A squash, decimated by hail, at the Molnar Taber Corn farm. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko / Justin Goulet

UPDATED WITH PHOTOS AND INTERVIEWS

UPDATE: Crops wiped out at Molnar’s Taber Corn following Tuesday night storm

Aug 7, 2019 | 9:20 AM

BARNWELL, AB – Hail the size of golf balls wiped out nearly all of Molnar’s Taber Corn, a farm that includes a lot more than just corn.

Most significant, says Owner James Molnar, is anywhere from 480,000-600,000 cobs of corn and around 1-million pounds of pumpkins. The farm also lost nearly all of their squash, cabbages, peppers, tomatoes, and onions.

Pumpkin damaged by hail on Molnar’s Taber Corn farm. (Lethbridge News Now)

He knows that people were looking forward to Taber corn, but the season has come to a premature end.

“It’s done. There won’t be another dozen picked. I just looked at it this morning, and what is still standing that you can find as a cob is bruised to the point that, if you pull the husk back, it looks like creamed corn on the cob.”

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Prior to the storm, the family had picked around 80 bags of corn and brought it to their stand just outside of Barnwell Wednesday morning.

“It was nice to see how many vehicles were parked there. There was probably a line up of 40 people there waiting to buy what was left, and I actually started to cry at one moment because it’s pretty heartfelt,” says Molnar.

In the photo below, James Molnar’s son, Kyle, explained that the corn stalks were around eight feet tall before the hail storm. Afterwards, most are under two feet.

Molnar’s Taber Corn fields after the hail storm. (Lethbridge News Now)

The situation seen here largely mirrors the next-door Johnson Fresh Farms, which are largest corn growers in the area. More details here.

Environment Canada has confirmed that the winds in the Barnwell and Taber areas reached 146 km/hr. More details here.

Although we are just four days into the Taber corn season, Molnar says it is already done. What has been harvested will likely be bough in the next couple of days.

Typically, Taber corn is available for around a 50 day period.

He says the family is gearing up for a significant loss this year.

Squash field following hail storm on Molnar’s Taber Corn farm. (Lethbridge News Now)

“Yeah, we have insurance, but it basically comes up probably 15-20 per cent short of our costs.”

Molnar Taber Corn supplies corn and pumpkins for Lethbridge’s Safeway and Sobeys stores, as well as 20 grocery stores in Calgary.

Molnar is asking that everyone pray for the farmers in the area.

The Mennonite church in Barnwell following the hail storm. (Lethbridge News Now)