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History of corn: Know your plants better
17.11.2023 04:10
Updated: 13.05.2024 21:22
Corn is amazing - and that's why it's so widely spread all over the world.
But it hasn't always been around - this crop has a long history of cultivation and spreading.
Let's find out more about its history.
How it all started
Around 9,000 years ago in what is now Mexico, Native Americans began cultivating a plant called teosinte.
It wasn't like the corn we see today – it was smaller and not as tasty. But these early farmers saw potential in it.
Through generations of careful planting, they started to develop a larger and more delicious version of the plant, what we now know as corn.
Corn became a vital part of their diet, providing them with a reliable source of food.
The Native Americans learned to plant corn alongside other crops like beans and squash, a clever method known as the "Three Sisters," where each plant helped the others grow better.
How it became widespread
When European explorers like Christopher Columbus reached the Americas, they encountered this fantastic new crop.
They brought it back to Europe, where people quickly embraced it.
Corn spread to different parts of the world, becoming a crucial food source in many cultures.
As settlers moved westward in the United States, they took corn with them, making it a fundamental part of their diet.
It's versatile
Corn became a versatile food – you could eat it fresh on the cob, grind it into cornmeal for making bread, or even pop it to make popcorn.
Fast forward to today, and corn is one of the most important crops globally.
Farmers grow it in many countries, and it's used not only as a food staple but also in various products like corn syrup, corn oil, and animal feed.
So, from its humble beginnings as teosinte, corn has grown into a significant player in the world of agriculture and food.
