Can you hear it in your head like an earworm…Ho, Ho, Ho, Green Giant? If you don’t already, you may after this post. Last week I wrote about my week of experiences in a Mitsubishi Outlander CUV. If you missed it, click here. I wanted to take a short day trip out on the highway to see how the car would perform, so I studied up on Blue Earth, Minnesota.
I have my own mini, Green Giant, and thought a trip out to see the real Green Giant would be fun.
We loaded up into the car, including my Green Giant doll, and hit the highway. In about two hours we arrived at the Green Giant himself.
Alright, I know I’m no Great Dane, but I’m a decent sized dog. Boy, did I feel like a mouse ant up against this dude! He is fifty five feet tall! My plastic toy giant is just a joke in comparison!
Katie did not ride along on the trip. Car rides are getting harder for her with her arthritis, so it was just Bailie and I. Bailie was a bit intimidated by the size of the Green Giant.
The original idea for the Green Giant as a marketing tool started in 1928, so he has been around for a long time. At first he wasn’t well received when used for marketing as children were scared of him. It wasn’t until he started saying “Ho, Ho, Ho” in 1961 that the kids warmed up to him. The actual Green Giant statue is made out of fiberglass and was completed in 1978, but not put up permanently on this pedestal until July 6, 1979. They say about 10,000 people stop by to see him every year. I climbed up to sit by his feet. Look at how tiny I am! Bailie was too scared to go up, so it is only me you see, behind the bars.
Now one last look at this Giant and then we were off to the races in our Mitsubishi Outlander.
Do you remember the Green Giant had an apprentice? Back in 1972, Little Green Sprout appeared. The large Giant took him under his leafy boots, and taught him all about produce and gardening. We were lucky to meet up with Little Green Sprout at a gas station on the edge of town. I guess things aren’t going well for him with veggies these days, as he was peddling Jelly Belly and Fudge. Oh well, at least he has a job and seems happy.
We found one more point of interest on our little excursion, the I-90 Golden Marker. Planning for the I-90 started in 1958 with President Eisenhower. The I-90 stretches from Boston to Seattle and is the nation’s longest and northern most east-to-west, coast-to-coast interstate. At 70 mph it would take about 44 hours to travel the entire length. The I-90 was completed in 1978, when road crews coming from the east and west coasts met at this mid point just outside of Blue Earth. Reminiscent of the “Golden Spike” that symbolized completion of the nation’s first transcontinental railroad in 1869, officials arranged to tint a small section of I-90’s pavement gold. Most of the gold is long gone, but we managed to snap a quick shot of colored pavement while speeding along. We also stopped to see the plaque with all the information on this historic point.
Funny, no matter what photos we took on this little trip, I look so small! The weather was dreadful, lots of clouds, fog, and occasional rain, so everything is a bit drab. The next day, the area was hit with a snowstorm, so we were glad we even got to make the trip.
What a fun day trip thank you for sharing I has fun following along. We have a mini green giant at a farmers market near us he is only about 10-12 ft tall. My friend works in a polystyrene place that used to make statues way back.
That one would be more the size of the Little Green Sprout!
You had a pawsitively pawsome dsy trip. I think I would have liked Little Giant better – that BIG dude is scary. Cool history about your I-90. We are about 3 big lots away from I-95 here in Florida. Oh, BTW, the mom keeps humming “In the valley of the giant…” I think she has that tune stuck for the day. XOXO Sparkle the PBGV
Sounds like your mom got the earworm π The big guy is scary and not really fun looking.
That looked like a great trip and we loved seeing The Green Giant as it reminds us of our childhood. Have a marvellous Monday.
Best wishes Molly
Ho, ho, ho…my Mom loves her Green Giant memories too.
What a fun trip to take! The Green Giant is one big dude! We like the little guy better! He is much cuter π
The little buy is definitely more approachable.
Wow what a great trip π
Short but fun.
Ho, ho, ho what a trip! I’d forgotten about Little Sprout…he must have been more your size.
Little Sprout was much more friendly and down to our level.
I remember little sprout. I wondered what had happened to him. Fell off the veggie wagon.
I guess he never really got into veggies like his mentor. At least he seems happy peddling candy these days.
OMD! You got to meet the Jolly Green Giant AND Lil Sprout?! I LOVE the Lil Sprout. From the valley of jolly, ho-ho-ho, Green Giant! That is soooooo cool!
That valley starts about an hour from my house π The big guy is rather intimidating, but Bailie and I love little sprout.
What a fun road trip and some very interesting facts about the Green Giant!
Ho, ho, ho, thank you!
OMD they really exist, I guessed it! Thanks for visiting green giant and little sprout, now I know that they are still alive :o9 btw: do you thing green giant can buy his shoes in a common shoe store or has he to look in a boat shop?
I think he has to make the shoes himself as the feet are so large. They are all made of leaves!
