twisted from the cob.
If wet weather or frost threatens, dry them by stripping back the husks, tying them in bunches and hanging them indoors to dry.
Now you can have a great crop of 'surprise popcorn' for visitors to your garden or your kitchen...
and when your popcorn is dry, hang some in the kitchen right on the cob.
It makes a great conversation piece, and will keep ready to pop, for years.
Just put the cob right in the microwave..
hit popcorn..
and watch through the window as your white popcorn pops right off the cob.
Really!