The "The One & Only...John Cope's Corn" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about one of Lancaster County's most famous products: John Cope's Dried Sweet Corn.  If you enjoy dried corn I assume you've heard of the John Cope name before.  Actually, it is the biggest brand of dried sweet corn on the shelf at your Super Market.  And, if you look a bit closer, you will notice it more than likely is the ONLY brand of dried sweet corn in the frozen food compartment.  Over 100 years ago Martin Cope began his company, trying to capture the rich history of the Pennsylvania Dutch community of Lancaster County.  As far as Cope's dried corn, originally it was picked at the height of the growing season, when the natural sugars and mouthwatering flavors are at their very best.  The corn was then husked and cooked and the kernels cut from the husk by hand.  Martin then dried his first batch of sweet corn on a coal-burning stove at the family homestead near Manheim.  This locked in the flavor of the corn. in 1900 he began his business and as the business grew, Martin grew in size and a processing plant was opened in Rheems, Pennsylvania.  In no time there were nine plants.  The Great Depression cut that number to two.  Martin owned one of them while his grandson John owned the other one.  In 1947 Martin died and eventually John F. Cope purchased the old Rheems plant and consolidated the families operations.  The Cope family continued to make the dried corn until 2006 when Hanover Foods began to sell Cope's dried corn.  And, it's as good today as it was over 100 years ago.

Box of John Cope's White Corn.

 Thanks- giving and Christmas dinners wouldn't be the same without Cope's corn.  It has become a family tradition for many families in Lancaster County as it is in many other parts of the world.  Mr. Paul Johnson of Wichita, Kansas makes sure it is always a part of his holiday meal.  Mr. Johnson used to be a music teacher in Lancaster County, but now teaches music at Wichita State University.  He still makes chicken corn soup, bakes Lancaster County shoofly pies and keeps his pantry stocked with Cope's dried corn.  Another story tells of a Dr. Jeffrey T. Cope, a cardiothoracic surgeon with Lancaster General Health who knows Cope's dried corn tradition as well as anyone.  He was the Grandson of John Cope, and son of the late Thomas L. Cope who brought the John F. Cope Co. to prominence as its president and CEO.  Dr. Cope spent his summers at the corn plant when he was growing up working on the dryers.  His operating room is far from the corn dryers, but his business of valve surgeries and coronary artery bypasses is forever linked to his family's corn history.  His patients ask him about the corn business on a daily basis.  Any person who is from Lancaster County and has a name of Cope just has to have been part of the Cope business.  Great icebreaker for the doctor to begin his talks with his patients.  And, the good doctor still eats Cope's corn every Christmas and Thanksgiving.  Dr. Cope explains that: "It exudes Lancaster County-ness.  It's hard to describe...tradition, old-school work ethic and an honest, home feel."  Cope's corn gained popularity during President Eisenhower's term in office, when it was said to have been a popular ingredient for many White House meals.  It is still a part of many of my meals.  May be hard for some folks to purchase online, but check it out and if you can find a dealer online, give it a try.  You won't be sorry!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an oridnary guy.