Popcorn is My Passion...

Popcorn is My Passion…

Posted by Hollee Q on January 19, 2012

Meet the Deckers from Calhoun County, Iowa.

: Decker Family

Tom Decker had been in the seed business for over 30 years selling seed corn and soybean seed. Over the years he has grown dent field corn, yellow high oil field corn, soybeans, soybean seed, yellow popcorn, yellow popcorn seed and white popcorn. Besides being the Vice president at the local bank in town Tom’s wife Diane also helps out with farming along with his two daughters, Katelyn and Megan.

Farmers Best

Tom only sells the white popcorn under the Farmers Best Popcorn Label. The only one tender premium white hybrid-never blended with lesser quality hybrids-virtually hull less. My grandfather used the name “Farmers Best” when he produced and sold feed for livestock back in the 1940′s and 1950′s, said Tom.

The tradition of quality on our farm continues today. We chose the same “Farmers Best” name because we feel we have the best tasting and highest quality white popcorn available. Tom grows GMO free popcorn in a field, on a cob, just like conventional corn or sweet corn. It is harvested by our combine, dried to the correct moisture and then conditioned. After conditioning, the popcorn is packaged into bulk packages and microwave bags. Before shipment, Tom stores the popcorn in a climate-controlled warehouse, something you won’t find with large commercial popcorn companies. He also uses Soybean oil in Farmers Best Microwave brand popcorn instead of imported palm oil like competitive brands.

The Shop

The popcorn business is a true family operation for Tom and his family. Tom’s daughters are primarily responsible for label application and are the best salespeople at product demo’s in grocery stores and shows. The girls have had the opportunity to experience all phases of the popcorn business, from planting seed out of the bag, to placing popcorn on retail store shelves as a finished product. The girls even recorded their own Farmers Best Popcorn commercial at a local radio station and Katelyn maintains their Facebook page.