MASON CITY, IA - This 4th of July weekend, there's nothing more American than a big family picnic.  Around here, that means buttering up a golden cob of corn.  But this year the beloved vegetable is tough to get a hold of.

Area farmers said soggy fields and a cold spring delayed planting.  Plus flooding has damaged many crops.  Now they're saying it could be several more weeks before you'll be able to fill up on locally grown kernels.

We at KIMT went in search of some sweet corn, and found out it's pretty hard to come by.  But what's not hard to find is folks who love the vegetable, and will do just about anything to get their hands on some of it for the fourth.

In the Midwest, corn is king.  But we asked people, which state reigns when it comes to the best of the golden grain?

Young sisters Maddie and Gracie were split - one said Iowa grows the best corn, the other wants hers from Minnesota.  A seller in Minnesota said he of course preferred his corn from Minnesota.  Down in Iowa, it's hard to find anyone who doesn't pick their home state.

But whatever side of the debate you're on, chances are you'll be disappointed this 4th of July.  That's because the corn on your plate isn't from Minnesota or Iowa.  It's actually from the Peach State.  That's right, we're talking about Georgia.  Every day truckers drive the Midwestern staple up from the Deep South to Minnesota and Iowa.

We asked seller Brendan Bryant if people realize the corn they're buying isn't locally grown.  He said a lot of people ask.  But the answer doesn't keep them from buying.

As Gerold Erickson put it, "my wife says, we're going to have steaks and sweet corn, you'd better find some.  And I said, okay."

And corn lovers like Erickson are willing to go to great lengths for their golden kernels.  He drove all the way from Saint Ansgar to Mason City for a dozen fresh ears.

Erickson said he was excited to find someone selling corn.  He explained, "I went all the way to Rochester, Minnesota yesterday, and all the little towns and nobody's got any.  This is the only guy that's got it that I know of."

If Erickson wants more, it looks like he'll be on the road a lot for the next few weeks.  We called Bob Harrington, one of the biggest sweet corn producers in North Iowa.  He's hoping to start selling his corn in the next two weeks.  Minnesota growers are expecting to harvest their crops by the end of the month.

So for now, hungry mouths will have to make do with a tasty Southern substitute.  After all, it is the American way.