Uncommon Corn

(Page 5 of 5)

April/May 2004
By Barbara Pleasant  
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Dry weather is a big plus when the ears are drying, but if wet weather strikes and the ears are not quite dry, go ahead and harvest and shuck them (remove the husks). Then dry them indoors, using a fan to help complete the drying process. In naturally dry climates, you can store your corn on the cob in a cool, pest-proof place where temperatures are less than 55 degrees. In humid locales, it's best to store the dried ears or shelled corn in airtight bins, cans or pails. Never store damp corn because the molds that form are toxic to people and animals. No matter where you live, check stored corn often, because stowaway meal moths and weevils can do a lot of damage if not detected early. If you do find these pests, put your corn in a freezer for three or four days to kill them.

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Growing your own corn gives you better-tasting and more nutritious cornmeal, and it's an excellent, high-yielding crop for anyone who wants to be more self-sufficient. A small patch can be easily harvested by hand and stored for year-round use. You can also feed this protein-rich grain, along with the corn stalks, to your animals. Sheep will eat the leaves; cows and goats will eat the leaves and stalks.

MOTHER EARTH NEWS contributing editor Barbara Pleasant is a veteran gardening journalist who lives in North Carolina, near the Pisgah National Forest. During her research for this story, she discovered several exciting studies under way in New York, Wisconsin and Iowa; researchers there are evaluating OP corn varieties, corn flavors, and protein and healthy fat content of corns. Pleasant continues to follow these projects for MOTHER EARTH NEWS and will report on the findings when they are available.

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