To the south, east, and southwest of Denver, Colorado’s corn belt unfolds in a swaying, undulating blanket of green stalks and tasseled tops—a verdant, million-plus-acre piece of American heartland. But most of it isn’t for you. Grain corn for livestock feed and ethanol composes majority of the yield; less than 8,000 acres are devoted to sweet corn. Olathe, a small farming community between Delta and Montrose on the Western Slope, raises the most desirable ears, in part because of the area’s sweltering days and chilly nights—both of which help ensure the corn plants lock in sweetness. Look for the telltale yellow and white kernels on shelves near you this month. Buy in bulk; Olathe corn freezes well.