# Popcorn from a burning/burnt corn field

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popcorn-from-a-burning-burnt-corn-field/505185>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 3, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popcorn-from-a-burning-burnt-corn-field/505185 "2009-08-03T17:46:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popcorn-from-a-burning-burnt-corn-field/505185/21 "2009-08-05T00:02:22Z")

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> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#):
>
> Actually, I read it as a TRUE!!! freaky weather story. Although, given what’s been said in this thread, it’s probably not as true as they claimed.

Since you have to convert much of the water in the kernel into water vapor to pop it, that’s not going to happen much below 212 F. That would be a hell of a heat wave. I would say that it is impossible.

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**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popcorn-from-a-burning-burnt-corn-field/505185/22 "2009-08-05T16:01:04Z")

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> [@Colibri](#):
>
> [Paul Bunyan and the Popcorn Blizzard](http://books.google.com/books?id=DKEBBfnsfIYC&pg=PA79&lpg=PA79&dq=paul+bunyan+popcorn+blizzard&source=bl&ots=-KWYl-Fv3A&sig=ccTU4VYiyOBCxVv6w3JcoH9du44&hl=en&ei=yWR3Sv_cN-KRtge9wtGWCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9#v=onepage&q=paul%20bunyan%20popcorn%20blizzard&f=false)
> 
> (The story actually starts on page 75.)

I believe there’s a similar story included in Rootabaga Stories by Carl Sandberg.

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**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popcorn-from-a-burning-burnt-corn-field/505185/23 "2009-08-05T19:41:33Z")

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> [@Colibri](#):
>
> You probably read it in a book of tall tales. There are versions in various Paul Bunyan stories. In one so much corn pops that it a makes a popcorn blizzard, and a herd of cows freezes to death in the blazing heat because they think it’s snow.🙂

Carl Sandburg [wrote on this topic](http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Huckabuck-Family/Carl-Sandburg/e/9780374434496) as well (though the corn was in a barn, not still in the field, IIRC). 🙂

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