Matt Lambert: Making Corn Cool
By: Emma Alexander -
Missouri corn farmer, Matt Lambert, makes corn cool for consumers. Many people don’t realize how important corn is in everyday life. The Lambert family grows crops and raises sheep and cattle. Matt and his wife, Kate, creatively inform their community and promote agriculture through agritourism as they welcome visitors to Uptown Farms near Laclede each fall. Matt has gone beyond the farm gate as a member of the 2025 Race to the Plate Farm Team to share more about corn, one of Missouri’s top agricultural commodities.
More than Just Diversifying Income
Kate was involved in agriculture growing up in the country outside of Chicago. When she came to north Missouri, she recognized that many people in her rural community didn’t understand agriculture. Kate was driven to share and Uptown Farms began. “I know how to grow corn. Starting a corn maze was a reliable way for me to help with her passion project,” Matt recalls.
More than Just Corn Seeds
Long before guests arrive at Uptown Farms, Matt applies science as a farmer, experience as an entrepreneur, and a dose of creativity to develop a 4–7-acre corn maze.
“Many corn varieties are available. I select corn seeds that will succeed in our soil type, grow plants that will stay greener longer. The corn needs to grow tall but also have the strongest stalk to withstand wind,” Matt describes. “I learn new things from each new maze, and I design the maze myself with no technology.”
Matt has made advancements: he now uses graph paper for his designs. He etches his vision across the field using a lawn mower. “For our first maze, I didn’t mow the corn until it was already shoulder high. That was a mistake to learn from,” Matt remembers. Being the master designer also makes Matt the master mower (read about Kate’s mowing experience).
More than Just a Maze
Matt’s designs share original messages about corn and community. “One year I designed our Missouri highways, showing how corn moves across the state. Another year I designed a train, sharing how corn is hauled on rail. Each design celebrates our region, state, and industry,” Matt says.
The Lamberts recently revealed their 2025 maze design.
Want to Go?
Uptown Farms Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch is a family friendly, agritourism venue located near Laclede, Mo. Visitors enjoy curated fun, games, and food with old-fashioned, agricultural flair. Experience a real Missouri Family Farm! Uptown Farms is the home of Carol, the famous goat.
On the Farm with Family
The Lambert family grows corn, soybeans, and wheat. They raise beef cattle and registered fullblood Dorper and White Dorper sheep. The Lamberts’ sons, Mace (14) and Meyer (11) are excited to take part in the family farm when they aren’t attending school in Brookfield. The boys enjoy raising the sheep and showing them at local, state, and national levels. Mace and Meyer get a front row seat to the entrepreneurial effort it takes to succeed on the farm.
“They are taking an interest and lending a hand and that involvement is what helps them learn to think about the farm as a business,” Matt says.
Corn and Cardinals
As a member of the 2025 Race to the Plate Farm Team, Matt shares about corn with St. Louis Cardinals fans. Matt is no stranger to being a voice for corn policies or educating neighbors, but this advocacy opportunity gives him the chance to share with consumers how important corn is in everyday life.
“Most people think of ‘sweet corn’- the corn we eat. Corn plants are more likely to be Yellow #2 Dent corn which has lots of uses. Some corn becomes ethanol in cars. Some corn feeds livestock that becomes meat on tables,” Matt shares. “As corn is turned into ethanol, it produces important co-products, too, such as carbon dioxide (used to add the fizz to soda) and distiller’s grains which are an excellent protein source for livestock.”
President of Corn
As president of the Missouri Corn Growers Association (MCGA), Matt represents fellow growers during the organization’s national conference in Washington, D.C., known as ‘Corn Congress.’ This gathering proves how corn growers across the U.S. cooperatively develop a unified voice to advocate for their industry.
“Things that are a priority for corn growers in other states may not be a priority for corn growers in Missouri. We discuss these differences and agree on a solution that best represents the voice of all corn growers,” Matt says.
More About the Lambert Family
The Lambert Family are members of MCGA, Missouri Soybeans, and Missouri Cattlemen’s Association-all partner organizations of Missouri Farmers Care. Kate serves as a Senior Vice President of Marketing at FCS Financial, another partner of Missouri Farmers Care. Matt serves on the Linn County Soil and Water Conservation Board. The family attends Trinity United Methodist Church.
What is the Farm Team?
The 2025 Race to the Plate Farm Team is an advocacy partnership between the St. Louis Cardinals and Missouri Farmers Care. The Farm Team will educate baseball fans about agriculture through radio messaging, print advertisements, in-stadium videos, and social media content. Missouri Farmers Care’s Race to the Plate is brought to you by Missouri Beef Industry Council, Missouri Corn, Midwest Dairy, Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Pork Association, and MFA, Inc.
Linn County, Missouri
Agriculture, food, and forestry in Linn County contributes $108.1 million in total value-added products, supports more than 2,200 jobs, and adds $130.5 million annually to household incomes according to the 2021 Missouri Economic Contribution of Agriculture and Forestry Study. Crops represent 75% of the county’s agricultural sales according to the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture.
