052
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052
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An annual corn husking contest was held every year in the early 1900's. The last one I was to observe was in 1932, at York Nebraska, Verna and the family were living in York and I would come from Lincoln on week ends, This contest was to be the last, for the year. The Nebraska Champion Cornhusker, would be crowned at the end of the day.
In the fall of 1932 I wanted to earn a little extra money for school. A farmer had an ad in the local paper for a corn husker, so I called for more information. He was paying 2 cents a bushel, and he would furnish the team and wagon. This sounded O. K. to me, so the next morning, I went to his farm. I harnessed the team, hitched them to the wagon and went to work. I had my lunch with me and took only a few minutes to eat. By nightfall I had filled one wagon and half of another. By the time I had unloaded the last load I was a wreck, my hands were sore, my back ached and I could hardly stand up straight. I had worn out a pair of husking mittens that had cost me 25 cents, and I had a blister on my right hand under the hook.
The farmer seemed to be pleased, he complemented me on my ability to handle his team, He was pleased that I was able to scoop the corn to the top of the bin. I had harvested 75 bushels. He paid me the $1.50 I had earned, and said he would be glad for me to come back next week. I had netted $1.25 for my day's work, and I needed money badly, but I never went back, I thought there must be a better way to make a little money.
Times are different now. a farmer pulls into his corn field with a $50,000 machine that takes four rows, it removes the husks, shells the corn and will fill 7 or 8 wagons in a day, but in the last few years many of them have gone broke, just as we did in the 1930's.
I have never husked an ear of corn since 1932, and I did find an easier way to earn a little money. I think I know why Nebraska is called the CORN HUSKER STATE, but why do they call the football team the CORN HUSKERS? I suspect sometimes when they get thru playing a game, they are as sore as I was when I husked corn in 1932.
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Metzger Memories
