In this video, Farmer Joe from Niantic, Connecticut, explains how to tell when corn is ready to be harvested. The first thing to know is that the top ear on a stalk is always the first to ripen. In fact, on the stalk shown in the video, Farmer Joe estimates that the next ear down is fully 10 days behind the first ear.

Here are the signs to look for when you’re wondering when to begin harvesting your corn:

• The ear is fat.
• The silk is dry and brown at the top. The farther down the ear the dry silk goes, the riper the ear. By contrast, the silk on an ear that isn’t ready to be harvested is soft and has a reddish color.
• The ear is leaning away from the stalk, almost as if it’s inviting you to pick it off.