Name a market vegetable or fruit, and Molnar Farms near Barnwell, Alta., west of Taber likely grows it.
There’s three kinds of onions, five types of peppers, three kinds of squash, watermelon, zucchini, green and yellow beans, beets, potatoes, strawberries, cabbage and carrots.
However, what it all comes down to is the crop for which the region has a Canada-wide reputation — corn.
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Taber has been dubbed the Corn Capital of Canada due to its optimal growing conditions for the crop, which is sold in the area from early July to mid-September, depending on the growing season.
“It seems like we have the perfect setting to have corn. We have the right amount of heat units (sunshine) for sweet corn and cool nights. It’s the cool nights that pack the sugars in,” James Molnar said during a recent Farm to Table tour in southern Alberta.
“That’s why we always get in these competitions with Ontario and B.C., who’s got the best corn?”
Molnar, who grows up to 14 different varieties of corn, started growing the vegetable on a half acre of land two decades ago with a friend when seed cost $250 to $300 a bag. Discussions at the coffee table led to seeking out alternatives because grain was not selling for much at the time.
“I said, ‘geez, I don’t know anything about corn.’ I didn’t have any row crop equipment or anything because I wasn’t in sugar beets back then. But he convinced me. We bought one bag of seed, which we shared,” said Molnar.
Seed prices have since ballooned to around $1,750 a bag.
Those humble beginnings, which featured spray-painted signs on the side of the road for marketing, has now led to 80 acres of sweet crop.
Molnar Farms still hand picks its corn, with the same group of seasonal Mexican workers coming in every year.
“We did have a picker at one time, but it does so much damage to the corn. I just don’t like … the way it does things. So we decided to park it and just hand pick,” said Molnar, adding the corn is grown under plastic using a machine specially made from Ireland that plants the seed and puts down a herbicide for weed control.
“It’s basically a mini-greenhouse that we’re putting on top of that corn, lays the plastic and puts the dirt on the sides. That gives us about a five to seven day advantage to get going a little bit earlier because everybody seems to want to have corn as early as possible.”
Those early varieties include Molnar’s Sweetness, which produces smaller cobs and grows about three-and-a-half feet tall.
However, those with patience can wait for a Molnar mid-season variety such as Kick Off.
When seeing the difference in size, the occassional customer will complain about the size of the cob in the early variety, but it is simply answering the demand for corn as early as possible.
“If we didn’t grow that variety, unfortunately, everyone would have to wait for another 10 to 14 days to get a taste of corn. That’s why we grow it. I always tell people, don’t buy corn to freeze until we’re probably three-quarters of the way through August because that’s when the best corn will come on,” said Molnar.
“The cooler the nights get, the more sugars that move into it. When you buy your corn, as quick as you can get into a refrigerator, the better, because soon as we pick it, the sugars will start turning to starches, and that’s where it’ll start to get blander by the day.”
Timing is everything to unlock the true sweetness of the corn.
Molnar encourages people to cook it as soon as possible after purchase.
He admits he’s spoiled from cooking corn mere minutes after it is picked, and says with a laugh that when he brings corn to his in-laws in Fernie, B.C., he doesn’t like it compared to the flavour of corn cooked almost right off the plant.
“You can’t get any better than that.”
The corn is sold at stands across the region, while others buy it straight from the yard and take it to other locations.
Beyond the occassional grower who dabbles in the crop, Molnar and Johnson Fresh Farms are the main growers.
There is no local corn growers association, but the farms use certificates so buyers across Canada know it is authentically grown in the area.
Molnar’s certificate has his farm’s land location and phone number and is signed by Molnar and his wife.
He also encourages people to search online for the name on their bag of corn for verification. Regardless, Molnar wants as many people as possible to enjoy the summer treat, regardless where it comes from.
“I always tell people, if you buy something from somewhere and you like it, go back and buy some more. Just because I grow Taber corn, yeah, I want to tell you all that it’s the best corn in the world, which I think it is. But that’s not to say that if somebody brings some corn over from B.C. or somewhere, they put a lot of time and effort into it. If it tastes great, go buy some more of it because it’s great to support local people.”
