Corn de

When the Lapp family of Akron got together recently for its annual "putting up" of 15 dozen ears of sweet corn — shaving and saving the kernels to freeze for use later — they got a little help from somewhat of a car wash.

A corn de-silking machine, created by AZS Brusher Equipment, 821 Crooked Lane, Ephrata, helped them make quick work of getting the ears ready. The Lapps rented the machine from Nathan Reiff of Reiff’s Farm Market on Rothsville Road in Ephrata Township.

“It was much faster than the traditional brushing. It took approximately a half-hour to run all the corn through,” Missy Lapp says. “When I cut it off the cob I didn't notice silk in the cut-off corn. I would definitely rent one again because of the amount of time it saved.”

The de-silker is a rectangular, stainless steel box with brushing bristles inside it that rotate. The operator moistens the brushes with a garden hose, then feeds each cob, husk off, through a hole. Each cob moves through the brushes and comes out the other end with less silk on it.

Harvey Shirk, owner of AZS Brusher Equipment says his father, Ammon, designed the machine in 2000. The initial design has been adapted into a more compact version. The company ships the machines, which sell for a little more than $600, all over the nation, Shirk says, and about 200 were sold this season. Because the sweet corn season is winding down, no more machines are for sale at this time. The company will build more in this fall.

Reiff rents his machine for $15 a day.

Last weekend, he sold more than 200 dozen ears of corn for customers planning to freeze and says the machine comes in handy for them. Weekends tend to be booked, he adds, and customers are encouraged to call a day or two ahead of time to order large amounts of corn and reserve the de-silker.

(For freezing orders, prices are $3.95 a dozen; $3.50 for 10 or more dozen; or $3 a dozen for 50 or more. Customers purchasing 5 dozen or more can pay $1 extra for it to be husked, but no de-silked.)

Of course, some varieties of corn naturally have less silk on them. One of them is the Supersweet. But he says the Xtra-Tender variety he sells is even sweeter and may need the de-silker to ease the work since silk tends to grip more on that variety.

Reiff’s wife, Grace, normally freezes 30 to 40 dozens of corn each year. She blanches the corn before packaging it in quart bags.

There’s a regular customer who comes from Bedford County each year to pick up 120 dozens of Reiff’s bicolor corn. That customer does not rent the machine however. Instead, it’s a whole shucking-saving-shaving, extended-family event.

Paul B. Zimmerman, 50 Wood Corner Road, Lititz, has two similar machines available to rent for $20 per day.

“In the last three or four weeks, most days both of them are out,” customer service representative Warren Zimmerman says. The store does not sell produce, but produce customers elsewhere learned about the machine mostly by word of mouth, he adds.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

This seasonal, weekly newsletter will help you get growing! Featuring tips & tricks, to-do lists, local events and more.

Lynn Schmidt is co-editor of the Lifestyle section. She can be reached at [email protected] or (717) 291-2995. You can also follow @Lynn_justLynn or @LancLifestyle on Twitter.

Support local journalism. Click here to learn more about the role the Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund plays in Lancaster County and to make a tax-deductible donation.