If you’re buying corn for a crowd, plan for about a dozen ears per person if you’re feeling generous. That’s not a bushel; that’s a gaggle. But if someone says they’ll give you a bushel of sweet corn, expect a car trunk full of 50 to 60 ears.
If they say a bushel of field corn on the cob? That’s more like 70 to 80 ears.
And if they say a bushel of shelled corn? That’s just a bag of kernels. No ears. Betrayal.
Final earful.
Look, counting corn is like counting chickens—you never get the same number twice. Trust your gut, trust your basket, and don’t let anyone make you feel dumb for asking.
The real answer is: it depends. On size. On moisture. On whether a raccoon snuck a bite. But if you absolutely need a number to sleep tonight, go with 75 ears. It’s the cozy middle.
Now go enjoy your corn. Butter it. Eat it. Don’t worry about the math. The only number that matters is how many you can eat before your belt gives up. Spoiler: it’s never enough.
