State corn-husking competition returns to Nappanee in October

NAPPANEE, Ind. — The Indiana Corn Husking Association is gearing up for its annual Indiana State Hand Corn Husking Competition, set to take place in Nappanee.

The event, hosted at Reed Farms, 27615 County Road 48, will be held Oct. 5 and is expected to draw participants and spectators from across the state.

Registration for the competition is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the contest continuing until the last participant finishes husking. The event, held rain or shine, has off-road parking available, weather permitting.

The Association

The Indiana Corn Husking Association, a nonprofit organization, is committed to preserving the history and traditional methods of hand-harvesting corn.

Years ago, families and communities worked together to harvest corn by hand, often using horse-drawn wagons.

Friendly competition between farmers led to organized corn-husking contests, eventually growing into state and national events.

Today, nine states, including Indiana, hold their own competitions to determine the top three finishers in each class, who then move on to the national corn-husking contest.

This year’s national competition will be held Oct. 19-20 in Hastings, Iowa.

The Competition

The Indiana event is open to all residents and welcomes out-of-state participants. There are 14 competition classes, ranging from boys and girls 14 and under, to men and women 65 and older.

Participants can compete individually or join a team of four. The entry fee ranges from $10 to $20, while spectators can enjoy the event for free.

Tools will be available, but are not required for participation.

A variety of food, refreshments and ice cream will be for sale, along with Indiana Corn Husking Association apparel.

Families can also enjoy a kids’ activity area, corn pit and educational demonstrations on husking techniques.

In addition to the competition, the event will feature horse- or tractor-pulled husking wagons, a corn sheller processing the harvested corn and a display of antique tractors and corn-related equipment. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own antique items to share.

For more details, visit the Indiana Corn Husking Association’s Facebook page or contact President Clay Geyer at 574-952-7197 or Ted Richard at 574-223-2747.