August 27, 2026
Today is the day! The Great Minnesota Get-Together is officially underway, and we are ready.
Our first delivery of sweet corn went out late yesterday afternoon, and as you read this, we are back in the fields harvesting fresh corn for tonight’s run. Providing sweet corn for the State Fair makes this one of our busiest times of the year, but it’s a high-energy routine we’ve mastered over the years.
Every Year Is Different
This year brought a unique set of challenges due to calendar timing and a late Labor Day. While we carefully planned our planting schedule, nature always gets the final vote. Timing is everything when you need fresh, perfectly ripe sweet corn for all 12 days of the fair.
Thanks to a few scorching hot days in July, some of our corn ripened 10 days earlier than expected. Because mother nature loves to keep us on our toes, we use "succession planting," which means staggering new crops every few days. It's like chasing a moving target, but our experienced team always finds a way to hit the mark.
The Unique Specifications For State Fair Sweet Corn
So, what makes Minnesota State Fair sweet corn so special? Selecting the right variety is an exact science. The cobs must:
- Be a specific size
- Hold up under the intense heat of the roaster
- Stay firm if held in a cooler
- Above all, taste exceptional!
Finding the right seed for this very specific need is an ongoing journey. Sweet corn breeding programs are constantly producing incredible new non-GMO hybrid varieties, though seed availability can fluctuate year to year.
It’s important to remember that traditional hybridization simply cross-pollinates plant varieties for natural traits. It is completely different from genetic modification that happens within a laboratory.
Hand Harvesting Ensures Top Quality
Because quality is our top priority, every single ear on our farm is harvested by hand. The pericarp, which is the scientific term for the outer skin of the kernel, is far too delicate for machine harvesting.
Our mission is simple: grow the best sweet corn possible and deliver it fresh each night. Once it leaves our trucks, our partners at The Corn Roast take the wheel, roasting each ear to perfection, and serving it in a fun atmosphere.
If you're heading to the fair, be sure to stop by their stand for an ear or two. There’s just something about the roasted corn at the fair dipped in butter. Yum! Want to learn about our long history with the Minnesota State Fair? Be sure to read our 2024 article Oh, That Minnesota State Fair Sweet Corn!
