Transcript By Curator Laurie Ann Nicholas NEXT Recipes open Corn Garden about All The Click Corn Below First Fun Facts Just for Fun - Enter Corn Hall This way End Show.

By
Curator
Laurie Ann Nicholas
NEXT
Recipes
open
Corn
Garden
about
All
The
Click Corn
Below First
Fun
Facts
Just for Fun - Enter
Corn Hall
This way
End Show
Welcome to the museum of
corn! I hope you enjoy your
visit. You will learn several facts
about corn, various uses of the
corn plant, and some recipes.
In addition, if you look
around the rooms you will find
some fun facts about Native
American life included for your
enjoyment.
Sincerely,
Laurie Nicholas
http://www.aaanativearts.com/article550.html
Return to museum
http://www.wonderquest.com/meander-beetle-corn.htm#corn
Back to Museum
Corn was the main crop for Native Americans. The
many varieties of corn were yellow, red, blue and white. All
parts of the corn plant were used. Nothing was thrown away.
Besides using corn for eating, Native Americans used corn for
cooking, clothing, bedding and even making toys for their
children.
Corn was unknown to the Europeans before they
met the Indians. Indians gave them the seeds and taught them
how to grow it. Today in the U.S.A., more farm land is used to
grow corn (60 million acres) than any other grain.
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Corn Products
• Your bacon and egg breakfast, glass of milk at
lunch, or hamburger for supper were all
produced with U.S. corn.
• Corn is a major component in many food items
like cereals, peanut butter, snack foods and soft
drinks.
• U.S. researchers have led the way in finding
many uses for corn - like in vitamins and amino
acids.
• Corn is used to produce fuel alcohol. Fuel
alcohol makes gasoline burn cleaner, reducing
air pollution, and it doesn't pollute the water.
http://www.campsilos.org/mod3/students/index.shtml
Imagine that you are visiting an
Iroquois village 1,000 years ago. You
look around and take note of how
strong and physically healthy the
men, women and children are. You
cannot help but make a connection
between what is apparently a normal
staple of their diet and its positive
effect on their well being.
It then blossoms into Summer
which is spent in careful cultivation of
the plants by the women while the
men are often away from the village
in hunting and warfare activities. Next
comes the Fall harvest with and its
related social activities for he whole
community. Finally, in the snowdraped silence of Winter the carefully
raised crop is stored and used. In this
journey you will earn of the flow of
life, of corn’s origins its many uses
and its future. Come along and enjoy
yourself!
Back to Museum
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nativeaccess.com/ancestral/corn/images/image005.jpg
&imgrefurl=http://www.nativeaccess.com/ancestral/corn/corn.html&h=270&w=400&sz=55&hl=en&start=16&
um=1&tbnid=QzhUoZlxDKDRM:&tbnh=84&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcorn%2Bmats%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl
%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4TSHB_en___US217
The domestication of maize is of particular interest to
researchers, geographers, etc. The process is thought by
some to have started 7,500 to 12,000 years ago. Recent
genetic evidence suggests that maize domestication occurred
9000 years ago in central Mexico. The wild teosinte most
similar to modern maize grows in the area of the Balsas River.
Archaeological remains of early maize ears, found at Guila
Naquitz Cave (below) in the Oaxaca Valley, date back roughly
6,250 years
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maize
Back to Museum
http://www.rmca.org/
Although there are 137-570 types of rats,
Rattus Rattus (the black rat) and Rattus
Norvegicus (the brown rat) are our two main
rats. These rats live near human dwellings but
most rats live deep in the forests. Rats
originated in Asia but were carried over from
Europe on trading ships.
Black rats carried a disease known as the
Bubonic plague. They received the plague
from the rat flea while living in filthy areas and
dumps in their cities. The plague spread and
killed may Native Americans in America.
Brown Rats have become domesticated
and make great pets. They are so intelligent
that you can teach them tricks! They are also
known to love their owners as much as cats
and dogs.
Back to Room
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/vines/8377/ratintro.htm
http://www.insecta-inspecta.com/fleas/bdeath/Flea.html
Return to main Hall
Fun
Facts
Many British sailors suffered and often died from
scurvy. British sailors would hang out and patronize
local prostitutes in the urban areas and become sick.
When the got to America they learned that the juice
from limes and lime leaves would help in the healing
process. Limes were a good source of vitamin C
Lime juice was added to the diet of sailors and
thus the nickname 'limeys'.
Return
to the
Garden
Room
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_words_for_British
Corn plants
showing ears
Corn male flower
with corn tassel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maize
Corn female flower
with corn silk
Return to the Garden Room
Corn is the oldest sister.
She stands tall in the center.
Squash is the next sister.
She grows over the mound,
protecting her sisters from
weeds and shades the soil from
the sun with her leaves, keeping
it cool and moist.
Beans are the third sister.
She climbs through squash and
then up corn to bind all together
as she reaches for the sun.
