For the love of Corn!

What better a way to kick off the return of the blog for 2013 then with a story about corn.

This past year, here on Gabriola I was fortunate enough to join some really skilled farmers in a grain coop.  As we were just breaking ground we grew mainly buckwheat with a small patch of corn.  This corn we grew wasn't sweet corn, but a corn that could be used for flour, known as painted mountain corn.  To read more on the story of this open pollinated corn see here

This beautiful corn was hung up to dry this winter in my living room near the woodstove.  As it is time to start moving and get farming I thought I better prepare the seed by removing the kernels from the husk. Part of our grain coop also involves equipment sharing.  So, with the hand crank corn sheller seen in the pictures below I made quick work of my many cobs, creating a large container full of colourful kernels. 
From here, the kernels can be ground down or used for seed.

How fabulous to make your own cornmeal, no?  I keep on heading towards that homesteading dream. 

As for me, I am getting really excited for this season.  Onions and leeks are started, seeds have arrived, a new grow room has been built and next we will be constructing the new poly tunnel greenhouse. 
Yep, I think I may be getting the hang of this west coast growing season.

I promise to become a better blogger this season too!
See you soon.