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| Color is approximate color of the kernels. Shape is approximate area and position of planted areas. Arrow is usual wind direction, important for pollination considerations. |
It has been a very casual breeding project. I started with an old, mid-Western variety named Silver Mine and a Pueblo Indian variety named Santo Domingo Blue. Then I kept selecting for large, pretty ears. When I saw particularly pretty ears at farmer's markets, I would buy them and add them into the mix.
Lately, I have been leaning toward selecting for white kernels and "flour" corn. Consequently, half of the planting was in white (with a few yellow) flour corn types. Yes, masa!
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| Two southernmost rows with the white kernels planted on the west half of the rows |
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| The next two rows from the south |
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| Next two |
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| Two northernmost rows |
Today I intend to make another attempt at planting snap-peas. I have a stretch of fence not otherwise penciled in for another crop. I intend to spray the furrow I plant the seeds in. Also, the soil is pretty dry. I soaked the seeds overnight to give them a jump-start on germinating. Maybe I can beat the wire-worms on this planting.
Handsome Hombre gets bored
"Hello Mr ERJ: Do you mind if I clean out your barn and get it organized?"
That was two days ago....
"Hello Mr ERJ: You have lots of scrap wood. Do you mind if I build shelves to help organize the barn?"
That was yesterday...
That blessing could turn into a curse if you don't keep it busy.
ReplyDeleteSouthern Belle will keep him busy this weekend.
DeleteI have lots of wood and deck screws.
I expect him to be employed by mid-week. He has his application in at several places. They are waiting for the criminal-background checks to come back.
Such is the world we live in.
Where do these kids get all that energy? Too soon old, too late smart... What I find encouraging, is his ability to take restlessness and put it to good use. That is a quality trait right there. Does he have any inclination to planting food??
ReplyDeleteMostly, he is letting me do my thing in the garden.
DeleteI do know that he gets a kick out of going into the garden and cutting onion greens and garlic greens for cooking.
Harvesting is a BIG part of gardening. Many times, this gardener runs out of gas just as the tsunami of produce arrives.
Google says your last frost is May 6 on average.
ReplyDeleteGeeeze that ain't fair.
I can't put in corn till the 20 th.
Google is wrong. Zone 5 has a last frost date of May 30
DeleteI work an online job from home and earn 185 dollars per hour. I never imagined I could do it, q1 but my best friend, who makes $15,000 a month at the job, encouraged me to find out more about it. This has limitless possibilities.
ReplyDeleteNow click Here —————> Dollars job
Flour corn! Awesome! Have you read Carol Deppe's "The Resilient Gardener: Food production and self reliance in uncertain times"? Its great, would not be without this book.
ReplyDeleteShe has bred OP flour corns (Magic Manna) and flint corns (Cascade Ruby-Gold), seed available from Nichols Garden Nursery. She even figured out a way to make cornbread you can slice for sandwiches - brilliant. She discovered during her breeding years that the different colors of the corn are best used for different purposes...whites for bread and cakes (yes, cakes!), brown for gravies, etc.
Got some seeds last year a grew for a seed increase. Got a goodly amount to plant this year, once we get a fence and solar electric fence unit set up. Hard to get any corn here a few hours north of you due to critters. And they especially LOVE this flour corn! Left one neighbors sweet corn and anothers field corn mostly alone, but ravaged to flour corn.