Beans help keep the soil fertile
by converting the sun's energy
into nitrogen filled nodules that
grow on its roots. As beans grow
they use the stored nitrogen as
food.
http://www.nativetech.org/cornhusk/threesisters.html
Return to the Garden Room
Corn may be harvested while in it's
green corn stage, but traditionally it is
left to ripen and is harvested in
Autumn. The cob is sun dried and
stored for winter use. To harvest
green corn observe the silky threads
coming from the tops of the ears,
when the silk is dry and a dark brown
color the corn may be harvested. To
remove an ear of corn, hold the stalk
a few inches below the ear. Pull the
tip of the ear toward the ground until
it snaps off.
http://www.nativetech.org/cornhusk/threesisters.html
Return to the Garden Room
INTRODUCTION
TO CORN
RECIPES
(click here!)
Back to Main Hallway
Fun
Facts
Corn was often ground into corn meal, using wooden mortars and
pestles. The mortars were made of short logs which were turned upright and
hollowed out on the top end. The corn was put in the hollow part and ground by
pounding up and down with a long piece of wood which was rounded on both
ends. This was called a pestle.
Corn meal could be used to make cornbread, corn pudding, corn syrup,
or could be mixed with beans to make succotash. A special dessert was made by
boiling corn meal and maple syrup.
http://www.nativetech.org/cornhusk/cornfwdp.html
Back to Recipe Room
Cats traveled to North America with the Pilgrims on the Mayflower. Cats were the mice
catchers and other rodent eliminators on the ships. During the 1700's, explorers, colonists, and
traders from Europe brought the domestic cat to the Americas. The transformation from wild to
domestic came over a long period of time.
(http://www.freeessays.cc/db/3/alw21.shtml)
Laurie Nicholas: personal photographs, October 2007
Back to Recipe Room
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.roadfood.com/recipephotos/mini_25.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.roadfood.com/Recipes/SearchResult
s.aspx%3Fst%3Drecipes%26rc%3D655%26ps%3D1%26ob%3Drecipename&h=282&w=350&sz=17&hl=en&start=8&um=1&tbnid=GtIvhWowRGIaBM:
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US217%26sa%3DN
PREPARATION:
1. Combine ripe olive slices, corn, pimientos and smoked ham. Reserve.
Combine onion, celery and bell pepper with margarine in heavy pot.
Sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Add chicken stock and potatoes. Heat to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Add milk and cream with reserved olive mixture. Heat to a bare simmer.
Do not boil. Adjust seasoning with Tabasco, salt and pepper.
INGREDIENTS:
• 2 c. olives, sliced
• 1 qt. whole yellow kernel corn
• 1/2 c. pimientos, diced
• 1 lb. smoked ham, minced
• 1/2 c. margarine
• 1 c. onion, diced
• 1 c. celery, diced
• 1 c. green bell pepper, diced
• 1 qt. chicken stock
• 1 lb. potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 c. milk
• 1 c. heavy cream
• Tabasco to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
Back to Recipe Room
Ingredients:
3 cups milk
1/4 cup black molasses
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
Vanilla ice cream
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w.roadfood.com/Recipes/SearchResults.aspx%3Fst%3Drecipes%26rc%3D655%26ps%3D1%26ob%3Drecipena
me&h=282&w=350&sz=17&hl=en&start=8&um=1&tbnid=GtIvhWowRGIaBM:&tbnh=97&tbnw=120&prev=/images
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Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Mix together 1-1/2 cups of the milk with the
molasses, sugar, butter, salt, baking powder,
egg, and cornmeal. Pour the mixture into a
stone crock that has been well greased and
bake until it boils.
3. Heat the remaining 1-1/2 cups of milk and
stir it in.
4. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees
and bake 5-7 hours.
5. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
on top.
Ingredients:
•
1 can yellow corn
•
1 can red kidney beans
or lima beans, drained
•
1 medium white onion,
or one cup scallions,
chopped
•
3 Tablespoons oil
•
1 lb. Lean ground beef
•
Salt and pepper to taste
Back to Recipe Room
Instructions
Cook onion in oil until lightly browned.
add beef, stirring constantly until
browned. Add corn, beans, salt and
pepper to meat mixture. Add enough
water to cover and simmer on a low
flame. If it starts to get dry, add a little
more water. You can simmer the
succotash for up to 30 minutes.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.plimoth.org/kids/images/succ1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.plimoth.org/kids/recipes.php&h=200&w=261&sz=26&hl=en&
start=1&um=1&tbnid=i1s1S19RRjCmcM:&tbnh=86&tbnw=112&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnative%2Bsuccotash%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T
4TSHB_en___US217
JOHNNY CAKE
(OR CORNBREAD) RECIPE
•
1 cup stone ground corn
meal (white or yellow)
•
1 cup boiling water
•
1 teaspoon salt
•
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
•
Milk
•
Butter
(or bacon drippings or oil or fat)
Whisk together cornmeal, salt and sugar (if used). Bring water to a boil and pour
over the meal mixture, whisking to prevent lumps. Let the batter rest 10 minutes.
