A message from Albie and Michele in Norridgewock, ME who are offering a wonderful opportunity in flint corn cultivation, harvest and processing:

June 3, 2020
Dear Friends,

We have been finding and preserving and growing out Maine and Northeast varieties of flint corn now for several years.  We have given away thousands and thousands of seeds at events and seed swaps and have made jonny cakes in a support capacity at several events including three Turtle Island Healing Ceremonies and three harvest festivals at Nibezun in Passadumkeag, Maine.  This year we have three plots in the Skowhegan area all growing the very promising Maine Flint Corn called Byron which was saved by Will Bonall of the Scatterseed Project in Industry and then shared with Pam Prodan in Wilton.  Last year we had a conference at our farm in Norridgewock with a Native American Cornkeeper elder as our keynote and other speakers to follow.  It was attended by over 70 people.  We now have several farmers growing flint corn and have a one third acre plot growing on our own land and another acre about to go in near the Margaret Chase Smith Library in Skowhegan and a third plot on river bottom farm land owned by Richard and Julie Searles in Solon. 

We have a yurt on our property and an efficiency apartment with a separate entrance for a young farmer wanting an immersion experience in flint corn cultivation and harvest and processing.  Limited stipend funds are available from Fedco Seeds and the Maine Grain Alliance. All three fields will likely be planted by this week or next and we had lined up a COA student to become the corn caregiver starting in mid June but she at the last minute was unable to come and commit to the project. 

If you know an individual or young couple potentially interested in such an opportunity, please let them know about us.  We can be reached at [email protected] or 696-5250.

Warm regards,
Albie Barden and Michele Carmel
254 Father Rasle Rd. Norridgewock, Maine.  04957