Today’s feature will focus on various types of corn (maize) which have been grown for thousands of years and is cultivated worldwide. Much of the corn grown in Iowa is field corn, also called dent corn, because every kernel has a dent. (See photo below.) It is destined for livestock feed, ethanol, cereals, and many other uses.
A favorite summertime food is sweet corn, a variety that contains more natural sugars than other types of corn.
Indian corn (flint corn) might be red, white, blue, black, or multi-colored and is used by Native Americans for food. It is also often used for fall decorations. Note that it is not dented. See examples below.
Nebraska is the number one producer of popcorn in the country today. It contains water stored inside that expands when heated bursting the kernels. Shown are strawberry popcorn and several other varieties.
Pod corn, a heirloom variety believed to be a spontaneous mutation, is unusual because each tiny kernel is enclosed in a husk. It is not grown commercially but seed can be found if you wish to grow your own. See photo below.
