Corn Fed® was born from a story—literally.

In the early 1990s, my college roommate and I launched a black-and-white high school football recruiting magazine that looked like a small-town newspaper—just eight pages folded in half. Over time, that publication evolved into Top Recruit Illustrated, a full-color national magazine that hit newsstands across America, including Barnes & Noble, by the late 1990s.

In one of our 1998 issues, I featured a standout high school football player from West Lyon High School—Darin Naatjes. He stood 6’8”, weighed 240 pounds, and came from Alvord, Iowa, population 203. We photographed him standing tall in the middle of a cornfield, and I titled the article “Corn Fed.”

That one phrase instantly captured something much bigger than football—it embodied the strength, pride, and authenticity of the American heartland. Right then and there, I knew it had to become a brand.

In 1999, I started printing a few t-shirts and hats with the name Corn Fed. Later that year, I applied for the trademark, and just over a year later, Corn Fed® was officially registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

We eventually moved to Norco, California—known as Horsetown USA—a rural community rooted in hard work, family values, and small-town grit. The Corn Fed® brand quickly resonated with the local football team, neighbors, and nearby communities. Around 2005–2006, we secured the domain CornFed.com and launched one of the earliest online apparel shops—before social media and e-commerce had fully taken off.

Over time, Corn Fed® caught the attention of universities and agricultural organizations alike. We entered licensing agreements with the University of Nebraska, Iowa State University, University of Iowa, and a few others and were soon found in retail stores, several international airports, state fairs, rodeos, and even the inaugural Iowa Corn 250 Indy race. These efforts drew interest from organizations such as the National Corn Growers Association, state corn boards, and youth agricultural programs.

As we continued to grow, we discovered something that felt like the foundation of our brand’s identity. Back in the early 1900s, long before youth programs like 4-H and FFA existed, boys and girls in rural America joined local “Corn Clubs” or “Corn Growing Clubs.” The first of these was organized in 1902 in Ohio, and within just a few years, similar clubs had spread across the Midwest and South. These groups were the direct forerunners to what would officially become 4-H by the 1910s. Later, in 1928, the Future Farmers of America—FFA—was founded to further support agricultural education in schools. This deep agricultural heritage is part of our brand’s bloodline, and we believe that’s where the original spirit behind the phrase Corn Fed was born.

Like many American companies, we were hit hard during the Great Recession. But true to our roots, we didn’t fold. We fought harder, dug deeper, and emerged with a renewed purpose.

At Corn Fed®, we honor the spirit of those who work hard and live simple. That’s our motto. That’s our mission.

Go America! 

Casey Martinez - Founder, Corn Fed