50-Year-Old Nutrient-Rich Black Corn

50-Year-Old Nutrient-Rich Black Corn CROPS Miscellaneous There are several purple corn varieties on the market but none of them are like Montana Morado Maize which is more black than it’s purple Dave Christensen has been working on the variety for 50 years Drought tolerant and bred for short-season production the unique corn’s nutrient content is off the charts Christensen moved with his family to Montana after his military service and he began raising corn for cornmeal He quickly discovered commercial corn couldn’t handle the dry growing conditions and short seasons of central Montana He also discovered that the corn most likely to survive an early frost had thin long cobs Over the next 15 years he worked to breed a line of corn that would thrive in his area He gathered seeds from more than 70 varieties grown by Native American tribes His work resulted in Painted Mountain a multi-colored corn that is high in protein and antioxidants as well as ideal for milling The Climate Science Center Pagosa Springs Colo describes it as one of the most widely adapted and genetically diverse corn varieties today It cites its impressive cold hardiness early maturing drought tolerance and ability to thrive at high altitudes Christensen has been supplying seed companies with Painted Mountain seed for more than 35 years Baker Creek Seed is one of the few that still gives him credit for the seed “It’s grown on every continent mostly by small farmers living in tough climates or on the fringes of farmable soil ” says Christensen “People rave about Painted Mountain for its soft flour which makes the best cornbread and tortillas ” While developing Painted Mountain he obtained some corn from the Navajo hoping it would be more drought-tolerant While that variety didn’t survive in Montana he was able to introduce its drought-tolerant genes into his breeding lines Several dark cherry-colored seeds in the Navajo corn caught his eye Over the next 35 years he added the color genes to those of Painted Mountain and selected for even darker kernels Today only 1/8 of 1 percent of the original Navajo corn remains and it’s this color “Many years ago a Navajo elder told me that black corn was the color of healing ” says Christensen “Today we know it’s loaded with many special antioxidants that aid in heart health and fighting many other diseases ” There are other Morado-type corn varieties available However his stands out “Montana Morado Maize is the only one in the world with two layers of pigment ” says Christensen “I think this is why it tests higher for anthocyanins than any others ” Montana Morado Maize matures quickly and productively yields astonishingly soft flour It’s a diverse open-pollinated corn that Christensen feels will adapt to a wide range of growing conditions It will produce dry grain in 90 to 110 days from planting and has produced a crop even in recent droughts He says the black corn is easy to grow reaching only 4 to 5 ft in height The ears are long and slender with eight uniform rows of shiny black kernels Montana Morado Maize is available under Christensen’s trademark “Seed We Need” through North Frontier Farms Owner and longtime organic farmer Ole Norgaard has partnered with Christensen for the past 17 years growing out the seed and helping select each new generation Montana Morado Maize is available in packages of approximately 135 270 and 540 kernels The price ranges from $6 50 to $21 00 The unique nutrient-rich corn is also available as cornmeal in several Montana stores and online or by mail One-pound packages are priced at $5 65 Contact: FARM SHOW Followup North Frontier Farms 475 Vixen Lane Shonkin Mont 59450 ph 406-403-4600; northfrontierfarms@hotmail com; www northfrontierfarms com

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