Iowa sweet corn is a Fourth of July tradition. But it might be harder to find this year.

Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez, Des Moines Register
Updated ·5 min read

Sweet corn season is upon us, and corn stands in Iowa are just beginning to open for the summer.

After a drier spring, several popular stands are just barely making it open in time for the Fourth of July.

"We need to have fairly even ripening of the field in order to be able to go in and harvest it," said Michelle Christenson of Grimes Sweetcorn, "I feel like a much-needed rain would help the crop to finish up, too."

March through May was the 16th-driest meteorological spring out of 151 years of records, which could have factored into slower crop growth this year, said Justin Glisan, the state climatologist of Iowa.

A person bags ears of sweet corn at Hilltop Farms on Thursday, June 29, 2023, in Dallas Center.
A person bags ears of sweet corn at Hilltop Farms on Thursday, June 29, 2023, in Dallas Center.

If stands don't make it open, it will be the second summer in a row that some stands have missed getting corn ready by July Fourth. A cold and cloudy spring in 2022 put crops about a week or two behind the holiday.

Christenson said that sweet corn can be unpredictable and just "come on," ripening up sooner than expected. Hence the phrase, "the corn is popping!" She hopes her farm's corn will come in just in time to open stands on July 3.

If you need fresh Iowa sweet corn for the Fourth, here is a look at stands and farms that are already open in the Des Moines metro:

Hilltop Farms: Waukee and Dallas Center

The Hilltop Farms corn truck is open from June through October in Waukee from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Hilltop also sells on its farm from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday; and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

People shop for fresh produce including tomatoes, peaches and sweet corn at Hilltop Farms on Thursday, June 29, 2023, in Dallas Center.
People shop for fresh produce including tomatoes, peaches and sweet corn at Hilltop Farms on Thursday, June 29, 2023, in Dallas Center.

Prices:

  • Truck: $9 a dozen, $5 a half dozen and $1 an ear

  • Farm: $8 a dozen, $4.50 a half dozen and 75 cents an ear

Locations:

  • Truck: 45 N, Warrior Lane, Waukee, in the Vision Bank parking lot

  • Farm: 22018 T Ave., Dallas Center

Penick's Sweet Corn Stand: Indianola

Penick's Sweet Corn Stand will be selling at the Des Moines Downtown Farmers' Market starting on July 1 and is opening its stand for business on July 3 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Penick's plans to close for the season in late August.

Price: $8 a baker's dozen

Location: 69 U.S. Highway 65, Indianola

Grimes Sweetcorn

Grimes Sweetcorn has set a tentative opening date for July 3, and will put a firm date on its website as soon as it's set. Grimes Sweetcorn has a variety of locations, as well as the farm "where it all started".

Price: Ranging from $8 to $9.50 per dozen

Locations:

  • The Farm: 9780 NW 121st St., Granger

    • Daily, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • Ankeny South: 849 S. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny (in front of Keystone Church)

    • Monday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

  • Ankeny North: 717 E. First St., Ankeny (O'Reilly Auto Parts parking lot)

    • Monday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

  • Urbandale: Corner of 86th St. and Meredith Ave., on the northwest side of the intersection

    • Monday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

  • Urbandale: 6501 Douglas Ave., Urbandale (in front of Rieman Music)

    • Monday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

  • South Des Moines: 3400 E 14th St., Des Moines (Mister Car Wash parking lot)

    • Monday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

  • East Des Moines: 2545 E Euclid Ave., Des Moines (in front of Walgreens)

    • Monday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

  • West Des Moines: 104 1st St., northwest corner of 63rd Street and Railroad Avenue (Iowa Lumber & Construction Co.)

    • Daily, 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

  • Grimes: 309 First St., Grimes (former Corn Patch Restaurant, west side of the parking lot)

    • 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

  • Indianola: 508 N. Jefferson Way, Indianola (Fiesta Jalapenos Restaurant parking lot)

    • Monday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

  • Johnston: 5935 Merle Hay Road, Johnston (Dollar General store parking lot)

    • 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

  • Norwalk: 1021 Sunset Drive, Norwalk (Dollar General store parking lot)

    • Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  • Perry: Highway 141 and 1st St, Perry Business Plaza parking lot, near Orscheln and Kwik Star

    • Daily, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

  • Waukee: 1085 E Hickman Road, Waukee (near Hy-Vee at Alice's Road and Hickman Road, northwest corner of the intersection)

    • Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Deardorff Sweet Corn

Deardorff will have at least one of its stands open starting Monday, July 3.

Price: $9/dozen or $0.75/ear

Location: 705 Ferry St., Adel

Fresh Thyme Market

West Des Moines' Fresh Thyme Market sells locally grown sweet corn for the summer and is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Price: 88 cents an ear, $3.99/4 pack

Location: 2900 University Ave, West Des Moines

Other local grocery stores such as Hy-Vee and Fareway are currently selling corn on the cob, both by the ear and in multi-packs, but it is not Iowa grown. These stores are expected to be selling locally grown corn within the next two weeks.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Sweet corn will be sparse for the Fourth of July. Where to find it.