Dad's Kandy Korn 2008
I have certainly been nostalgic this past month and I hope everyone bares with me. My Dad has grown several rows and fields of Kandy Korn over the years, and it is always a special event when the first ears in August are ready to be cooked and eaten. I have never found a sweeter, tastier corn than my Dad’s. I have come to accept the fact that I will never duplicate this wonderful treat here. I have always revered this plant, not only because it’s yummy and full of natural sugar (how can you beat that?), but because it holds several memories for me growing up in my little country town. Every summer my sisters and I had the best time playing hide- and seek in the tall stalks, reading in their shade from the afternoon sun, and occasionally sneaking in a quiet moment from a bustling big family. One of my nicknames growing up was even associated with this giant plant, and still cracks me up to this day. My Dad nicknamed me Bob Bob the Corn Cob (wouldn’t that be a great Dr. Seuss Book?), not scooter, or sunshine, or another common nickname, but an unusual one that along with his other one Busy Bee will always be with me. My Dad's other nickname for me was Bob Bob the Corncob because as a baby I had little strands of golden hair growing on the top of my head, and it reminded my Dad of corn silk, and hence my nickname was created.
It's no surprise that my nickname would be associated with a vegetable in his garden. He is the best gardener I know, and I suck him dry with gardening questions. My Dad has always been an inspiration to me, and I still marvel at the amount of produce that he collects from his gardens every year, and the vast knowledge he has. While he doesn’t have a botany degree, I wouldn’t hesitate to put him up against the university botany professors. I learned many lessons growing up from watching and helping him in the garden, like work, patience, and perseverance. I am grateful for my Dad and the passion for gardening he has passed to me. My life would be so empty without gardening and him.
