Started growing flint/field corn for my own homemade cornmeal and hominy. It began a couple years ago when seed for Hopi Blue Corn became more widely available. The corn stays on the stalk as long as possible (fall weather here is rainy). Then the seeds are removed from the cobs and placed in a food dehydrator for one or two days. Hand powered grinders produce a medium-coarse cornmeal. Also making hominy using pickling lime (a.k.a. cal). The results are mostly used for posole stew and cornbread but will try making some polenta soon. Last year grew a dark red corn called ‘Bloody Butcher’ in hopes of making some nice red cornbread. But it turned out mostly having just a bunch of red flakes in it. My hopes for red colored hominy were also dashed as the pickling lime turns the beautiful red color black. Not sure what I’ll grow this year. White or yellow field/flint seed is available but I prefer the colorful kind even if the flavor isn’t rated as high. (Indian Corn would be the non-PC name.)
We are trying the Stowell Evergreen Corn this year. In the old days, they supposedly pulled it up roots and all and hung it upside down in the barn, and it was fresh enough to eat for several months. Thought it would be an interesting experiment.
I recommend Carol Deppe’s “Ruby-Gold Cascade” flint corn. Each ear is a solid color, but can be any one of a dozen different colors. Each color has a slightly different flavor, and it was bred to produce even in less-than-ideal conditions.