Corn cropping up on shelves throughout southwestern Ontario

Corn season has officially started in Ontario! CTV’s Colton Wiens finds out how the weather has impacted this year’s crops.

It’s corn season again in southwestern Ontario and one local farm is already seeing customers pop over to get their hands on the sweet treat.

The corn fields at TJ’s Farm Fresh in Cambridge were planted on April 15, and now, the crop is heading for dinner plates across the region.

“We’re right on target for our normal first harvest,” Tim Beirnes, owner of TJ’s Farm Fresh, said. “Last year was a little earlier. The year before was a little later. Every year is different.”

Beirnes plants 40 acres of sweetcorn, growing 15 different varieties of bicoloured and yellow corn. He said heat is crucial for the crop.

“We were cool and windy, which is quite a factor, for quite a bit of May. So slowed us down from the year before when it was just nice and warm all the time in May,” Beirnes said.

While the wind has made things a little more variable than other years, he expects to sell exactly what he planted. As for rain, Beirnes said it’s been lower than average in some spots, causing some corn to be a bit shorter because of it.

A growing talent

Beirnes uses biodegradable sheeting on the ground when planting his corn. It is deteriorating now, but he said it helps kickstart the crop in the spring.

“That gives us a boost of about a week to ten days on the growing season,” Beirnes said.

While the crop is growing, loud propane powered booms periodically ring through the fields in an attempt to keep birds away.

“Raccoons, coyotes, skunks, possums, squirrels are all a pest, but they only eat a small amount. If a big flock of birds come in, they could eat 40 acres in a day. We just scare them away,” Biernes said.

Now, with the corn ready to go, the focus shifts to harvesting and getting the product to eager customers.

“Harvesting isn’t on a time frame. We have 30 employees, and ten of them probably harvest corn, rotating depending on what we need. But they’ll go to other jobs, when they’re not doing corn,” Beirnes said.

Almost all of the corn and other produce that’s harvested in the back fields ends up at TJ’s Fresh Farm market near the front of the property. Beirnes said six of his grandchildren help out around the farm, and they say the corn sells out quick.

“Very quickly,” Owen Taylor, Beirnes grandchild and employee said.

“We sell out pretty quickly, but there’s a lot right now,” Fiona Caskanette, another of Beirnes’ grandchildren said.

TJ’s opened its doors to customers last week and now with corn on display, there’s a steady flow of customers stopping by.

“I came here today to buy some corn and fresh vegetables and the corn is outstanding. It’s fresh. Just been picked this morning, and it’s tender and juicy. You have to take advantage of it while you can,” a customer told CTV News.