O/T popcorn

[MrJDMan80]

So for fun, I planted an acre of popcorn. I got beautiful ears and lots of them. How, and how long should I dry it. I tried poping a couple of ears yesterday and it was to wet. What's am I missing?
Tim
 

[Dalet]

You did shell it right? If you picked it wet, you need to let it dry for a month or so in the house. If you picked it dry, you shouldn't have a problem. The moisture pops the kernels.
 

[rusted nuts]

Amish just leave it on the ears and hang it on the raffters, Don't know for how long.
 

[mazemeister]

here's what i did. built a plywood box on a pallet, with a false floor (sheet of plywood w/ lots of holes drilled, window screening on top of it) and connected a squirrel cage fan to the air duct. so basically a pallet sized drying bin. holds maybe 25 bu or so. just put it in the barn and ran the fan until it's dry. try popping some every little while till it pops nicely.
 

[LonM]

When I raised some a few years ago it was really wet that fall, and the corn did not dry well in the field. I shelled it and set up a lot of window screens and fans to dry it. I let it dry until I thought it was okay to try it, then popped a test batch. Once it gets to the right moisture you will have very few unpopped kernels. Then I put it away in the freezer in ice cream pails. The idea of hanging it in the rafters would be a good thing to try too- anything to allow the air to circulate and dry it down. I can't imagine having an acre! I had two 55-foot rows and ended up with 49 pounds of shelled product!
 

[504]

For a test, just put three kernels in hot oil and see what happens, no need to waste a pan full.
 

[BIG RUH]

I put the ears in a burlap sack tnd hang it from a roof truss for a couple of months
 

[Mike in Mn.]

I let mine dry on the ears till about Christmas. What variety did you plant??
 

[David G]

What moisture % does it pop well at?
 

[MrJDMan80]

Just yellow, but that's my favorite. I have about 1/3 off the stalks and in bags still on the ear. The rest is still in the field. Picking by hand is slow going, and now I don't get home till after dark. It is still wet enough that I can dent it with my thumb nail
 

[sd pete]

About 13 or 14 % If I remember right (doubtful)
 

[JOHNNYfromMI]

Tie about dozen ears together by the husk, hang them in the rafters barns or any airy building. About mid winter it will be ready to pop. An acre will make a big pile of popcorn.