Bear Island Flint Corn

Dolly Potts, Agricultural Intern

24 May 2017

Zea mays (Bear Island Flint Corn) is the corn I will be helping with during my internship at SDI. I will be working on the Agricultural Research Project as an assistant. My duties include research and use of traditional Menominee gardening methods. My mentor is Rebecca Edler who is head of the project and is working with UW Extension. We have staked off the ground for the corn plot and have done a burn for it creating charcoal to add to random sections of the plot. Fish emulation, conventional fertilizer and non-treated will be the treatments to the other plots.  Following are some highlights of Bear Island Flint Corn.

Yellow, pink, white, red and blue striped kernels on 5 to 6 inch ears.

Rare and heirloom from 1925.

Maturation: 85 to 93 days

Corn is pollinated by the wind.

Originally domesticated by Mesoamericans, corn is a staple food with many other traditional uses. Home gardeners love to grow corn, and there are many varieties suited for different climates. The seeds are planted 1 inch deep in rows or clumps. Corn needs rich soil, full sun and adequate moisture to produce good ears. The plant grows six to 10 feet in height and 2 feet width.  

                                   

In celebration of planting our initial crop of Bear Island Flint corn for the Agricultural Research Project. We at SDI are honored to host Traditionalist Leslie Teller sharing the Green Man story. Please join us, bring a dish to pass and your dish bag to help the environment. No dish bag that’s fine, bring your appetite.

 SDI Planting Potluck

Where:  Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) Building

                      N 172 State Hwy 47/55   Keshena, Wisconsin

When: Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Time: 3:30 pm