Eckler Farms

Tucked away just northeast of Niles is Eckler Farms, the world's largest source for ornamental corn products. The Eckler family, who have been in farming for generations, own Pretty Pops, a patented line of tiny-eared popcorns with names like Neon Pink (a deep pink popcorn), Shades of Brown, Sunrise (yellow ear, red husk), Pink Passion, Spectrum, Red Husk Spectrum and Laser (triangularly shaped popcorn kernels). They devotes about 15 acres of the farm to growing these specialty popcorns (which besides making great decorations are also edible-but remember no matter the color of the kernels, popcorn always pops white). Owner Larry Eckler also always has several patches going where he is developing new varieties and colors. For his efforts, he has received national recognition and a write up in Martha Stewart's magazine.  It is a painstaking process of hybridizing seeds until the right colors of ears and husks can be produced.  That may explain why Eckler is one of about only three popcorn breeders in the United States.