Ella Blindback, with Johnson Fresh Farms, poses with a truck full of fresh Taber cobs in the parking lot of Canadian Tire.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
The summer days start early for Dave Johnson and his team from Johnson Fresh Farms as they beat the sunshine and begin picking fresh corn off the stocks around 3 a.m.
“Every day the trucks load up with fresh corn and then drive out to Medicine Hat, Brooks, we do have a stand in Bow Island,” explains Johnson. “They load up every day, fresh, fresh corn that we start picking at three, four in the morning…’ It’s picked fresh every day.”
Johnson says favourable conditions throughout June and May have provided excellent weather for corn growth this season.
“Almost perfect weather for the corn,” explains Johnson. “We actually anticipated being open by the end of June, but this July has been colder, more wet.”
Recent rainfall, and overcast cover, cools the temperature overnight.
“That just pulls all the energy and warmth out of the soil, so cools the soil off and kind of slows the corn down a little bit, but the last week and a half has really been beautiful weather and the corn has bounced back.”
The annual demand for seasonal certified Taber corn is high as Hatters can be seen lining up roadside stands to purchase the southern Albertan delicacy by the husk-full.
“We really appreciate, from Johnson Fresh Farms, the team that we have working with us this year, a lot of great sellers,” says Johnson.
Many of the friendly faces working long days at the roadside stands are high school students working their summer jobs.
“Regardless of the weather, where it’s raining or plus 30C, you go six days a week and we got a good team who they’re willing to wake up early and jump in a pickup truck and go to a town where they may not have any friends or family and do their best to make sure everyone gets a good quality product of Taber corn,” says Johnson.
“For us, high school students and those who are always willing to get their feet wet in the workforce and put something on their resume that hopefully can build towards their future, and can learn skills,” explains Johnson, who says roadside sellers need to be dependent, honest and trustworthy.
“It’s an opportunity that these kids have to learn some new skills and hopefully build on it and go from there.”
There are four locations in Medicine Hat selling certified Taber corn grown by Johnson Fresh Farms that include the parking lot of the Dollarama on Dunmore Road, the Canadian Tire Parking lot, London Drug parking lot along 13th Avenue SE and in the Rona parking lot.
Two stands are set up in Brooks at the Canadian Tire parking lot and the Shoppers Drug Mart. A stand is also located at the Huck Finn Food & Gas Bar in Bow Island.
Johnson says his team will be busy throughout the rest of the season into the middle portion of September before barbecue season starts to slow down as students head back to class.
To ensure authentic Taber corn, customers can ask vendors to see a certificate of authenticity that verifies that corn is grown on a Taber farm.
