Tribune Chronicle / R. Michael Semple Alyssa Nicolino, 23, of Leavittsburg, selects her sweet corn at Lutz Farm in Warren Township Monday morning. This was her third trip to the farm to get sweet corn for herself and others. Despite early season rains that delayed planting for Trumbull County farmers and about a week of cooler weather, local residents can expect to see cornfields filled with grain.

WARREN TOWNSHIP — Despite early season rains that delayed planting for Trumbull County farmers and about a week of cooler weather, local residents can expect to see cornfields filled with rows and rows of grain.

Field corn, not to be confused with edible sweet corn, is about “99 percent of what you see out your windows while driving across Ohio,” said Brad Reynolds of Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association in Columbus.

Reynolds said Ohio boasts 3.5 million acres of the 90 million acres of corn grown annually in the U.S. The typical April through August season means corn is plentiful for some 3,500 products that are produced or connected to corn and other production in Ohio.

Late April planting this year has not disrupted the production of corn used to feed cattle, seeds for replanting and corn oils used for ethanol production, he said, but the weather has still been a concern for some farmers.

Lee Beers of the Trumbull County OSU extension agreed weather was a concern, particularly in northern Trumbull County where hailstorms did damage to some crops.

“There were some reports of hail and spotty storms in parts of northern Trumbull County,” Beers said.

He said some places also were being affected by over-dry conditions.

Ben Miller of W.I. Miller and Sons of Farmdale said his was one of the farms affected by the hail, but none of his crops were damaged that badly.

“By and large, the rain is good for crops,” Miller said.

The above average temperatures are also good for corn, he said.

Despite the weather, farmers said they hope Ohio’s two corn varieties will continue to grow and said the lateness does not affect the taste of the sweet corn available this week on local farms.

“We are a little later than normal because of wet conditions,” said Harvey Lutz of Lutz Farms, a family-owned sweet corn farm in Warren Township. “But the earlier varieties aren’t that good anyway.”

Several hundred local residents rifling through the average of about three acres of fresh- picked ears at Lutz Farm on Monday were both young and seasoned corn eaters.

George Sheldon, 79, of Lordstown, had just one bag, but said he spends a good portion of his time at the farm.

“I come almost everyday in August. I worked at the farm as a boy,” Sheldon said.

Alyssa Nicolino, 23, of Leavittsburg, was out to get corn for her boyfriend’s family, who eats it fresh and even freezes it to serve for Thanksgiving, she said.

“I had to come back twice but was thankful to get some,” Nicolino said.

Gloria Bertleff, 67, of Champion, said she likes to eat her corn fresh and “keep it to herself.”

Although there are many ways to prepare the seasonal favorite, seasoning is important, Bertleff said, as she is going to try to use garlic powder this year.

Pat Whitsel, 63, of Leavittsburg, and husband Gary, 60, said they eat it fresh with butter and salt.

For those still hoping to gather some sweet corn, it is available daily through August. The Lutz family suggests calling ahead to ensure they have not sold out.

eearnhart@tribtoday.com