The Sweet Variety Of Corn That Can Only Be Grown In Colorado
When July rolls around, it's time to eat sweet corn, but not just any sweet corn — Olathe sweet corn. You're missing out if you have not chowed down on these yellow and white kernels. It's your go-to if you want to make the most of fresh corn during peak season or want to enjoy some campfire corn on the cob. The beautiful stalks that cradle these ears of corn grow only at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Uncompahgre Valley in Olathe, Colorado. The Tuxedo Corn Company has trademarked Olathe sweet corn, giving it the coveted right to call itself the "exclusive grower and shippers" of this produce.
Olathe corn is touted as sweeter and more flavorful than other corn varieties, thanks to where it is grown and how it is treated. Corn, which is tall grass, thrives in this fertile area marked by hot days and cool nights. It also gets a lot of TLC. The end product is a high-sugar content kernel with a tender bite. When it's ready to harvest, it is picked by hand, then quickly cooled and placed in an ice slush before being shipped to sellers. This process allows the corn to be as fresh when you bite into it as when it was picked. It can even be enjoyed raw.
It's under attack
Sweet Olathe corn is delicious. You can eat it straight off the cob or use it to make sweet corn tamales. If you happen to be in the town where it was birthed, it hosts an annual festival to celebrate its harvest, complete with corn-eating contests. But don't worry; you don't have to drive all the way to Centennial State to buy this bi-colored corn. The Tuxedo Corn Company produces a lot of Olathe corn (its highest shipment was 750,000 boxes — 30 million ears!) and distributes it nationally, but with one catch. Only Kroger grocery stores carry it. Still, the amount of Tuxedo Olathe corn produced and shipped each year varies, and it recently dropped drastically.
In 2024, the company shipped only about 14 million individual ears. Why the drop? These corn cobs have come under attack from the corn earworm. This pest also appreciates the tastiness of the corn. They burrow into the cobs, nosh on the kernels, and make it impossible for farmers to sell. It's bad for the farmers and the consumers. However, the owners of the Tuxedo Corn Company assure locals that they are looking for ways to get rid of this worm, including using insecticides. So, hopefully, there will be lots to eat up come summertime.