1. Is corn a problem of bishul akum?
2. Are you allowed to put away your pesach dishes on chol hamoed because you will not be home the last days of yom tov?
Answer:
1. Canned corn, or corn on its own, is not generally a problem of bishul akum, but a dish cooked with corn will be a problem.
2. It is permitted to put away the dishes.
The reason for this is that It is generally permitted to perform even acts of labor that do not detract from the atmosphere of Chol Ha-Moed. There is therefore no prohibition of muktzeh on Chol Ha-Moed, and many poskim are lenient concerning acts of labor that do not involve great effort, even where the acts are not required for purpose of the festival (Terumas HaDeshen no. 153).
Although there are poskim who dispute this and permit even minor acts of labor only for the purpose of a festival need (see Shut Radbaz no. 727), even these poskim will concede that concerning an act that involves no formal melachah, there will not be a prohibition.
This ruling is implied by the Beis Yosef and the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 536), who write that it is permitted to ride a horse on Chol Ha-Moed even where there is no festival need for so doing, the Mishnah Berurah explaining that the decree against riding was not made on Chol Ha-Moed.
from the mishne berurah 539:38 it would seem preparing for after yom tov is assur. is this correct?
I don’t think so. The Mishnah Berurah implies that it is not permitted to buy something for after Yom Tov, the reason being that commerce is forbidden, unless there is a need for Yom Tov. However, where no actual melachah or prohibited act is involved (such as in the question), it would be permitted.
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