CORN
Corn is one of the world’s most important crops. Not only is it a vital food crop for humans and many animals, it is also used to make a variety of nonfood products, such as ceramics, drugs and textiles — it is even used as a fuel.
What’s in a name?
The word corn evolved from korn, an Indo-European word used to describe any cereal grain. When Europeans arrived in the New World, they called this staple grain “Indian corn” to distinguish it from the grains of the Old World.
Corn is also called maize. The word “maize” is thought to have originated with the Taino People of the Northern Antilles Islands (near present-day San Salvador). The Taino name mahiz meant “source of life.”
Way back when?
About 9,000 years ago, the people of what is now southern Mexico began to cultivate a grass called
teosinte, the direct ancestor of modern corn. Centuries of cultivation improved the maize crop, and gradually it spread throughout the Americas. By the late 1400s, Indians grew corn as far south as Argentina and Chile and as far north as Canada.
Christopher Columbus and other European explorers introduced corn to other parts of the world, and by the late 1500s, the crop was well-established in Africa, Asia, southern Europe and the Middle East.
Nutrition
Like most carbohydrates, corn is a rich source of starch. Corn is also rich in phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper and iron. But corn is not a perfect food. It lack amino acids, and people who eat only corn can suffer protein malnutrition. Thousands of corn varieties have been developed by farmers and scientists. Typical Corn Belt plants grow from 4 to 12 feet (1.2–3.6) tall. Most Corn Belt varieties bear one ear about 9 inches (23 cm) long per plant.
Stages of growth
It has been said that corn grows so quickly that on some quiet evenings you can actually hear it growing. Two or three days after a corn seed is planted,
roots are established. The first leaves emerge three to five days later. As the stalk grows taller, more and
more leaves form. Four to six weeks later, the tassel at the top of the plant and buds (ears of corn) develop. A period of rapid growth follows, lasting several weeks. The plant reaches full maturity about 9 to 11 weeks after sprouting.
Where in the world?
Today, corn is grown all over the world. The United States produces about two-fifths of the world's corn. The Midwestern states of
Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota are part of the U.S. Corn Belt.
Other important corn-producing countries include Argentina, Brazil, China, France, India, Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa.
Did you know?
Corn is produced on every continent of the world with the exception of Antarctica.
Corn leads all other crops in value and volume of production.
An ear of corn averages 800 kernels in 16 rows.
A pound of corn consists of approximately 1,300 kernels.
Your bacon-and-egg breakfast, glass of milk at lunch, or hamburger for supper were all produced with U.S. corn.
Corn is a major component in many food items like cereals, peanut butter, snack foods and soft drinks.
Corn is used to produce fuel alcohol. Fuel alcohol makes gasoline burn cleaner, reducing air pollution, and it doesn't pollute the water.
Sweet corn is harvested in the milk stage, before it dries out.
Corn husk doll
Corn was used for more than food in early America. The husks were often braided into useful things, like rugs, baskets and toys. Below are instruction on how to make a corn husk doll. Helpful tip: If you are using fresh husks, dry them between paper for a day or two. Soak very dry husks in warm water for 10 or 15 minutes until they are soft, then dry them; a doll made with wet husks will crack and fall apart later.
Materials needed
• Several corn husks
• Scissors
• Small foam ball
• String
• Pipe cleaners
Step 1
To make the head, take a bundle of three or four corn husks and tie them over the foam ball.
Step 2
To make the arms, wrap a husk around a pipe cleaner and tie it at each end.
Step 3
For puffy sleeves, measure and cut a husk to 3 by 4 inches. Tie it about 1 inch from the end of the arm piece. Pull back the husk, leaving a puffy gap, and tie it tightly to the arm.
Repeat this step on the other end for second sleeve.
Step 4
Tuck the arms under the headpiece and center the head between the arms. Tie the husks below the arms to make the waist.
Step 5
To make skirt: turn the doll upside down and tie four husks around the waist. Flip the doll right side up and smooth down the skirt. If you want the doll to have pants, divide the husks into two sections and tie at each ankle.
Step 6
Tidy the edges with scissors.