Fans of Fresno State’s luscious sweet corn who are eagerly anticipating sinking their teeth into the first ears of the season won’t have much longer to wait — yellow corn will go on sale starting at 8 a.m. Monday at the Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market on Chestnut Avenue.

They will have to wait a bit longer for white corn, which will be available starting in early June, the university said Thursday.

And, to curtail the spread of the coronavirus, new safety measures will be in place to help keep customers and staff safe.

The sweet corn, which in past years has lured fans from all over the state, will be 50 cents per ear or $7 for 10 ears in a grab-and-go bag in the parking lot that’s available while supplies last.

COVID-19 Prompts Safety Measures

Longtime fans of Fresno State’s yummiest veggie will see some changes this year at the market on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, the university said.

Customers inside and outside will be asked to wear face masks and to clean their hands at sanitizer stations. Staff, who also are wearing face masks, will do regular cleaning inside the store, and Plexiglas shields have been installed at the cash registers.

Outside corn bins will be set up on the north side of the market, and one customer will be allowed to select corn at a time at each bin.

Customers are asked not to peel back or shuck corn husks to check out the ears (aw, shucks), and not put back ears they have handled.

Planning for Social Distancing

Corn also will be available for sale inside, but the number of customers inside the small store will be limited to maintain social distancing. Families are asked to send only one member inside at a time.

The store is also preparing for lines of customers, as in years past, but this year there will be predetermined spacing for customer safety.

The market will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week starting Monday through the Fourth of July.

So if you can’t get to the store on Monday, there will be lots of opportunities in the coming weeks — and lots of corn, since 70 acres of the University Agriculture Laboratory is devoted to growing it.