Open pollinated corn over 100 bpa

[Scott Edward Dudek]

I just finished picking my test plot of open pollinated corn.  I chose to pick by hand as it was only a 1/3 of an acre.  I feel as though the amish do not get enough respect, it was alot of work.  I picked it as I will be shelling and sorting it to hold back for seed.  That is the best part of open pollinated being able to keep your own seed.  I even have spiked some local interest in buying seed from me.  I was impressed with half the plants as they had good size ears and many even multiples on a stalk.  The other half was not as good, but still made corn.  We had very little rain for the first 68 days after planting we had 3/4 of an inch of rain.  We were fortunate with some late rains, but this helped the corn planted the first of June much more then corn planted the last week of April.  I planted the last week of April.  I ended up with over 40 bushel of ear corn on the test plot which broke my threshold of 100bpa.  I can profit more from open pollinated at 110bpa then I ever could with 300 dollar a bag hybrid at 150bpa.  I plan on planting 6 acres back of my own corn in the spring pending a germination check.  I will also be planting a little over 20 acres of conventional non gmo hybrid to compare on a much larger scale.  Now the test plot has been worked down and replanted with a winter barley trial, on to the next challenge.  ps anyone want to have a amish experience and help hand shell some corn?