The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

Corn Roast

If You Go
What
Y’s Club annual corn roast
When
4:30-7 p.m. Monday
Where
Parking lot of Mankato West High School
Cost
$7 for adults, $4 for children
Proceeds benefit youth programs at the Mankato Family YMCA

The Y’s Club annual corn roast takes place Monday in the parking lot of Mankato West High School.
 

Related Photos

  • The Y’s Club annual corn roast takes place Monday in the parking lot of Mankato West High School. File photo

    Corn Roast2

July 29, 2010

Good times can be kinda corny

Y's Club Corn Roast is coming

By Robb Murray The Free Press

MANKATO — Not that he’s biased or anything.

“The last four or five years,” said Matt Barnes, master corn roaster for the annual Y’s Club Corn Roast, “I’d stack up our corn against any corn in the country.”

Confident? Sure. But it’s hard to argue with a tradition that’s had 50 years to perfect itself.

It’s just about August, and that means it’s just  about time for the annual corn feed that dates back to the beginnings of the club itself.

The club, which holds several fundraisers every year and exists solely to raise money for the Mankato Family YMCA, donates roughly $10,000 annually. Most is raised on the ears of corn.

Nowadays, that corn is planted raised and harvested close to home.

After getting corn from various non-Mankato places for decades, the corn now comes from the venerable Anderson family, the first family of sweet corn in these parts.

“Last year we had it and everybody liked it,” said Kerry Koepp, president of the Y’s Club.

Koepp says they typically get about 800 people for the corn roast and hand over about 1,700 cobs.

“We go through quite a bit of corn,” he said.

They also sell hot dogs, chips, Pepsi Cola and ice cream.

But the corn is the draw.

Barnes says the cooking method was passed on to him 20 years ago by the previous regime.

They lay a long line of coals on the grass, long enough to line 8 bins — three foot squares — end to end. Each bin is 8 inches deep.

The corn lays in the bin about four cobs deep. A little water lines the bottom. Wet towels cover it all and hold in the steam that cooks it.

Barnes says that since taking over chef duties, he’s lessened the cooking and now believes he can produce a nearly perfect ear of corn on the cob.

The event also features a jumping gym (for the kids, folks,) basketball hoops and other activities. Proceeds fund youth sports, activities and camps run by the YMCA.

“It’s a good time for a good cause,” Barnes said.

 

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local News