Need Open Pollinated Corn for northern climate

[Valkyrie PenDragon]

Does anyone out there know of any good field corn for very cold climates that are open pollinated. I live in northern Minnesota and our growing season is 65-75 days and it is slow to warm up in the spring. I am trying Minnesota 13 this summer. I have tried Roy's Calias Flint last year with some success. I need to harvest corn for chicken feed so silage won't cut it. Are there any other variates out there that you know about that are fast growing, open pollinated and can withstand cold temps? I am organic and don't plant any hybrids.

[Nick]

Are you not allowed to plant normal "conventional" varieties? I thought any non-GMO corn would work?

[Valkyrie PenDragon]

We only grow non-hybrid corn here. We grow our own seed. Our biggest problem is the short growing season and the cold temps at the beginning of the growing season. We often get snow up till June 7th. I am having a hard time finding non-hybrid corn that will finish before the first hard frost in the fall, often around the third week of August. I have no use for silage so the corn must be ready for picking by Sept 1 at the latest. So far all I can find is hybrid corn (not buying it), Minnesota 13, and Roy's Calias Flint. Are there any more I should try?

[Glen Groth]

I think that will be a pretty tall order to fill. Why the objection to hybrid corn? I know you can find organic hybrids. Yield increase due to heterosis (hybrid vigor) is a totally natural phenomenon based on the concept that two unrelated lines, when mated together will allow expression of the most dominant desireable traits. I think that is how it goes anyway frim genetics class.

[Adam]

Faust55 over on agweb.com (discussions) talks about his open pollinated corn, I believe he is somewhere in Iowa. Don't know if you've ever checked that site out.

[Adam Gaska]

You can try contacting Micheal Fields Institue. The are in East Troy, Wisconsin. They develop OP lines for commercial ag. www.michaelfieldsaginst.org

[Glen Groth]

I forgot to mention that a guy named Jim Snyder used to post on here quite a bit and he grew open pollinated corn in Michigan. He didn't agree with many conventional farmers on here and may have run off, but you might be able to do some digging and find him.

[Chad Behrends]

I grow op corn in Michigan, but my season isn't that short.  The nice thing about op is that you can develop your own variety that works for you.  Leonard Borries in Illinois might have some answers for you.  He sells op corn and has been doing it since before time began.  Don't have a number for him, but he'll come up on a search.