Wow, that is cool. I have heard of the green giant, did not know he had his own monument!
Yep, he is big in the area because it is where Green Giant the company is from.
How did you go up so high? Lilly would have been scared like Bailie. I probably would have gone on up –were there stairs? Great post, Emma! your doodle friend Dash
The stairs are behind where I’m standing. Bailie took two steps and then refused to do anymore. It was kind of weird being up there and under such a big green guy.
The mini-giant seems like a much more approachable fellow. Plus he has better treats.
Being a dog who isn’t wild about veggies, I prefer Sprouts thinking on the snack end too. But, it was nice to meet both of them.
OMD you saw the REAL Jolly Green Giant….. AND SPROUT… That is soooo cool.
We know that when Eisenhower came up with the Idea of the Interstate system… he mandated that every so many miles they MUST be made FLAT and LEVEL…. so that if ever needed…. military Plans Could safely LAND and take off from all areas of the USA.
We Loved learning about the Golden “SPIKE” location for I-90 Wonder if there is such a spot for All the Interstates? Facinating..
THANKS … we love posts like this.
Thank you. We had no idea about this meeting point until I did my research on cool things in the Blue Earth area. Not sure if other highways have such a thing, but I doubt it as they compare this to the golden spike from the railroad in the 1800’s. We didn’t know about the ability for planes to land, interesting, thanks for mentioning it.
yikes! Hope you screamed and yelled at that thing
Snorts,
Lily & Edward
Are you kidding? I was a quiet, well behaved girl…don’t want him to step on me!
That is some big green dude!
Giant I would say.
Thank you for all the interesting facts! We also loved the segment about your nose. Really interesting!
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed both posts.
He is one big giant you wouldn’t want him step on you that is for sure.
I would be a goner if he stepped on me!
HO HO HO! Wondered what happened to Sprout all these years. I always wondered where the valley was – now I know. Pretty awesome, Emma. I ALMOST wish I lived up onrth so I could see all the neat places you get to.
Trust me, in the “Green Valley” there isn’t a whole lot of stuff to see besides the three sites we took in. The entire drive is pretty much field after field π
It was a bit drab without snow! We also thought it unusual with the Green Giant statue and Blue Earth in blue underneath, it kind of clashes! And so interesting about I-90 as that runs through Chicago. Mom’s best Green Giant story is when she was at an antique store with her mom they were selling a vintage stuffed GG toy that you made from a kit ordered from a cereal box or something. She can’t remember but she did remember ordering it, sewing, stuffing it and playing with it. It coast $50 in the store, she couldn’t believe her mom just threw it away!
The weather was real dreary, but it was the day we planned to go, so we went. Not sure why Blue Earth is blue, the giant is green, and the museum is red. I was only doing my job to report what I found, they never asked my opinion on the “decorating”.
Wow. He is huge. Weren’t you worried he’d step on you? o.O
I wasn’t too worried, but Bailie sure was.
Whoa, I didn’t know that there was a statue of the Green Giant! What a cool photo op! And that’s too funny about the sprout… lol.
Poor little sprout. We liked him much more, but I guess he is kind of out of the picture these days.
Wow, they weren’t kidding when they named him Green Giant, were they? I had forgotten about the Little Sprout. I’m not sure it’s a good thing he’s now peddling candy….doesn’t seem very healthy! π
That looks like it was a fun road trip, and glad you were able to get it in before the snow came!
I’m not a real veggie lover, so I totally understand him peddling sweets. I would rather peddle dog treats if it was up to me.
Holy fluffy, that giant would even make Mauja and Atka feel small!
He is huge! I know why they call him a giant!
Oh wow! That green giant is huge! I had no idea there was a statue of him! What a fun trip!
There is also a massive billboard with him in another part of “the valley”, but we didn’t pass by it.
Wow, dat green dude really are a giant.
I’ve never met such a huge being before. Even elephants would be small for him!
You have THE coolest experiences!! That green dude is HUGE! BOL! xo Chloe and LadyBug
We like to have fun and sometimes experience the “odd” stuff.
I remember Sprout. It is funny he went from veggies to candy….lol. Sounds like you had a fun trip despite the weather.
I support Sprout all the way. Candy is much more fun than veggies!
Sorry to hear the weather wasn’t great, but I bet you still had a fab time!
α¦ husky hugz α¦ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
I think the photos would have been much nicer with some sunshine and blue sky, but it wasn’t meant to be that day.
I remember Sprout! (does that make me old or what?)
My mom remembers Sprout too. I think Mom is pretty old, so not sure what to tell you π If it helps, Katie is really old and she is 12 1/2.
I remember the giant, the sprout and the “Ho, ho ho.” I had no idea there was a statue though.
There is this statue and there is also a huge oversized billboard of him on a different road, but we didn’t go by it this trip.