Fresno State News

The best-known product at the Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market — sweet corn — is back in season and goes on sale at 8 a.m. Friday.

Good news for the university’s many corn fans: this year’s prices are the same as last year.

Shoppers can buy three ears for $2 of both yellow and white varieties inside the Gibson Farm Market, 5368 N. Chestnut Ave., which also offers a variety of fresh, student-made products and campus-raised produce.

Two mobile purchase stations outside the north side of the store will accommodate opening-day customers who want to purchase pre-bagged corn in quantities of 10 ears for $8.50, while supplies last.

The first of 75 acres of sweet corn this year was planted on campus on Jan. 24. Additional blocks have been planted since to supply the market through the end of August. Daily supplies can vary, and customers can call (559) 278-4511 for updates on produce availability.

The history of campus sweet corn goes back to 1981 when a faculty member and students planted a test project on campus. In 1982, it was sold for the first time at the corner of Chestnut and Barstow avenues next to the 1,000-acre campus farm, making this year the 42nd anniversary of Fresno State sweet corn sales.

Extended Summer Hours

The market will extend its summer hours to a seven-day schedule starting Friday through the end of August. Daily hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.

Customers can enjoy a mix of campus-raised produce that includes apricots, cucumbers, cherries, green beans, peaches, squash, and strawberries. Watermelons, peppers, and tomatoes are expected to arrive in early to mid-June, and other commodities like table grapes will follow in July.

The Fresno State Winery is featuring three Chardonnay white wines that pair well with sweet corn and are made with grapes from award-winning vineyards in Carneros, Lodi, and Santa Maria.

Popular meat science lab products at the market include over 30 varieties of sausages, dried artisan-style salami and summer sausage, snack products, and popular meat cuts. New, chorizo-flavored beef snack sticks are available in the meat case, as well as popular summer sausage varieties that include street corn, pork Parmesan, pesto pinot gris, chicken enchilada, chicken parmesan, chicken apricot dijon, and chicken mild Sicilian flavors.

The campus creamery added a new flavor of Fresno State ice cream, butter pecan, to go along with the return of two summer favorites, peach and black cherry, among the more than 20 flavors available that are produced from campus dairy milk.

Select flavored almonds will be on sale for 40% off.

Baked Goods Too

Food science and nutrition staff will offer baked products and to-go meal items like cucumber salad, banana bread, challah bread, strawberry bread, zucchini bread, and cornbread muffins, featuring ingredients from the campus farm.

Fresno State’s live mascot, Victor E. Bulldog IV, will welcome customers from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m., and the Fresno State Alumni Association will share promotional items with alumni who check in at the information table.

More information on current produce and store specials is available at the Gibson Farm Market Facebook page.