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Photos: Many years, many ears

Verrill Farm patriarch Steve Verrill, 91, digs into on of his ears of corn during an early morning corn picking opportunity for the community at Verrill Farm on Saturday, August 29, 2026. “I like corn just the way it is, no make-up,” he said. Ken McGagh/The Acton Bridge
Verrill Farm patriarch Steve Verrill, 91, bites into a fresh ear during an early-morning community picking session on August 29. “I like corn just the way it is, no makeup,” he said. Photo: Ken McGagh/The Acton Bridge

About 20 fresh-corn aficionados arrived at Verrill Farm in the predawn darkness of August 29 to learn about corn growing and picking from Steve Verrill, 91, who has been running the farm since 1957. “We pick early in the morning and pick it fresh,” he told the group assembled at the farm’s fields. Each day’s haul can range from 40 to 100 bushels, each holding 60 ears. The farm offers an early-morning corn picking session every August. Although demand slows after Labor Day, the fresh-corn season can stretch into October, Verrill said. Asked how long to boil his corn, he replied, “two minutes.”

Photos: Ken McGagh/The Acton Bridge

A full moon rises over the early risers at Verrill Farm before an early morning corn picking opportunity for the community at Verrill Farm on Saturday, August 29, 2026. Ken McGagh/The Acton Bridge
Though this wasn’t officially the harvest moon, the lunar glow welcomed the early risers as they prepared to reap the waiting crop.
With his granddaughter Grace Faddoul at his side, Verrill Farm patriarch Steve Verrill, 91, educates on the art of corn growing and picking during an early morning corn picking opportunity for the community at Verrill Farm on Saturday, August 29, 2026. A group of twenty locals arrived at the farm at 6:00 a.m. Saturday for the opportunity to pick the crop themselves. Ken McGagh/The Acton Bridge
With granddaughter Grace Faddoul at his side, Verrill, 91, speaks about growing and picking corn.
During a talk on corn growing and picking, Steve Verrill husks and ear during an early morning corn picking opportunity for the community at Verrill Farm on Saturday, August 29, 2026. Ken McGagh/The Acton Bridge
With the skill of decades, Verrill husks a fresh ear.
A group of about twenty local residents get a briefing from Verrill Farm patriarch Steve Verrill before heading out in the field to pick a few ears of corn on Saturday, August 29, 2026. Ken McGagh/The Acton Bridge
Verrill briefs the early-morning pickers before they head into the field.
Lilith Nagaoka, 10, of Acton picks an ear of corn during an early morning corn picking opportunity for the community at Verrill Farm on Saturday, August 29, 2026. Lilith and her parents, Kaiko and Tim Nagaoka came prepared with gloves and boots Saturday. Ken McGagh/The Acton Bridge
Lilith Nagaoka, 10, of Acton, and her parents, Kaiko and Tim Nagaoka, came prepared with gloves and boots.
Visitors fan out in a Verrill Farm field to pick fresh corn themselves during an early morning corn picking opportunity for the community at Verrill Farm on Saturday, August 29, 2026. Ken McGagh/The Acton Bridge
Visitors fan out to pick corn during the farm’s annual community picking session.
Verrill Farm workes load freshly-picked corn for an audience of about 20 during early morning corn picking opportunity for the community at Verrill Farm on Saturday, August 29, 2026. Ken McGagh/The Acton Bridge
Farmworkers load freshly picked produce.
Meghan Garvey of Acton picks corn during an early morning corn picking opportunity for the community at Verrill Farm on Saturday, August 29, 2026. Ken McGagh/The Acton Bridge
Meghan Garvey of Acton selects an ear.

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