Country Gentleman (Shoepeg) Heirloom Sweet Corn Seeds

This is a unique sweet corn with white kernels randomly arranged on the cob rather than in rows like most corns. It also has small yet very deep kernels with a lovely chewy texture and mildly sweet flavor. It grows on 6-8 ft tall stalks, is late to mature, and snaps off the plant easily at harvest time. Ears stay in the milk stage for a long time and are great for freezing or making creamed corn.This very old-timey sweet corn will give you the texture and flavor that people enjoyed before “supersweet” corns began to be grown in the mid-1900’s. It has the su-1 gene which arose through natural mutations among field corn grown by the Native Americans. Although the Natives mostly harvested field corn in the green stage for eating and drying, some also grew true sweet corn and passed it on to the American colonists. White sweet corns like this were grown before yellow types were introduced in the 1900’s.This corn is well-adapted to the northern mid-Atlantic region and is a great historical variety. Like other corns, it should be grown in blocks of at least 4 rows rather than in a single row, for best pollination. It can be spaced 10 inches apart each way if space is limited. It should be grown at least 300 ft away from field corn and other modern supersweet corns to prevent starchy kernels. 80-90 days from sowing to harvest. Seeds produced with hand-pollination for purity in Morgantown, WV. Germination 94% 12-3-2023.