Corn facts.

History of corn.

1. Researchers believe that corn was developed by natives living in Central America at least 7,000 years ago.
2. Corn was developed by the Olmec, and Mayans, and was heavily traded in North, Central, and South America.
3. Corn was developed by the Olmec, and Mayans, and was heavily traded in North, Central, and South America.
4. Native Americans in North America introduced corn to early settlers, and saved them from starvation by trading with them, and taught them how to plant, and cultivate corn using fish for fertilizer.
5. Indians taught the early settlers how to make various corn dishes including corn bread, corn pudding, corn soup, and fried corn cakes.
6. The pilgrims ate corn at the first thanksgiving
7. In 1880, the U.S. grew about 62 million acres of corn
8. In 1900, the U.S. grew about 95 million acres of corn
9. In 1910, the U.S. grew about 100 million acres of corn
10. In 1917, the U.S. grew about 111 million acres of corn (most acres of corn planted in the U.S. ever)
11. Prior to 1940s, corn yields remained the same. Technological advances starting in the 1940s rapidly improved corn yields.

According the USDA, one acre of corn removes about 8 tons of carbon dioxide from the air, and produces enough oxygen to supply a year’s needs for 131 people. (source)

Farmers today grow five times as much corn as they did in the 1930s – on 20 percent less land.

• 1906 = corn yielded 31.7 bushels per acre
• 2008 = corn yielded 153.9 bushels per acre

12. Corn oil, which is extracted from corn germ, has high polyunsaturated fatty acid content and oxidative stability. Its largest single use is in bottled oil for consumer use, followed by margarine and industrial snack-frying operations.

13. Corn starch, which is derived from the endosperm of the corn kernel, is a mainstay of the corn refining industry. It has a wide range of industrial and food applications. Over 90 percent of the starch Americans used is produced from corn.

14. Parts of a corn plant.

Ear or Cob: protected by a husk of tightly wrapped leaves

Kernels: the plant’s seed and the part you eat

Husk: the tightly-wrapped leaves that cover the ear of corn

Roots: these go deep into the soil and carry food and water to the corn plant

Silk: long soft threads at the top of the ear of corn

Stalk: the stem of a corn plant.

15. Corn is not a vegetable it’s a grain.