Subject: Sweet-Corn - open-pollinated

From: "Michael Miller & Ute Bohnsack" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 8 Feb 1998 15:31:45 -0000

Hello there!

I was wondering whether any of you would know a source for open-pollinated
sweet-corn. To my astonishment the Chase organics catalogue ("The Organic
Gardening Catalogue")*** from which I always order my veg seed sells
exclusively F1 hybrids for sweetcorn this year.

I am trying to find a fast ripening variety (for good soil, not much
sunshine, west of Ireland) that I can hopefully further adapt to the
situation here over the years. There is no fear of cross-pollination as
nobody else here is growing corn.

Any leads, hints or indeed seeds (only need about 20)  would be much
appreciated, the latter of course re-imbursed.

Cheers,
UteB

*** ps: Another thing that worried me is that the catalogue contains a
growing number of organically grown veg. varieties (good!) with little
'registered trademark' signs behind the names (worrying!). Does that mean
it is going to be illegal to save seed of the these varieties?
If so that surely is the antithesis of what organic agriculture is about!

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 8 Feb 1998 13:45:37 EST

Native Seeds/Search in Tucson AZ sells many non-hybridized seeds including
corn.
They have a website. Practice using search engines.

Milo Clark
Berkeley CA USA

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 1998 10:04:02 EST

I assume that by corn you mean maize.

Johnny's Selected Seeds, Bountiful Gardens and probably Abundant Life (haven't
seen this year's catalog) offer open pollinated corn.  Also excellent
varieties from R.H. Shumway, though the strains are not always pure.  For a
much bigger selection, join Kent Whealy's Seed Savers Exchange.  If you don't
want to be a member, or don't want to wait for their catalog, get their book,
GARDEN SEED INVENTORY, Fourth Edition.  That has so many listings that they
have divided offerings into Corn/Dent (64), Corn/Flint 	(47), Corn/Four (62),
Corn/Pop (46), Corn/Sweet  (63), Corn/Other (17).  The figure in parentheses
is the number of VARIETIES offered.  Suppliers are listed for each of these
open pollinated varieties.

Dan Hemenway

For Mother Earth, Dan Hemenway, Yankee Permaculture Publications (since 1982),
Elfin Permaculture workshops, lectures, Permaculture Design Courses,
consulting and permaculture designs (since 1981), and now correspondence
courses via email.  One is now underway.  Next live program:  Paraguay,
8/10-22/98.  Copyright, 1998, Dan & Cynthia Hemenway, P.O. Box 52, Sparr FL
32192 USA. Internships available. [email-masked]  

We don't have time to rush.

A list by topic of all Yankee Permaculture titles may be found at
http://csf.colorado.edu/perma/ypc_catalog.html

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From: Scott Pittman <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 14:21:25 -0800 (PST)

>If so that surely is the antithesis of what organic agriculture is about!
Try 
Seeds of Change
1-505-438-8080

Native Seed Search
somewhere in Tuscon, Arizona
Scott & Arina Pittman
Permaculture Institute

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From: Scott Pittman <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 14:21:25 -0800 (PST)

Try 
Seeds of Change
1-505-438-8080

Native Seed Search

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From: "Guy Clark" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 20:45:18 -0600

Hey-
	You might also try: 	FEDCO Seeds
				P.O. Box 520
				Waterville, ME  04903-0520
				207.873.7333
They are the greatest seed company in the universe and they are
cooperatively run.  They have several different catalogues each year with
deadlines to get discounts and later deadlines for all ordering.  They have
a combination Fedco Seeds, Moose Tubers, and Organic Growers' Supply
catalogue which comes out in December; a tree, perennial plant and spring
bulbs catalogue; and a fall bulbs catalogue.  They have quite a lot of OP
stuff and a growing amount of organic seed.  Some of it is Plant Variety
Patented (PVP) which they dislike and disparage regularly.  Their catalogue
is very educational regarding classic plant breeding and the concentration
in the seed industry.  
	What may be good for the chap from Ireland is that they are essentially a
regional seed company; so they have a lot of stuff that is shorter season
or puts up with cool weather.  
	They have Ashworth (72) which is a  yellow variety corn, and Luther Hill
(82) which is a white variety corn.  They also have Japanese Hulless
Popcorn (72) which is what baby corn in stir-fries is made from, Strawberry
Popcorn (95) a maroon popcorn, and Calico Popcorn (105) which is like a
small Indian Corn or large popcorn.  It has seed ranging from red to yellow
to calico to brown to red to purple to blue to white.  Pretty psychedelic
actually.  They have a lot of other OP seeds so check them out.
	You might also try Seeds of Change in Decorah, Iowa. 
				
				Namaste',
				Guy Clark

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From: "Guy Clark" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 20:45:18 -0600

Hey-
				
				Namaste',
				Guy Clark