Olathe Sweet Corn
A trademarked variety of bicolor sweet corn from the Western Slope town of Olathe — peak season in August, sold from roadside stands across the state.
Region
Western Slope, especially Montrose and Delta counties; sold statewide in season
Spice Level
(0/5)
Diet
Vegetarian
Where to Try
Roadside stands along US-50 between Montrose and Delta in August, the Olathe Sweet Corn Festival, and Colorado farmers markets in late summer.
Olathe Sweet Corn is a specific bicolor sweet corn variety grown around the small town of Olathe in Montrose County, on the irrigated benchlands of the Uncompahgre Valley. The combination of warm days, cool nights, and snowmelt irrigation produces ears that are exceptionally sweet and tender. The harvest runs roughly mid-July through early September and is celebrated each August at the Olathe Sweet Corn Festival, which has drawn tens of thousands of visitors since 1992. During peak season, Olathe corn is sold by the dozen from roadside stands, farmers markets, and grocery stores across Colorado. The corn is best eaten the day it is picked — boiled or grilled with butter and salt.