Indiana State Hand Corn Husking contest this weekend near Napanee

The Indiana Cornhusking Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating people and preserving the history of early corn harvesting methods, such as hand corn husking.

Before WWII, American society was mostly rural, and in the Midwest, corn was the main crop. Every year, families and neighbors worked together to harvest the corn by hand as quickly as they could. The competitive spirit of Americans led to contests among farmers to find out who was the best corn husker. These contests expanded from local events to state competitions and eventually to a national Corn Husking Competition.

The contests were as popular then as today’s sporting events, and the winners were as famous as today’s athletes. The national competition reached its peak in 1940, with about 160,000 spectators watching the best hand corn huskers in the country. However, all competitions stopped abruptly with the onset of WWII; subsequently, the widespread use of mechanical corn pickers followed.

The Indiana State Hand Corn Husking contest will be held this Saturday at the Reed Farm on County Road 48 in Nappanee. Registration is open to all Indiana residents from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the competitions in 13 different classes beginning at 9 a.m. Contestants walk alongside a wagon pulled by a team of horses and husk as many ears of corn off the stalk as possible in a specific time frame. 

The event is free for spectators, and parking is also free. A local Amish school will sell food throughout the day, and some crafters will be present as well. The event features a kids' activity area, and the evolution of corn harvesting techniques will be on display, so the entire family is encouraged to attend.  

For more information, check out the Indiana corn husking association’s Facebook page.