This picture was taken  the first of June 2016 and it shows the Cherokee Nation’s protected vegetables.    We were fortunate that we are able to access the Nation’s Heirloom Seed Exchange.   The beans that are growing on the trellis are “Turkey Gizzard Beans”  the corn is “Yellow Flour Corn”, and the vines along the ground are “Basket Goards”.

Today we are going to talk about the Yellow Flour Corn.   This is one of the corn varieties that the Cherokee have cultivated for centuries.   The seed exchange also has White Flour Corn and White Eagle Corn.    The corn stalks grew to about 10 feet tall and the kernels are large with slender cobs.    We were able to harvest about five pounds of corn from the 4ft. by 8 ft. raised vegetable bed.

In a couple of week we will return some seed to the Seed Exchange and then we will grind the remaining corn in a food processor.    We are looking forward to making cornbread using the Yellow Flour Corn.