Customers came out in large numbers on May 25, to buy 34,521 ears of Fresno State sweet corn, the first day the popular product was available this year at the Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market (5368 N. Chestnut Ave.). 

First day totals included 21,038 ears of yellow corn and 13,483 ears of white corn. Each ear cost 50 cents per ear when bought individually.

More than 320 customers were in line when the store opened at 8 a.m., but the wait was barely over an hour at most thanks to a new outdoor shopping system for those only wanting to buy corn. The temporary outdoor mobile station also sold nearly 1,800 bags of pre-bagged ears that included 10 ears of yellow corn for $7. Corn was also sold inside the market with other student-made products from the University Agricultural Laboratory.

New shopping guidelines are in place this year due to the coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic. The new measures include: 

• Only one customer allowed to shop per bin at a time.
• Customers are asked to wear face masks while shopping, indoors or outside, per government guidelines.
• Customers are required to use sanitizer stations before they can pick corn out of bins at either location, and are asked not to shuck or peel back the corn, or put corn back in bins.
• Shoppers who want to purchase the market’s wide variety of Fresno State student-made products will be allowed inside in smaller increments in relation to government ordinances. Corn will be sold inside, too.
• The store requests that only one member per family shop at a time to help shorten wait times.
• Student workers continue to sanitize the store every two hours and wear face masks. Plexiglas sneeze guards have also been installed at each cash register.

To encourage customers to stagger their shopping, the market is operating on a seven-day summer schedule, and will be open each day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through the Fourth of July holiday.

Visit Fresno State News to read more about other products available at the Gibson Farm Market.