A favorite with Maine’s organic dairy farmers, from Two Loons Farm in South China to Sheepscot Valley Farm in Whitefield. We tried other corn varieties and Wapsie bested all the competition in our sales numbers. Plant as soon as the soil is warm (at least 60°). While corn will establish poorly in cool soil, late planting decreases yields. Corn requires high fertility (plant after legumes in your crop rotation) and does not like to have wet feet. It competes poorly with weeds and requires frequent cultivation to perform well. Overseed white clover or annual ryegrass after the final cultivation to reduce the risk of erosion and discourage late-germinating weeds.
This variety is named for the Wapsie Valley region in Iowa, in turn named for the Wapsipinicon River. The name of the river in the Ojibwe language is Waabizipinikaan-ziibi (“river abundant in swan-potatoes”) on account of the Arrowhead plant, also known as Wapato, or “swan-potatoes”, found along its banks. Indigenous Royalties.
Corn has gotten a bad reputation because of the environmental damage caused by millions of acres of heavily sprayed corn monocropped in middle America, and the damage to public health caused by out-of-control corn subsidies. But you can grow corn responsibly in an organic rotation; in moderation it is a valuable part of the human diet; and it can be a boon to livestock growers seeking to meet their animals’ energy needs on limited acreage. ②
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