Butter a large skillet or griddle and bring it to about 375 degrees, just to a sizzle
(do not burn the butter). Add enough milk (1/2 to a cup) to the batter to make it
the consistency of mashed potatoes, and drop by spoonfuls to make cakes about
2 or 3 inches wide and several inches apart (they will spread). Let the cakes gently
sizzle on the grill for about 6 minutes or as long as 11 minutes until you bring them
to a deep golden brown on the bottom and slightly firm on the top, before turning
them over. Add some more butter to the griddle, and/or place a thin pat of butter
on each cake, before turning them over and cooking for another 6 minutes
(or longer) until they are a deep golden brown color.
Makes about 8 cakes. Serve with butter and maple syrup.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://members.cox.net/jjschnebel/corn_7549_sm.gif&imgrefurl=http://m
embers.cox.net/jjschnebel/jnycake.html&h=200&w=134&sz=4&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=yHwekPAzWHJ_rM:
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http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/c/ce/Cornbread.jpg&img
refurl=http://www.answers.com/topic/cornbread&h=146&w=205&sz=12&hl=en&start=7&um=1&tbnid=Y8RE6YvHj
awgRM:&tbnh=75&tbnw=105&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnative%2Bamerican%2Bjonnycake%2Brecipe%26svnum
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Back to Recipe Room
Return to
main Hallway
INTRODUCTION TO CORN
CREATIONS (click here!)
Corn was used for many other things besides eating. The husks
and the corncobs were utilized for everyday household uses. The husks
were braided and woven to make masks, moccasins, sleeping mats,
baskets, and cornhusk dolls. Corncobs were used for fuel, to make darts
for a game, and were tied onto a stick to make a rattle for ceremonies.
http://www.nativetech.org/cornhusk/cornfwdp.html
Return to Corn Creations Room
Return to Corn Creations Room
This is an Iroquois camp. You can see many corn mats
hanging above and the native Americans are sitting on them.
They were also used for sleeping in the camps. These mats were
woven from corn husks.
Cornhusk bed mat; Iroquois. Rolled husks
sewn with basswood cord and braided Edge.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nativeaccess.com/ancestral/corn/images/image005.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nativeaccess.com/ance
stral/corn/corn.html&h=270&w=400&sz=55&hl=en&start=16&um=1&tbnid=QzhUoZlxDKDRM:&tbnh=84&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcorn%2Bmats%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4TSHB_en___US217
http://www.nativetech.org/cornhusk/index.html
Sometimes the Indians wore corn husks
masks or painted their faces to frighten away
the evil spirits. The False Face Society was a
group of medicine men who wore frightening
masks made of wood or cornhusks. They
were thought to posses special powers when
they put on their masks.
All corn husk and wooden masks are
sacred and are only to be used for their
intended purpose. Masks are empowered the
moment they are made. Medicine societies
would use these masks in rituals which
represent the shared power of the original
medicine beings. Mask should not be made
unless they are to be used by the medicine
society, according to tradition.
http://www.chichesterinc.com/CornHuskMasks.htm
Return to Corn Creations Room
Cornhusk dolls have
been made since the
beginning of corn
agriculture over a thousand
years ago. They are made
from braided or rolled husks
and stuffed with leaves. The
hair is made from the corn
silk tassel. Most dolls
measure between four and
ten inches tall. Both boy
and girl dolls were made.
Sometimes a face is drawn
but most dolls are faceless
or have red dots for cheeks.
http://www.nativetech.org/cornhusk/corndoll.html
Return to Corn Creations Room
The twined cornhusk basket is water
tight. This basket was used to store salt.
It was called “Gus-ha-da”, which means
“bottle”. Many of these bottles combined
flag leaves while being weaved. The
corn cob was used as a stopper to seal
the bottles.
Cornhusk bottles for salt~ Iroquois.
Return to Corn Creations Room
http://www.nativetech.org/cornhusk/cornbotl.html
Return to
main Hallway
Introduction (click here)
This room was created just for a fun peek at
some of our farms today. Many corn fields have
become an art form.
Return to
Amazing
Corn Mazes
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Return to Amazing Corn Mazes
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Return to Amazing Corn Mazes
Curator
End Show
Provide a personal biography here.
Include Contact Information
Laurie Nicholas has been a
resident of Las Vegas for 16 years.
She is originally from Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania with a Bachelor degree
in the Arts. She specialized in Graphic
Design for 5 years. A major career
change came when she decided to
become a Carpenter. She attended
trade school and became a journeyman
working in the trade for 10 years.
Recently Laurie obtained a Masters
Degree in Elementary Education. She
states, “I have always desired to teach
others, It’s hard work, but the rewards
are overwhelming!”
Note: Virtual museums were first introduced by educators at Keith Valley Middle School in Horsham, Pennsylvania. This
template was designed by Dr. Christy Keeler based on one of the sample virtual museums provided by the Keith Valley staff
at ISTE’s NECC 2005. Contact Dr. Keeler for more information on using this template.
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