From plot-to-plate in less than two hours, Fresno State’s always popular hand-picked sweet corn has arrived at the Gibson Farm Market — fresh and at the peak of its quality, sweetness and tenderness.
Contest kicks off Centennial sweet corn season
As summer nears, one question is on the minds of many valley residents, When will the Fresno State sweet corn be here?
The popular corn, sold at the Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market on the California State University, Fresno campus, is the focus of a new contest in which fans can guess the date the corn will be picked, delivered and sold.
Participants must send an email to Ganesan Srinivasan, director of the University Agricultural Laboratory, at gsrinivasan@csufresno.edu by Friday, May 27, with the subject line: Arrival of first corn: _____.
After the first corn is at the Gibson Farm Market, winners will receive a $2 coupon via email, good through Aug. 31 for six ears of corn. They must print out the coupon and original email to get their free corn.
In addition, all participants will be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift basket from the Farm Market, which will be announced July 9 at the fifth Farm Festival.
To help narrow down the date selection, the following clues have been released:
· The first corn of the season is expected to be picked June 1-15 and was planted on Jan. 29.
· The first white corn was planted on the southwest corner of Willow and Barstow avenues, while the first yellow corn was planted north of Barstow east of the Ornamental Horticulture Nursery.
· Fresno State’s first corn was picked June 13, 2006; May 28, 2007; May 29, 2008; June 1, 2009; and June 12, 2010.
This season’s crop has been named Centennial Corn in honor of Fresno State’s 100th anniversary during 2011, which was the year the crop was both planted and harvested.
For more information, contact Srinivasan at 559.278.4235 or gsrinivasan@csufresno.edu.
Gibson Farm Market adds President’s Blend coffee
(May 26, 2011) – President’s Blend – a medium-bodied, aromatic, smooth student-produced coffee selected by California State University, Fresno President John D. Welty from among three finalists, is new at the Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market on campus.
President’s Blend joins a line of student coffees commemorating Fresno State’s Centennial: Time Out Roast, Victor E. Blend, Bulldog Regular and Bulldog Decaf. Each 12-ounce package of ground or whole-bean coffee costs $9.95 and is available in three-, four- or five-variety boxes suitable for personal use or for giving.
President’s Blend has been selling very well since it hit the shelves just before Fresno State’s 100th Commencement on Saturday, May 21, said Dr. Ganesan Srinivasan, director of Fresno State Agricultural Operations who oversees the student enterprises that supply the farm market.
The coffees were chosen from dozens of experimental blends that underwent extensive testing, tasting and consumer studies by food sciences and nutrition students under the direction of Dr. Dennis Ferris. The Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition is housed within the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.
For the President’s Blend, Welty chose the coffee prepared by students Hytham Badr, Simin Chen and Angela Weber in a blind tasting among three finalists. The others were judged to be equally good and unique in flavor.
So the blends produced by Farah Falahi, Amber Hall and Min Zhang and by Xing Rui (Henry) Chen, Sovron Meas and Jason Smith were named Victor. E. and Time Out, respectively, to recognize the university’s live and costumed sports mascots.
Bulldog Decaf was developed by Theresia Lie, Phillip So and Jennie Xayavath.
“I am honored our students are commemorating the university’s Centennial with this Presidents Blend and the other new coffees,” Welty said. “It was a tough choice to make; each one tasted very good.
“I commend our students for their fine work and encourage our university friends and Bulldog fans to support them by trying these blends and proudly offering them to your guests.”
In partnership with Fabiano’s Coffee Roasting Co. of Fresno, students blended different high-quality, hand-selected Arabica beans to learn about artisan roasting, product development and sensory studies.
Under Ferris’ guidance, the students learned the art of blending and conducting a taste-off to arrive at a winning mixture with the various blends.
Bulldog Blend, the first Fresno State coffee, was introduced in February 2009 and is a favorite among farm market customers, Srinivasan said.
The Gibson Farm Market at Chestnut and Barstow avenues is open during the summer 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
For more information, contact Srinivasan at 559.278.2011 or gsrinivasan@csufresno.edu or check the store’s Facebook page for supply update.
For more information and the latest on what’s fresh in the market, call 559.278.4511 or visit the market website and Facebook page.
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