Huskers harvest historical perspective

Minnesota hosts national cornhusking contest

By RACHEL WEDDIG

Journal Staff Writer

GILFILLAN FARM -- Even though it was windy, the sun shone brightly on the National Hand Cornhusking Contest Sunday at the Gilfillan Farm near Morgan.

Approximately 140 contestants from nine states competed in the national cornhusking contest. They haled from Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota.

Albert and Esther Pabst, from Sanborn, served as national coordinators for the event. Albert currently is president of the National Cornhuskers Association.

"This is one of the largest crowds I ever remember," Esther said. "The turnout today is a lot more than yesterday. We were thankful to get a day without rain."

Sunday marked the third time Minnesota hosted the national contest. Saturday the Minnesota State Cornhusking Contest was held at the Gilfillan Farm in cold weather and rain.

Cornhusking by hand is how farmers and families harvested their corn before the advent of giant combines. Cornhusking contests test the old-fashioned skill.

Contestants are assigned and area and a row. After a shotgun signals the start of the competition, contestants race down their rows trying to husk the most corn and attempting to keep the corn free of debris. As the huskers move down their rows, a horse-drawn wagon catches the flying corn from the huskers' hands.

One couple drove 900 miles from West Liberty, Ohio, to compete in the contest. Don and Iona Lockwood, drove to the contest so Iona could compete. The Lockwoods said they have been to nine state contests in a row.

"We take turns driving, otherwise we never would have made it here, but we enjoy coming to the contests and seeing the people," Don said. "I have a lot of respect for the participants. They're a part of history -- the folks that do this preserve a lot of history."

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.

One judge and one gleaner equipped with sacks follow each husker to pick up the ears of corn that are left behind or cobs that miss the wagon. The husker is also judged on how 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.

Elmer Kasten, from Gaylord, took home the first place trophy in the golden-agers category after taking second place in the 2000 national contest in Kimballton, Iowa. Kasten first entered cornhusking contests in 1995.

"I'm excited, and, well, I'm not sad about winning the contest," Kasten said. "I grew up husking corn -- then it was work and now it's for fun. I just go out there and pay attention to what I'm doing. I still practice a little bit before the contest each year."

Kasten's wife, Violet, said normally she really can't tell how her husband feels about the contests, but she did say, "today he's showing that he's pretty happy."

Albert Pabst said cornhusking is a tradition that lives within his family. His 12-year old granddaughter, Gabriel Cohrs, has been participating in contests since she was 5 years old.

"I would husk corn with my grandpa -- he pretty much introduced it to me," Cohrs said. "It's a competition and it's nerve-wrecking. It's fun though, and I try to bring as many friends with me that I can."