AH-MAIZING GRAIN

In honor of this week’s Corn Week (July 10-14), we want to share some fun facts about this American staple we call corn:

1. Corn is called maize by most countries, this comes from the Spanish word ‘maiz’.
2. It was first cultivated in Southern Mexico and Central America six to ten thousand years ago.
3. Corn is technically a grain and not a vegetable—the seed of a type of grass, like wheat. It therefore counts toward the recommended three daily servings of whole grains.
4. An ear or cob of corn is actually part of the flower and an individual kernel is a seed.
5. Corn will always have an even number of rows on each cob.
6. With the exception of Antarctica, corn is produced on every continent in the world.
7. A bushel is a unit of measure for volumes of dry commodities such as shelled corn kernels. 1 Bushel of corn is equal to 8 gallons.
8. Americans consume 52 quarts of popcorn for every man, woman, and child.
9. There is one piece of silk for each kernel.
10. Florida, California, Georgia, Washington and New York together accounted for 66 percent of the fresh market sweet corn produced nationally in 2009.