Very old, rare multipurpose flint corn of the Ojibwe (Chippewa) Nation in the upper Midwest. 8-10 ft. tall stalks are strong and highly-productive with little lodging on our farm. Multi-colored ears of yellow, red, white, pink, blue and striped kernels are beautiful and make a delicious cornmeal when ground for flour.
We consider this a "no waste" variety and an excellent use of available land -- ears make good fresh corn on the cob in the milk stage; supple green outer husks are good for tamales; mature stalks are excellent for fall decoration or chopped as mulch for weed suppression or mushroom substrate.
Here we mulch our Bear Island Flint Corn with straw, undersow with Ojibwe or Potawatomi beans, and inoculate it all with winecap mushrooms (Stropharia rugosoannulata) for reliably productive, sustainable, and multi-functional yields from the same beds.
Planting depth: 1.5 - 2 in. Plant spacing: 12 in. (1 ft.) Row spacing: 2 ft. Plant height: 8-10 ft. Days to maturity: 85-95
To improve pollination and seed set for fuller ears, plant in blocks of 4-8 rows, not in a long, individual row. Hill soil liberally around growing stalks to promote growth of stabilizing roots, if needed. Encourage small children to step carefully while running giggling through this "corn forest" and promise them first pick of the "giant" ears come fall.
