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Sweet corn season arrives at Davenport’s Magnolia Crest Farms

Sweet corn season is here, and just in time for the weekend. While extreme weather caused planting delays, this harvest could be better than ever. This is real ...

Sweet corn season is here, and just in time for the weekend.

While extreme weather caused planting delays, this harvest could be better than ever.

This is real hands-on work at Magnolia Crest Farms in Davenport.

"We've got to keep getting corn to the bins and then to the stand," said Joe Pancratz.

Pancratz and three other former North Scott football players are passing and handing off sweet corn these days. No machines blitzing here. They'll be able to pick and process about 150 dozen ears on Friday morning.

"Just a constant pace to keep them moving," he said.

While the sweet corn crop is about two weeks late in Iowa, it's turning into a bumper crop.

"We're getting twice as many ears in a certain section of rows that we had last year," said grower Norm Lau.

The variety of sweet corn was planted at different times. That will allow lots of the tasty treats to last until the first frost. It costs $5 for a dozen ears.

That means this "Fearsome Foursome" will be picking sweet corn seven days a week throughout the season before starting college. And the heat is sizzling, which is just right for the bottom line.

"The kernels accumulate more sugar," Lau continued. "It will get even sweeter."

Seven generations of the Lau family have farmed this land since 1853. They emphasize quality and service.

"We pick it early in the morning when it's still relatively cool outside," he said.

It's hands-on teamwork where football skills don't hurt.

"We're all in shape," Pancratz said. "It's not too bad."

Magnolia Crest Farms is at 20753 Jersey Ridge Road in Davenport. It's about a mile north of Interstate 80 in Scott County.

"Nothing can compare to good old Iowa sweet corn," Lau concluded.

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