{"product_id":"corn-seeds-flint-abenaki-calais","title":"Abenaki Calais Flint Corn \"Roy's Calais\" (Zea mays) Seeds – Vermont Heirloom, 8-Row Ears in Gold \u0026 Maroon, Short-Season, Great for Cornmeal \u0026 Hominy","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMinimum: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e20+ Seeds\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eA Vermont Heirloom Built for Short Seasons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eVermont summers are short, and the corn that survives there has to be tough and quick. Abenaki Calais Flint Corn, known as Roy's Calais, is that kind of corn, a Vermont heirloom with slender 8-row ears of gold and maroon kernels that ripen in a short season and grind into excellent cornmeal. Its name ties it to the Abenaki people of Vermont and to the town of Calais, and it carries a long northern growing tradition in every ear. This is an open-pollinated, hard-grain flint corn made for the cool-climate kitchen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho Grows Abenaki Calais Flint Corn?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe northern and cool-climate gardener needing a dependable short-season grain corn.\u003cbr\u003eThe home miller wanting flint corn for cornmeal, johnnycakes, and hominy.\u003cbr\u003eThe heirloom gardener preserving an authentic Vermont variety with Abenaki roots.\u003cbr\u003eThe seed saver wanting a hardy, open-pollinated corn that breeds true.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat This Vermont Heirloom Flint Corn Actually Is\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eZea mays\u003c\/em\u003e 'Abenaki Calais Flint' (Roy's Calais) is a Vermont heirloom flint corn with eight-row ears of gold and maroon kernels, associated with the Abenaki people and the town of Calais, Vermont. Flint corns have a hard, glassy outer layer, which helps kernels resist rot and insects and store well, and they typically germinate well in cool soil. This variety is a short-season type, bred to mature in the brief growing season of the northern states. Dried kernels grind into flavorful cornmeal, a New England staple for johnnycakes and mush, and can also be processed into hominy. As an open-pollinated heirloom, it breeds true from saved seed. Grown as a warm-season annual, not frost-hardy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn the Garden \u0026amp; Kitchen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCornmeal:\u003c\/strong\u003e Grind dried kernels into coarse, flavorful meal for cornbread and baking.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eJohnnycakes and mush:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cook fresh-ground meal into traditional New England johnnycakes and porridge.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHominy:\u003c\/strong\u003e Process hard kernels into hominy using traditional methods.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShort-season grain crop:\u003c\/strong\u003e Grow where a long season would risk frost before ears mature.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDecorative ears:\u003c\/strong\u003e Display gold and maroon ears in fall arrangements before shelling.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSeed saving:\u003c\/strong\u003e Save mature, dried seed to grow the same variety year after year.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowing Abenaki Calais Flint Corn Seeds\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStart method:\u003c\/strong\u003e Direct sow outdoors after last frost, once soil has warmed.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGermination:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sprouts in 7 to 10 days in warm soil.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil temperature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Germinates best between 55 and 85°F.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing:\u003c\/strong\u003e Space plants 8 to 12 inches apart in blocks of at least four rows for reliable pollination.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSunlight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fertile, well-drained soil supports the strongest stalks and ear fill.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWatering:\u003c\/strong\u003e Consistent moisture, especially during tasseling and ear formation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePollination:\u003c\/strong\u003e Wind-pollinated; block planting rather than single rows improves kernel fill.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e A short-season variety, typically ready in roughly 85 to 100 days from seeding.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e Let ears dry fully on the stalk, then harvest and finish drying before shelling.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIsolation note:\u003c\/strong\u003e Isolate from other corn varieties to keep seed true if saving for replanting.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Grown as a warm-season annual; killed by frost.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBefore You Close This Page\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is corn built for a short northern season, gold and maroon eight-row ears from a Vermont heirloom that ripens fast and grinds into excellent cornmeal. Abenaki Calais Flint Corn carries a real New England growing tradition into the garden, open-pollinated and easy to save seed from. Plant it after the last frost, give it a block and some sun, and let the ears dry on the stalk. Grow the corn that Vermont summers couldn't stop.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"terramatergardens","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54627700277566,"sku":"11673","price":3.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/8836\/7166\/files\/Untitleddesign-1567.png?v=1793674192","url":"https:\/\/www.terramatergardens.com\/products\/corn-seeds-flint-abenaki-calais","provider":"Terra Mater Gardens","version":"1.0","type":"link"}