4 All About Corn

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All About Corn by Christine Keighery Table of Contents Chapter 1 The History of Corn page 2 Chapter 2 Growing Corn page 6 Chapter 3 Many Uses for Corn page 10 Glossary/ Index page 15 Comprehension Check page 16

Chapter 1 The History of Corn Many scientists believe the first corn was grown in Mexico more than 6,000 years ago. Corn helped change how people lived. Before corn, people found food by hunting animals and gathering wild plants. People would move when there was no more food left in a place. And they moved often. But then people learned they could grow corn by dropping seeds into the ground. They became farmers, and moved less often. Aztec people sold corn in markets in Tenochtitlan almost 700 years ago. Tenochtitlan is now the site of Mexico City. Native Americans called corn maize (MAYZ) because it was important to them. Maize means "bread of life." Some Native American groups grew corn. They knew they had to settle in areas where corn grew well. So they picked places that had rich soil, water, and sunshine. Growing corn was hard work. People gained muscles as they planted and cared for the corn. The aroma of cooked corn filled their villages. These Native Americans planted their corn in the spring. Then they picked, or harvested it, in summer. They learned many different uses for corn.

Some Native Americans used corn to make bread, soup, and other foods. They would trade corn and use it as money. They often had festivals to celebrate the corn harvest. They told stories about corn and performed corn dances. Some Native Americans also used corn to make things. They wrapped the husks to make dolls. They wove the leaves into baskets. They used corn silk to stuff bedding. They even used the stalks to make roofs. Native Americans taught the early settlers how to grow corn. The settlers might have died without corn to eat. Corn was the main food for Native Americans. Colored corn is often used for decorations. It is a sign of the fall season. Corn Cares About 500 years ago, explorers took corn seeds from Cuba to Spain. Soon corn was grown all over Europe. But many people didn't like it. Some even thought it would kill them. They worried that the plant was poisonous! Today, corn is grown all around the world. Only rice is grown in larger amounts than corn. Farmers grow many different kinds of corn. Corn is not only yellow. It can also be red, black, blue, or white. It can even be striped, streaked, or spotted.

Chapter 2 Growing Corn Corn is part of the grass family. It is related to wheat and rice. Growing corn can be easy. The plants need sunshine, water, and protection from the wind. They also have to be protected from being eaten by insects, birds, and other animals. More corn is grown in the United States than in any other country. The area where the most corn is grown is called the "Corn Belt." The Corn Belt includes Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. It also includes parts of Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Kentucky, and Missouri. Corn Belt yellow husk silk cob kernels The husks and silk protect the kernels. The husks are smooth, not prickly. Corn grows from seeds. Farmers first plant their seeds in the spring. They carefully watch and water the crops. Then they wait for seedlings to grow. The seedlings sprout up in 6 to 10 days. Around two months later, the seedlings grow into strong cornstalks. Next, blooming buds appear on each stalk. Flowers sprout from the top to form tassels. In around two more months, there will be full-grown ears of corn. Finally, farmers harvest their corn. Some farmers have such large fields of corn that they have to use huge machines to pick their corn.

You can grow your own corn. Choose a time of year when the weather is likely to stay warm. Cold weather can kill your plant. Follow these steps. 1. Save an uncooked corn kernel from your dinner. This is actually the seed from which the plant grows. 2. Plant the kernel in soil in a flower pot. 3. Put the pot in a sunny place. Add a bit of water. A seedling will appear in around six to ten days. 4. Once a seedling appears, water your plant every day. 5. Transplant your plant into a garden. This will give it more room to grow. After that, keep watering, and watch your plant grow! 6. Look at your plant every day. When the silk turns golden brown, it's almost time to pick your corn. 7. Peel some of the husk back. Check to see if the kernels are ripe. The kernels should look like teeth. 8. Pull the corn cob out with its husk. Cook it and enjoy it! Fresh Off the Plant Corn should be eaten as soon as it is picked. Writer Mark Twain joked that you should boil a pot of water in a cornfield, pick the ears, boil them, and eat them right there.