Heritage Corn

Call it corn, maize or maíz, this plant (Zea mays) has a long and important history in our region. However, many of us who grew up surrounded by fields of commercial corn know little about the vast diversity of color, flavor, size, shape and culinary uses of corn. Few know that corn is actually a grass, and that more than 12,000 species of corn exist. Nor do we realize the sacredness and cultural centrality of corn to many indigenous North American peoples, those who brought corn north from Mexico over 1,000 years ago. Potawatomi and Miami peoples traditionally bred and raised corn in Michiana, corn that exists today: white, steel blue, red, dark purple and more. 

Heritage (or heirloom) corn refers to open-pollinated (non-hybrid and non-GMO) corn that is grown, saved and handed down by families and communities over time. When saved and regrown, heritage seeds are “true to type.” On the other hand, hybrid corn and genetically modified (GM) corn are developed for high production but the seeds cannot be saved and regrown. Hybrid and GM corn threaten the genetic diversity of heritage corn, as their pollen (carried by wind) can contaminate heritage corn. 

Several local efforts are raising awareness and teaching how to grow heritage corn while avoiding cross-contamination. The online Michiana Community Seed Bank and the Michiana Regional Seed Swap are forming communities that share seeds and information about growing heritage corn. One project, called Rooting Through Corn, Planting Families, led by Zuleyja Prieto of Goshen, IN, is facilitating a network of northern Indiana families to grow plots of backyard heritage corn. 

Prieto and local participants received a USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grant to explore the challenges of growing backyard heritage corn, build a community of seed stewards, teach workshops about growing heritage corn in English and Spanish, and encourage heritage corn diversity. Look for a bilingual community event featuring the diversity of heritage corn in fall 2021 on the Rooting Through Corn, Planting Families Facebook page for an opportunity to see and taste locally grown heritage corn.