Cornhuskers brave the chill

By RACHEL WEDDIG

Journal Staff Writer

GILFILLAN FARM -- Despite cold weather and rain, contestants tested their skills at the Minnesota State Hand Cornhusking Contest Saturday at the Gilfillan Farm near Morgan.

"So far, the contest is going better than expected because of the weather," said Albert Pabst, President of the National Cornhuskers Association. "The weather looks like it may clear up so we're hoping for that."

Cornhusking by hand is the way farmers and families harvested their corn before the giant harvesters were used. Cornhusking contests test the old-fashioned skill.

Contestants are assigned to their land area and row, given to them on a matchbox. Once the shotgun is fired, contestants race down their row trying to husk the most corn and also trying to have the cleanest corn. As the huskers move down their rows, a horse-drawn wagon catches the flying corn from the huskers' hands.

The husking contest has nine different classes, ranging from youth girls and boys up to 21-years old and the golden-agers, 75-years old and up. The times of the classes vary from 10 minutes to 20 minutes.

Angela Pidde, 12, from Sanborn, entered the state contest last year and took home 4th place, and hoped to better her score this year.

"I like getting trophies and started entering the contest because my friends did," Pidde said. "Husking the corn is challenging because you're under pressure and want to get the most corn husked."

Pabst said the cold weather and rain doesn't damper the spirit of the participants, but makes the competition a lot more challenging.

"The contestants go out there and they want to win," Pabst said. "But this weather makes it miserable out there. The wind really twisted the corn up this year and it's not growing the best, so it's really hard for them today."

One judge and one gleaner equipped with sacks follow each husker to pick up the ears of corn which are left behind or ears that miss the wagon. The husker is also judged on on much of the husks are left with the corn at the end of the contest. Any amount over one ounce of husks begins to count against the contestant.

Pabst said entering cornhusking contests is a family tradition. The first Minnesota state handhusking contest was held at the Pabst farm in 1972.

"Last year, we had the state competition here at the farm and my family took home 7 of the 20 trophies, which I was pretty happy about," Pabst said. "I personally lost first place by 8 ounces of corn, but that was okay because I already have enough trophies at home."

Pabst said national cornhusking contests began in 1939 and were stopped in 1941 due to World War II, and then continued again after the war ended.

"In the early 1940s, the contests used to be bigger than football and there used to be over 100,000 spectators at the events," Pabst said. "We'll get more spectators out here today when the sun comes out and it warms up a little."

Some participants had trouble concentrating due to the cold weather.

"It was a little cold out there," said Kyle Johnson, of Swanville, who participated in the youth category. "All I kept thinking about was trying to keep my hands warm."

The top winners from each state category are eligible for the National Hand Cornhusking Contest beginning at 9 a.m. today at the Gilfillan Farm.