Please, Recycle Your Corn Cobs

Who doesn’t love corn on the cob? Growing up in north central Ohio in a family of eight we had an acre size garden in the rolling hills of the Mohican area. The soil was so rich and the summer rains so abundant, all we had to do was to plough the plot, plant the seeds, pull the weeds, and pick the produce. There was no need to water or fertilize. One thing we always had plenty of was sweet corn.

We had enough sweet corn every year my mother cut off the kernels of corn and bagged them up in the freezer to be used the rest of the year So what did she do with all those left over corn cobs? Our ancestors had plenty of uses for the leftover cobs. Some made corn cob pipes. Others dried them out and kept them as cheap and effect fire starters for the wood burning stove. Corn cobs make great pot scrubbers. Most fed them to the hogs and the rest went out with the trash. Some of it was used for livestock bedding or even ground up to make kitty litter for the city slickers who kept indoor cats. Some of the softer corn cobs found a home in the family outhouse to be used as toilet paper. Today, some continue to find uses such as a paint roller to make neat patterns on the wall. They are abrasive enough when dries out to clean the barbecue grill. Those who do not see the virtue of maintaining a sober mind have made corn cob wine.

I still like what mom did with the leftover corn cobs. She made corn cob jelly. A jar of corn cob jelly was clear and golden. It tasted sweet like honey. The best thing to spread it on was some sweet corn bread and you had yourself a desert to eat along with your meal. This delicacy is not that easy to find in some parts of the country. In Kidron, Ohio, the Amish capital of the world, they have a store called Lehman’s where you can not only order jars of corn cob jelly but also something for those who like Tex-Mex: Jalapeno Raspberry Jam.

All I remember about making corn cob jelly is that it required a lot of planting, picking, cutting, and boiling to come up with the end product. The same can be said for those who are saints found pleasing to God. The Seed, or God’s Word, has to be first planted into the hearts of men before it can grow and start producing fruit. Paul reminded the Corinthians brethren “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Cor. 3:6). Planting the seed leads to the harvesting of souls. Jesus told his disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matt. 9:37,38). Once souls are harvested there still needs to be some cutting or removing. Jesus warned, “if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell” (Matthew 5:30). Finally, believe it or not boiling is required in the making of a pure and faithful Christian. Paul command the Romans brethren were to be: “not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” (Rom. 12:11). The term “fervent” in the Greek is the word zeo meaning to be boil hot. The Lord does not like lukewarm Christians. He vomits them out of their mouth (Rev. 3:15f).

I do like the taste of corn cob jelly, even if it does take a lot of planting, picking, cutting, and boiling. God loves those who are faithful servants who are separating themselves from sin and boiling hot in their service to Him.

– Daniel R. Vess