Harvest latest installment in popcorn series
Last week, I made my fourth and final trip this year to Denny and LaRae Mauser’s popcorn field north of the Sac County town of Schaller, Iowa.
Photographer Jerry Mennenga and I spent much of Tuesday afternoon alongside the couple as they brought in this year’s harvest, which Denny described as his best crop in the 20 years he’s been growing popcorn for Sioux City-based Jolly Time.
Read the story here, “Despite delay, popcorn harvest sets record.”
And watch video of the harvest here.
This week’s story, video and photos are the latest installment in our year-long series, “A Jolly Journey,” we’ve followed the kernels the Mausers planted last spring as they make their way into Jolly Time microwave bags.
The series began with the planting in early May, “Farmer helps Jolly Time meet popcorn demand,” and continued with visits in June as the plants emerged from the rich soil, and as the stalks began to form their ears, “Popcorn pollinates properly.”
Early next year, the series resumes as the Mausers’ popcorn, after being dried to the optimum moisture level, goes through an extensive cleaning process. From there, we’ll follow the kernels as they are flavored, packaged and delivered to retail shelves.
Stay tuned for more poppin’ action.
Tags: agriculture, Denny Mauser, harvest, Jolly Time, microwave, popcorn, Sac County, Sioux City, weather