Corn ear will be proportional to the size of the plant. To get big corn plants, and big ears, you needs lots of sunlight, water, nitrogen fertilizer, and warm days. Plant again starting in April and you will have a chance for good corn and the other crops you mention.

I've been making pickled corn for years using this method and I'm still alive and well. Stuck and wash your corn in cold water. Lay them on a clean towel and cut out any bad spots and remove all the silk. Place corn in a large pot. Bring to a boil and time it boiling for 9 minutes. Remove from stove and pour water and corn into a clean sink. Plug your sink and run cold water over your corn and let it set, drain and repeat again. Add ice to help it get cold. Once your corn is cold to touch, lay it out on a towel on your table. Clean your stone jar. Layer your corn so far up and add a handful of pickling salt over it and add a gallon of water over it, add next layer of corn and do the same thing until it fills up the jar. Leave room for your plate and rock to go ontop of the corn. Clean a medium side rock with a brush and water and rinse and repeat until rock is clean. Place rock into a clean not bleached white pillow case and wrap the excess case over the rock. Take a dinner plate that will fit upside down in your stone bar and place it ontop the corn, then place your rock ontop the plate. Take a clean towel and cover the top of the jar and i use electrical tap to go around the jar and i pull the towel down tight as I tape it. Let sit in a wArm place in your kitchen floor or building for 21 days. Best pickled corn ever. Never add vinegar it ruins it. When it's done remove the rock and place and the moldy looking film, rinse a piece of corn and eat it. To store it on the cob use big pickle jars like from a resturant to place corn in and cover it with brine in the jars and put the lid on. You can also cut it off the cob and place in quart jars and add brine over top of it. Hope this helps.

I'm glad your pup is OK Shaun. I accidentally fed corn to one of mine the other day. While cutting some off the cob for a new recipe a lot wound up on the floor so I let her eat it. I got the finger wagged in my face for letting her eat corn with her digestive issues. At least I didn't drop the cob. LOL Back to corn... It is so cheap and so sweet in FL right now that I went looking for a different way to prepare it. I found a recipe that I had saved from the guy who won Rachael Ray's so you think you can cook contest last year. I liked it alot. I completely forgot to add the butter at the end but I can say that it was real tasty even without the butter. I just finished the leftovers. Yum! Carmelized corn Pete from Rachel Ray 3 tablespoons EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil 4 to 5 ears (2 cups) fresh corn, cut off cob Salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 shallots, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 5 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped 1/2 cup dry white wine (preferably Sauvignon Blanc) 2 tablespoons butter Heat 1 tablespoon EVOO in a large skillet over high heat. Add corn, a good pinch of salt and 2 to 3 turns freshly ground pepper. Toss corn to coat lightly with EVOO and cook until slightly browned and caramelized, approximately 2-3 minutes. Lower heat under corn to medium-high. Add remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO to the pan along with the shallots, garlic, 5 tablespoons parsley, thyme and chives. Re-season with salt and pepper, give everything a toss and cook until the shallots are translucent. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping bottom of pan to pull up any brown bits. Cook for 1 minute. Cut butter into small chunks and scatter over corn. Cook till wine is reduced by half

I'm not surprised that Igloo would not want to respond. It is a 'cooler', an 'ice-box',... But thermally can be used for heat if careful...a hot from the oven casserole should not be placed directly, but laying a blanket or towel first will keep it steamy and continue to cook a bit for travel... I doubt they would want to be endorsing its use as a hot cooking vessel on the web. Looking at my cooler on the deck, ready to be packed soon for a long weekend travel... i think if i wanted to use it for corn for a crowd, i would simmer what fits in my pasta pot with insert for 5min, then cary out just a few steps to the cooler and lay them in, then start another batch using the same water and insert, and re-peat till cooler is full. They would be evenly cooked and stay warm and continue to steam... Only if i had to travel or had no other way to heat just before serving... Last weekend i did soak a half dozen ears for a couple hours in spring water in the husk and put them on the smoker far end. Delish and smokey, the husk was near black but corn was just slightly smoked and steamy...Florida corn, not local fresh yet...