What is a bushel of corn?

A bushel is a unit of weight used when buying and selling crops such as corn. A bushel of shelled corn weighs 56 pounds, but a bushel of corn still on the ear weighs 70 pounds.

The weight of a bushel varies among fruits, vegetables and grains. For instance, while a bushel of spinach weighs 20 pounds, a bushel of tomatoes is 53 pounds. A bushel of unshelled lima beans is 30 pounds, but cowpeas run 60 pounds per bushel. Cotton weighs in at 32 pounds a bushel, while flax is 60 pounds. Although a bushel of oats weighs 32 pounds, a bushel of either wheat or soybeans is 60 pounds.