By SUSAN BLOWER

Indiana Correspondent

RUSHVILLE, Ind. — Souder Farms Sweet Corn, a family-owned farmers’ market in Rushville, began as a youngster’s first summer job and grew into a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project for FFA. Today, the market is still going strong and turning into a year-round business.

Harold Souder proudly remembers an 8-year-old who was in charge of his own half-acre of sweet corn, whose proceeds were used to buy school clothes. The family was farming production corn and soybeans.

Later in high school, a young, energetic Steve Souder was handpicking 20 acres of sweet corn, which was sold on tables in front of his house using the honor system, and at that time to Marsh and Meijer supermarkets. For his efforts, Souder won the Indiana State Star Farmer Award in 1994.

He was a district FFA officer for two years. Around that time he bought his first one-row picker, an Oxbo sweet corn puller, which mimics hand-picking.

“In FFA I learned to talk and lead people. I was shy and backwards. As a freshman in high school I couldn’t talk. Now I’ll talk with anybody,” Souder said.

Souder’s Sweet Corn is now grown on 50 acres and is picked with the help of two pickers, including a newer Byron four-row picker. The number of acres devoted to sweet corn will expand to 75 acres next season due to increased demand, he said.

Yet Souder felt he could do more. He said FFA taught him to take risks and to have the confidence to pull them off. In 2000 the family bought a hoop house for their produce and added employees to man the counter.

The farmers’ market now sells green beans and pumpkins grown on two acres, and watermelons, cantaloupe, tomatoes, mums and other fruits and vegetables from local sources.

“I learned that with no risk comes no reward,” he said. “The last five years it’s just exploded. We began advertising.”

In 2013 Souder started freezing the fresh corn to sell direct to consumer using his grandma’s techniques. He has adapted small machines, such as silkers, huskers and cutters, as well as his own system to boil and cool the corn in a new processing building. He knows of only one other producer who sells his own frozen corn.

The corn goes from stalk to freezer within six hours. Even with a wet, cold spring, he was able to freeze 24,000 pounds this year. With his newest picker, he can pick 600 dozen ears per hour.

“The frozen corn allows us to stretch the business out all year,” Souder said. “It’s a learning experience. After 32 years, if I don’t know how to do it, it’s time to get out. I’ve always been a thinker. I try to work smarter, not harder.”

The Souders also are able to sell their own frozen soup starters, including a corn chowder, as well as his farm-raised and corn-fed beef and pork out of freezers.

Jeremy Pratt, 27, Souder’s nephew, works on the farm to fix things that break. His background in automotive engine technology has been invaluable. “He’s my right-hand man,” Souder said. “I couldn’t do this without him.”

Pratt said with the sweet corn business, he is able to make his farming endeavors a year-round job. “Since I showed up, they put me to work. Everything I know (Steve) taught me. But you learn every day. We farm 1,800 acres. It’s busy 360 days a year,” he said.

Rachel Miller, a baker, also partners with Souder on her baked goods. Souder is proud of how his summer boyhood enterprise has grown into a solid business.

“It’s been a long road that’s been rewarding. It’s similar to our other farming endeavors, but helps with summer cash flow.”

The farmers’ market is open seasonally from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday. The address is 1635 West 900 North in Rushville. Souder Farms Sweet Corn is online at www.souderfarms.com and on Facebook; the phone number is 765-645-5241.