He Makes Money Selling Corn Silk

He Makes Money Selling Corn Silk 29-1-6 Who would ever think you could make money marketing corn silk? It's money that shouldn't be left in the field, says George Hubka, Dowling, Mich. He sells bundles of dried field corn silk packaged in Ziploc bags to ethnic food stores and retail craft shops. The silks are "pulled" from the end of the corn ears before the crop is harvested. As they walk down the row, workers pull the silks with one hand and place them in a large plastic bucket carried in the other hand. The silks are stored in large mesh bags until they can be processed later. He prepares labels on a computer and places them in the Ziploc bags along with the silks. The finished bags are then counted and placed in boxes for shipment. "If just half the silks from a field with 26,000 plants per acre are harvested, we can produce more than 200 bags for sale. After the cost of labor, packing material, and delivery are deducted, the net return is $70 to $90 per acre," says Hubka. "Customers buy the corn silk for making tea, art and craft projects, and making holiday decorations. Fancy restaurants use the silks to garnish the dinner plates. "I got the idea after talking to an ethnic food store owner. He wanted the silks to make a ækidney tea' which he drinks every day. After talking with arts and crafts shop owners, I saw an additional possible niche market. We use clear packages that allow customers to see the silks to ensure their color and quality prior to making a purchase. And they're able to re-seal the bag to retain silk quality until the silks are gone." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, George Hubka, 3691 Bristol Oaks, Dowling, Mich. 49050 (ph 269 721-3830).

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