They say nothing in life is free.

Well, whoever said that should come to Iowa, because we’ve got all the local sweet corn you can eat for ZERO DINERO.

It’s true – this afternoon Ben and I hit up the Adel Sweet Corn Festival boasting, you guessed it, all you can eat free sweet corn!

Set in the quintessential, small-town Iowa town square of Adel, Iowa,

the sweet corn festival celebrates Iowa’s best known crop with a two day festival featuring food, live entertainment, and

lots,

and lots, 

of FREE sweet corn! 

Does this happen anywhere else in the country?!

The freshly shucked sweet corn is steamed, then rolled down a conveyer belt to a holding tank.

It’s then transferred to serving trough where festival goers line up and request as many ears of corn as they want, as many times as they want. Corn for all!

After you get your corn, you head to one of the many "seasoning stations" that are setup.

Each station is well equipped with pump butter, spray butter, spreadable butter, salt & pepper, toothpicks (crucial) and TONS of paper towels. 

I kept it real with some spreadable butter and salt – you really want to let the candy-sweet corn shine through. MMMM!!!!!!

Fresh from the field!

Can we eat now?

Ben and I found a shady spot and assumed the position. Legs spread, body hunched over,

corn in the center. 

Roll your cobs around for even butter and salt distribution, 

then CHOW!

omg! Crispy, buttery, salty, SWEET! The best corn you’ll ever have!

Now, finishing your corn is awful for two reasons. #1: you don’t have any corn left. #2: you have to get creative with a toothpick. Ew. 

Common courtesy says you’ve got to turn your head when picking, too. It’s the right thing to do.

Privacy please?! Haaaahahahaha. 

We sat for a little while and agreed that, since it’s free, it’s only right to get a few more ears. I sent Ben back for the goods.

He said he was only going to get a couple more ears. 

Explain to me how, then, how he came back with…

FIVE more ears?! "They kept putting corn on my plate!" he exclaimed. Uhhhh-huh! Riiight.

Ben put himself into a corn coma at that point. 

HA!

You know you’re from Iowa when you nearly pass out from eating too much free sweet corn!

After three ears of corn, I was pretty full – but a $1 bag of kettlecorn was calling my name…so I answered.

It was pretty much the greatest thing ever. 

Crunchy, salty, sweet – YUM!

We left Adel in a sweet corn haze, but we’re determined to grill out tonight so we stopped at good ol’ Fareway on the way home to pick up some goods. 

Steaks for him (ok me too,)

and a movie for her – Remember Me with Robert Pattinson!! Although, it will be weird seeing him play someone other than Edward.

I’m not quite sure how I convinced Ben to get this, but I’m rolling with it!

Wheee – good day!