Corn, Country Gentleman (Zea mays), packet of 50 seeds, organic

Richo Cech 6 Comments

Family:  Grass (Poaceae)

Annual.  100 days to maturity

(White Corn, Shoepeg Corn) Annual sweet corn is one of the best of all heirloom open-pollinated corns, dating back to 1890.  The plants grow very tall (8 feet or so) and make extremely long and weighty ears.  I personally can eat 6 “golden bantams” at a sitting but slow down after only 2 “Country Gentlemen.”  This shoepeg type makes kernels in zigzag pattern, not rows. I found that longer boiling times worked well–10 minutes at a brisk boil–due to larger mass of ears, and to make the kernels very soft, milky and sweet to eat. The plants require standard corn culture.  I would make sure to thin them to 18 inches apart, as they are big, and make big tillers.  Do not remove the tillers, that was an experiment I made and later wished I hadn’t.  This corn requires a lot of water to do well–I had low yield on a drought year and had many stalks with 2 large ears on a good water year.

50 Seeds/pkt, Certified Organically Grown

 

Corn, Hopi Blue (Zea mays), packet of 100 seeds, Organic

Richo Cech 2 Comments

Family:  Grass (Poaceae)

Annual.  90 to 110 days to maturity.

Traditional Hopi Blue Corn grown organically in seclusion on our farm.  This corn wants fertile soil and a full sun position.  Short form, averaging 5  feet tall, with multiple thick, upright stems.  A single plant often creates 3 ears, one large and 2 small.  Drought tolerant.  We have selected these from the standard type, choosing only the most vigorous plants, using only the biggest ears for seed.  Cultivation:  Direct seed in spring when soil warms up.  This corn is traditionally planted deeply–up to 6 inches deep.  Layer organic compost or composted chicken manure in the furrow, cover with a little soil, then drop in your seeds, cover with more soil, tamp, then water.  As with all corns, these should be grown in blocks of at least 3 rows per block, with rows 3 feet apart.  Thin seedlings to 24 inches apart in the row.  As the plants grow, heap soil around the  stems to prohibit lodging (that’s when the plants fall over in strong wind).  Keep weeded and watered. We generally undersow with crimson clover when the plants are knee high.  This conserves water, provides nitrogen for the corn, and improves the soil for the next crop.  When male tassels form, it makes sense to go through and shake the plants so that clouds of pollen fall down on the silk.  This assures full seed set.  Harvest when the ears swell with seeds and the silk dries back.  If dry, hot weather continues, harvest may be put off and the ears field-cured. If the weather turns cold and rainy, bring the ears in, strip off the husks and dry on screens in an attic or other warm space.  Remove kernels from cob after drying for 2 weeks or more.   We measured the yield at 10 lbs of dried, prime kernels per 75 row feet.  Grind for cornbread, tortillas, or use in chowder.  Save seed for the next year–this is an open-pollinated type that will come true from seed as long as it is grown in reasonable seclusion from other corn types.  Blue corn makes the tastiest corn meal.
100 seeds per packet, Certified Organically Grown

 

Corn, Golden Bantam (Zea mays) seeds, organic

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Family:  Grass (Poaceae)

Annual. 80 days to maturity.  Standard open pollinated sweetcorn on powerful plants that produce 2 ears per plant.  Corn bursting with broad, golden kernels.    Excellent old-fashioned sweet corn flavor.  This type is the original open-pollinated sweet corn and is preferred by many, which is partly due to the way it grows, and its general applicability to summer growing across the temperate zone, and is also a matter of taste.  This corn is sweet but not super-sweet.  This leaves room to taste some corn along with your sugar.  Can be planted in up to three successions for ongoing supply of excellent fresh corn for the table.  Corn prefers rich soil and full sun, regular watering.  Plant 1/2 inch deep and thin to 10 inches apart.  Side dress with chicken manure after the plants attain 6 inches or so.  Cultivate often to soften soil around plants and push the soil up around the stalks as they grow, to improve resistance to wind.  After the plants reach knee high, you can cultivate and weed them one more time and then scatter crimson clover seed under them and water it in.  This will cover the soil, feed the corn with nitrogen, and make it so you don’t have to weed again, all the way through to harvest.

Packet contains 50 seeds

100 g contains ~460 seeds

Certified Organically Grown

Corn, Painted Hill Sweet Seeds, Organic

Richo Cech 8 Comments

Family:  Grass (Poaceae)

Annual. 75 days and ongoing.  One of the advantages of this variety is that it ripens early and remains pick-able for a long period of time thereafter.  In one trial we planted May 6 and began eating hearty corn on Aug 8, a 92-day induction period.  A multicolored sweet corn that does well growing in cool soils and short-season areas, also performing fine in warmer zones with longer growing seasons.  Stalks 6 feet tall, ears 7 inches long, often more than one ear per stalk, kernels multi-colored red, purple, blue, yellow and white.  As a fresh sweet corn, the appearance of the kernels is less intense, and the color intensifies on drying.  This is a good, hearty, sweet, sweet corn that can also be dried for later use in soups and cornbread.  Corn prefers rich soil and full sun.  Moderate water.  Plant 1/2 inch deep and thin to 10 inches apart.  Side dress with chicken manure after the plants attain 6 inches or so.  Cultivate often to soften soil around plants and push the soil up around the stalks as they grow, to improve resistance to wind.  After the plants reach knee high, you can cultivate and weed them one more time and then scatter crimson clover seed under them.  The pictures illustrate.  The clover will cover the soil, feed the corn with nitrogen, and make it so you don’t have to weed again, all the way through to harvest.

Packet contains 50 seeds, weighing ~10 grams

100 g contains ~500 seeds

Certified Organically Grown