indian Corn

[CrealCritter]

My neighbor from up the road brought me a grocery bag of indian corn. He said it's late maturing so I could plant it the same time as my sweet corn and it won't cross. I've seen his growing and it gets pretty tall.

But beyond being pretty for fall decorations, is it good for anything else? Maybe my chickens might like it? Could I grind some up for cornmeal maybe? I like the red and purple colored ears the best so I think I'll plant just those seeds maybe it'll stay true to color?

 

[HomesteaderWife]

I am late to the party here, so I know this is late to say but be VERY careful because planting at the same time doesn't mean the corns won't cross. We've had Bloody Butcher (a red dent Native American corn) cross with sweet corn before, and we wouldn't save seed from it. The sweet corn pollinated first, but as it was finishing the Bloody Butcher had started and I knew once the ears began to develop that they had crossed. It made for pretty, multicolored table decorations for Fall and obviously good animal feed too. We ended up with purple, orange/red, red, white, and yellow in the mix. For reasons like this, if we ever have something we want to save seed from, I usually plant one variety.

AS FOR GRAIN MILLS, let me say I do not recommend the aluminum Weston ones. We purchased this: https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/weston-corn-and-grain-mill
We put a few test rounds through it even after having to buy the food grade silicone spray to coat it separately. We continuously had flakes of metal in that corn meal, and it also had a very hard time crushing the corn. If it's something you're really interested in, make the investment for a better mill, or see if there is a local grain mill around that will do it for you.

With corns like this, make sure your husks are dry before picking (most are usually that tan/brown color). If you try to hang or store them up too green, they'll sometimes mold. The risk of leaving them on the stalk is deer, but, from experience we just like to leave them on til dry. (The benefit of TALL corn varieties is height advantage on the deer, though they're prone to blowing over in a storm if not blocked from wind).

Finally, there are ALOT of varieties out there of Indian corns. It's extremely fun to try a new variety each year! There's cornmeal, feed, and decorations/crafts that can be done. Some corns are good for roasting when they're young and in the milk stage. Best of luck with your growing, and keep us updated. Hopefully this helps a bit!

P.S. Here are some corn kernel necklaces we made with the crossed Bloody Butcher/sweet corn. It makes for fun family crafting during the Fall!

 

[CrealCritter]

Out of what I picked so far only one purple and pink ear. My daughter in law and daughter both wanted that ear so bad. But even though I love em both to death, I had to say no. I'm going to plant those seeds next year with hopes to get more purple and pink ears.

 

[baymule]

It makes a light bluish meal and cornbread. I guess you could sift out the outer colored part of the kernel. I picked out red kernels, got a pinkish flour and still got a bluish cornbread!

 

[CrealCritter]

Here's a pic of my little Indian flour corn patch. It's intentionally 2 weeks behind my sweet corn patch to hopefully eliminate the possibility of crossover.

 

[CrealCritter]

Ok to make matters easier I removed the kernels off the cobs by hand. Since most everyone likes the various shades of red and purple - I have them in a separate baggie

Red and purple 1lb 6 oz per our kitchen scale.

The other colors 2 lbs

I'll go and get some small padded envelopes this evening and send a little under 13 ounces of each to you. So you will receive 2 padded envelopes from me.

So far I have:
Sumi
Frustratedearthmother
Milkmansdauguter - but she already picked her's out when we met.

Is there anyone else that would like some of this Indian Flour Corn? I think I have enough for just one more person.

Thanks

 

[CrealCritter]

If you haven't fed it yet - I'd love to try some!

I'm going to make garden space for a lot of corn next summer! Looking forward to growing it again, thanks so much @CrealCritter

FEM - Here are your USPS tracking #s.

Sumi - Here are your USPS tracking #s.

You both will receive 2 orange padded envelopes from me of indian flour corn seed. One envelope is multi colored kernels that we're on the cobs and the other envelope is just red & purple kernels on the cobs. I think I sent you both enough to get a good little corn patch going next year.

I sowed 2 kernels in each hole about 8" apart and about 3 inches deep, in rows 3' apart. I pulled the weaker of the two when they got about 6" tall so i had just one plant about every 8" or so and they seem to be growing well. Remember... this corn gets a good 8' tall so plan accordingly, so it don't shade out the rest of your garden.

Thanks for taking some of this Indian flour corn

 

[CrealCritter]

No worries and no need to apologise! The PO should've sorted this with you when you went to post it. Strange that they didn't actually.

Well that what I get for dealing with a bunch of crealbillies -:lol

The Post Master probably thought it was being mailed it Ireland Illinois which there is no such town or city. I'm probably the only one ever from creal springs to mail a package to the country of Ireland, let alone two packages, Lord forbid... The Post Master must have been all confused (not uncommon for creal springs). I'll get to the bottom of it tomorrow though.

You gotta remember, when I said I live in the middle of nowhere, I wasn't lying, I really meant that I'm past bum f--- Egypt. I was talking to my wife a few nights ago and we're are thinking seriously about moving even deeper into the woods and really far past bum f--- Egypt. I would like to live on a dead end gravel road, where we are the only ones on the road, only one way in or out. She agreed whole heatedly.

 

[CrealCritter]

Indian flour corn is well over 7' tall, if not 8' and just now starting to tassel. Easiest corn I've ever grew, all I've done is weed it twice.

It doesn't like much water, you can see the shorter stalks are on the low side of the garden where it's wetter.

I looked and didn't see any ears starting to form yet so it's got a few more weeks to go before it comes into full pollination.

My sweet corn is done polinating. I'm just waiting on the ears to swell. Should be sometime next week and we should have fresh sweet corn I got the battery for the electric fence good and charged. Right now my sweet corn is a racoons delight. My electric fence does a good job of keeping the racoons out.

 

[Britesea]

Hard to believe that comes from THIS