Many local farms are now picking early varieties of sweet corn this weekend. Picking will be in full swing around July 20, according to Bob King, agricultural specialist. The season runs from July 4 until hard frost in late September or early October.

Three stages of sweet corn plantings are referred to as: early, mid-season and late season.

Early varieties are smaller in ear and plant size than mid and late season varieties, which usually have large ear and plant size.

Predominantly, bicolor (yellow and white) is sold by local markets. There are three types of sweet corn: standards, sugar enhanced and super sweets and this is an excellent season for sweet corn.

Sweet corn statistics:
•Third in the state in terms of farms growing sweet corn - 64 farms
•Sixth in the state in terms of acreage - 3,881 acres
•Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans, Wayne counties comprise the largest region in NYS for production - 34,021 acres
•Average yield - 1,000 dozen per acre
•Average range in terms of weight 3.5 to 7 tons per acre
•40 percent of the acreage for processing, 60 percent of the acreage for fresh market.