THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, July 18, 1995 TAG: 9507180046
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E4 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Mom, I'm bored
SOURCE: Sherrie Boyer
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
THERE IS LITTLE better to eat in the summer than watermelon, corn on the cob and crabs. We opted to gather the last two on our own, hitting the grocery first for the chicken bait.
Then we foraged into field and narrow, looking for dinner divine.
My favorite moment of the day came in a landlocked corn field miles south of where we crabbed. There, seven children, their mother and I disappeared briefly into a field of 6-foot stalks.
Sam, 2, followed me into the rows, pointing out the good ones at his eye level. Then he'd grasp the strong ear with both hands and push down, adding his body weight. In a moment, the ear would snap off. Satisfied, he'd walk 20 feet to the bag, drop it in and walk back.
There is nothing quite like picking corn; it is so different from the typical berry or peach pick. You look up through the feathery tops of stalks at blue sky and suddenly there's a chorus bursting through your brain: ``The corn is as high as an elephant's eye and it's climbing clear up to the top of the sky. Oh, what a beautiful morning.''
I sang for the children when we got home, commenting that this was certainly true, because I measured the corn while we were there. Maddie, ever thoughtful, said: ``Why didn't you point the elephant out to me?''
Allio, 6, just wanted to talk about crabs. From the dock by the home of a friend, we tossed out five lines. In moments, we had sharp-spiked blues feasting.
The children aimed the net down through the murky water and successfully nabbed a few. The little ones we tossed back. But we brought home four big ones, boiled some water, and Allio popped them in, one at a time.
There are many places to crab.
One good spot is Seashore State Park at 64th Street. The park is open 8 a.m. to dusk; admission is in the form of a parking fee ($2.50). There are bathrooms, walking trails, a boat launch and a small beach from which crab lines may be flung. But don't swim here (the current is strong, the dropoff is sharp and there is heavy boat traffic).
Another good spot to try is Seashore's campground facility at 2500 Shore Drive. Every Friday evening, the parking lot is open to the public for a parking fee of $2.50/car. There is a crabbing demonstration each Friday in the ampitheather, followed by crabbing on the beach.
The demo shows the differences between male, juvenile and female crabs, how to measure the spike span, how to net and how to tie the raw, slimy chicken bait to your line. The demo is free and nets are provided. Bait lines and chicken are available for less than $2.
It's legal to keep crabs that measure 6 inches or more from spike to spike.
To keep crabs until cooking time, put them on ice in a cooler or carry a bucket you've filled with water from the crabbing area.
To cook crabs, either boil or steam them until fiery red, about 8 minutes per pound of crab.
For more information about Seashore State Park, either facility, call the visitor center 481-2131.
To pick your own corn, try Munden's Farm. Take Princess Anne Road and follow it through the Pungo stoplight. The farm is 3 miles ahead on your right; you'll see a small white sign for strawberries with the word ``Closed'' scrawled over top. If you pass Gumbridge Road on the left, you've just missed the farm.
Make a right onto the dirt lane at 1377 Princess Anne Road. Behind the white house is a vegetable stand. Folks there will direct you back to the fields. The pick-your-own corn is $1.25/dozen. Munden's offers bicolor and white; we picked white. It was superb. Open daily except Sunday. Call 426-2747. by CNB