Summer Sweet. Sweeeet Corn
We were finishing up our summer western crop and farm tour, visiting our North Dakota and Minnesota customers. Our last stop, before we headed home, was the Janson family farm located in Pierz, Minnesota - a beautiful farm of 260 acres producing corn, soybeans, and sweet corn. Rodger Janson, a fourth-generation farmer and his wife, Janice, along with son Keith and several other family members, care for the farm and the operations. They not only farm, but also have a manure pumping business, sell crop insurance, and have sweet corn stands throughout the area. Quite a business, and a very well-run business!
Upon arriving at the farm, we met with Keith, who would be our tour guide. The day was overcast, and it looked like rain was on its way. After discussing the farm operations, we proceeded to the sweet corn fields. After all, that is what the farm is known for: Sweet, Sweet Corn!
When we arrived at the fields, you would think you're in sweet corn heaven. The fields were nearly perfect: clean green, and full of wonderful ears of sweet corn. The ears were large, white, and had an unbelievable taste (we had to sample a few)! That day, they were harvesting the sweet corn by hand with several local high school kids that help out each year. All of their sweet corn is picked by hand and put in sacks, and then sent to the stands and some local grocery stores.
Once our field walk was completed, Keith asked if we would like to take a few samples home to share with friends and family. Of course, our answer was yes. We then proceeded to pick a full sack load. Boy, were we and our family and friends in for a special treat! A sweet, sweet treat!
The Janson family has been in the sweet corn business for over 30 years and was recently named the 2023 Morrison County Farm Family of the Year. The sweet corn is second to none. One of the benefits of our travels in our thirty-five states and two Canadian provinces coverage area is experiencing the wonderful Growers Mineral Solution program grown food, especially the sweet corn.
After walking the fields and witnessing the harvest in action, we headed back to the main farm. As we pulled in, we saw six or seven kids loading up the large sacks of sweet corn into a pickup. From there it heads to the stands for the day's sales. They also send some of the sweet corn to local grocery stores, but most are sold through their stands. A few years ago, all their sweet corn was sold to local grocery stores and other retailers at a low margin, not leaving much room for error or a harsh weather year to make some sort of return on their investment. Today, most of their sweet corn is sold through the stands at around $9 per dozen! They control the distribution and return on investment, not the retailer.
The secret to the Janson’s unbelievable sweet corn is hard work, smart farming, a profitable distribution plan, and the Growers Mineral Program, applying high calcium and using Growers Mineral Solution for fertility. It has been a recipe for success and the best sweet corn around! If you’re in the Morrison County area around summertime, stop by a Janson stand for a dozen of the best sweet corn you will ever taste. Enjoy!
Local kids loading sweet corn sacks at Janson Farm.
This is an excerpt from the Late Fall Growers Solution (2024) written by Chris Kohls, Growers National Sales Manager.
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