Where does the corn at the Minnesota State Fair come from?
It's simple, sweet and oh so popular. The Corn Roast at the Minnesota State Fair attracts thousands of customers each day.
Nearly 9 million acres of corn are planted across Minnesota, but only about 50 acres planted at farm in Monticello will feed hundreds of thousands of people at the Great Minnesota Get-Together.
"It really makes us proud to be able to grow a product that so many people enjoy," said Paul Nelson. He's the head grower for Untiedt's Vegetable Farm, now in the throes of its busiest and most exciting time of year. Untiedt's has been supplying the corn roast at the fair for more than 20 years.
"Normally you just harvest corn when it's ripe, but we're aiming for those 12 days of the fair, and we're really trying to time it in," he said.
The sweet corn is planted in May and June, but less than half — about 20 acres — will be harvested for the fair.
"That's just the insurance plannings we put in to make sure we have enough corn to cover the fair," said Nelson.
Something you won't see in the sweet corn fields are combines. That's because every ear of corn is picked by hand.
"If you pick this with the machine, the machine actually comes in and squeezes the ear, and it busts the tender kernels," Nelson said. "It just doesn't make a very pleasant-looking ear. It doesn't affect the flavor, but it just doesn't look right."
Nelson walks the field each morning, sampling about a dozen ears to ensure they're ready. If the corn isn't sweet enough, he knows it needs a few more days in the field before getting picked. Nelson has taken a liking to eating fresh, raw corn, although he still enjoys it cooked. No butter or salt is needed for his palette, however.
The corn is picked in the morning then transferred to coolers at their Waverly farm. It's then trucked to the fairgrounds at night, ready to be roasted the next day. About 25,000 ears are sold on average daily.
There are many types of sweet corn out there. Untiedt's grows nine of them with variations in the sugar content, size, and the kernel colors.
But just one of them is grown specifically for the fair. It's called mirai, which Nelson says "is very tender, very sweet. It produces a nice ear that roasts very well for the State Fair roast."
Untiedt's connection to the fair was started by the farm's patriarch, the late Jerry Untiedt, who died in July.
Nelson, his son-in-law, along with several family members now carry on that legacy to satisfy hungry fairgoers for years to come.
"This was (Jerry's) baby, his pride and joy, and he instilled that in all of us. And for us to continue, it just makes us proud," Nelson said.
If you can't make it to the fair, you can still find Untiedt's special sweet corn at its farm stands, farmers' markets, and select grocery stores. Click here to see the locations.