The Great Seed Corn Swap

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Thu, Jan 20, 2011 - 8:09pm
#1
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The Great Seed Corn Swap

The Great Seed Corn Swap

So this is a thread about doing a cooperative seed corn swap so we each can develop our own individual landrace lines. The idea is to get as many varieties of seed corn together in one place as we can, then divvy them up and ship em out to the participants who then plant them all in a block. The corn cross-pollinates and what you have when you save the seeds from all those different crosses are a thousand hybrids with genes from who knows where. The following year you plant your seeds and begin the process of selecting seeds from the plants you like best.

The idea is to develop a line acclimated to you and your plot plus lots of diversity so when AGW or too-expensive inputs throw you a curve, your crop has a greater potential ability to adapt than an inbred heirloom or commercial hybrid.

--- There aren't any rules, here are some thoughts:

  • I like the idea of experimenting with corn because it crosses easily - really easily! I am interested in experimenting with a field corn to use for meal/feed/fodder but we can swap any type you are interested in.
  • We can also divvy it up any way we want sweet/field, early/late, ?/?
  • We could do it by sending our own seed to one person or sending some bucks to buy a share.
  • I guess it doesn't matter how much you send or want back as long as that's how much you contribute - 50# sacks may be a little much tho ;^)
  • Maybe the best way to get the benefit would be to plant a dozen of your new "private Reserve" seeds in with 200 of your favorite heirloom to beef up the bloodline. I don't know. ???
  • I have a paypal if we want to do it that-a-way and I don't mind giving out my addy via PM if you give me yours.
  • There are a couple of other boards I could post this to too, to get our pool up.

I'm not sure of the cost, if we have enough people to buy fractions of a pound instead of packets it would be great, heirloom seeds are around 10¢ each before shipping in packets.

What else?

Anyone interested?

.

This is really good! (PDF)

Another guys page about landrace seeds

Thu, Jan 20, 2011 - 10:13pm
#2
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Re: The Great Seed Corn Swap

Pops wrote:

The Great Seed Corn Swap

So this is a thread about doing a cooperative seed corn swap...........

Anyone interested?

Yeah, I'm definitely interested; some of the reading I've been doing discusses the issue of the inbreeding of corn.  However, I'm still on the low end of the learning curve in regards to gardening/agriculture so I'm still struggling a bit. Last year was our second year trying to grow anything, and the first time that we tried corn. Out of the dozen seeds we planted, only two grew and they were pathetic. In their (and my) defense however, they were a last minute attempt to take advantage of the dwindling growing season and weren't planted until late August, much to late I think.

But, with some guidance, I think I can participate in this Great Seed Corn Swap.

Count me in.

Fri, Jan 21, 2011 - 12:44am
#3
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Floriani Red Flint

I don't have a place to grow corn, but I wanted to bring your attention to this corn that has enjoyed some successful trials.

It's an Italian Alpine land race corn designed for early harvests in about 100 days. Flints, with less water, apparently can survive cold better.

Floriani Red Flint
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Floriani-Red-Flint-Corn...

Poet

Fri, Jan 21, 2011 - 7:09am
(Reply to #3) #4
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Re: Floriani Red Flint

We have better than 40 bushels total of OP corn. Some is several generations removed from "J.reid" and "Wapsie valley", I'ld rate it a longer day corn than "Wapsie valley" certainly, and with less lodging problems than "Wapsie". However, it isn't the consistent yellow dent kernels that "Jreid" is faomus for.

Would deliver some for free local or allow pick-up, as I'm too lazy/busy to ship 

Robie,husband,father,farmer,optometrist (south central VA)

Fri, Jan 21, 2011 - 4:56pm
#5
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Re: The Great Seed Corn Swap

Thanks for the responses, you guys are the most interested group so far!

Earthwise, we sometimes plant corn in the greenhouse in plug- flats to get an early start. It's much easier to control moisture and temp and bugs. In fact we start all the new heirloom seeds we buy either in plug trays or soil blocks.

I'll bump this up for a couple of weeks to see if we can get enough people to make it worthwhile.

Mon, Jan 24, 2011 - 8:38pm
(Reply to #5) #6
Wendy S. Delmater's picture
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Re: The Great Seed Corn Swap

My first year gardening in the South was a learing experience. We haven't tried corn yet in our garden (SC). I knew it would take some effort to make corn work here on the border of  Zones 8/9 but am planning it next year.  Is there a variety or two anyone recommends? That new strain mentioned sounds promising.

I used to grow corn in NY and I was a member of a seed saver exchange up there. I'd like to be a part of this exchange and contribute to biodiversity.

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