Way back before machines did most of the farming work, corn husking was accomplished by hand. Neighbors would come out to help one another and the harvest became something of a social event. Now that farms have been modernized, the harvest looks a lot different. But there are some dedicated folks who are keeping the tradition of hand husking alive in a fun way.

The Nebraska State Hand Cornhusking Championship is an annual event that pits competitors against one another to see who can husk the most corn in as clean and efficient a manner as possible.
Nebraska State Hand Corn Husking/Facebook
Competitors are taken out to the fields in horse-drawn wagons, just like in the old days. Each competitor has a certain amount of time in which to pick as many ears of corn as possible.
Nebraska State Hand Corn Husking/Facebook
But it's not just about picking an ear and tossing it into a bin. Competitors are expected to husk the ears as cleanly as possible and avoid leaving any corn on the stalks.
Nebraska Prairie Museum
Contestants are judged on the weight of their harvest and penalized for leaving too much of the husk on the ears and for missing ears during their harvest.
Nebraska Prairie Museum

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If you've never seen hand corn husking up close, you may be surprised at how interesting it is to watch. Everyone has their own technique that they've developed over time, and watching them grab the ears and toss them into the wagon is a spectacle that you shouldn't miss.
Nebraska State Hand Corn Husking/Facebook
The winners of the state championship will go on to compete in the national championship. Not surprisingly, plenty of Nebraskans have come in at or near the tops of their divisions in past years.
Nebraska State Hand Corn Husking/Facebook
The 2021 championship is being held at the Nebraska Prairie Museum in conjunction with the museum's fall festival.
Nebraska Prairie Museum
In addition to the corn husking championship, the event will include living history demonstrations, food vendors, activities, and much more for the whole family.
Nebraska Prairie Museum

The 2021 Nebraska State Hand Cornhusking Championship is taking place on September 25 at the Nebraska Prairie Museum just outside of Holdrege. Find out more about the competition and the rest of the festival on the museum’s website or the championship’s Facebook page.

Have you ever been to this unique fall festival? Are you a competitor? Tell us all about it in the comments!

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