aligns with everything we stand for:
What is heirloom corn
Heirloom corn is rare and is one of the oldest cultivated foods in the world. It refers to corn varieties that have been grown and preserved without genetic modification or hybridization of any kind — passed down for generations.
Before earning the name “Heirloom,” corn and other crops were grown for flavor and quality over yield. Farmers preserved the best seeds from each harvest to evolve the flavor and texture of the crop for future harvests.
Due to mass consumer demand and the wild, unpredictable nature of growing heirloom corn, scientists created ‘Hybrid Corn’ in the 1950’s - the corn we see in grocery stores today. Hybrid Corn was created for yield and uniformity, resulting in the near extinction of heirloom varieties and associated loss of biodiversity in American corn.
Heirloom stays true to its original form and carries its unaltered, bold flavor traits through open pollination: pollination by insects, birds, wind, or other natural causes.
The pollen between flowers randomly gets swapped around, fertilizing the plant so it can grow fruit. Put simply, heirloom corn varieties are exactly what Mother Nature intended them to be.
But why is Open Pollination so important? It keeps our crops genetically diverse. Over many generations, open-pollinated seeds adapt to local climates and growing conditions, strengthening the resiliency of the genetic line.
Growing open pollinated plants also keeps us from losing unique varieties – like our mini heirloom popcorn! – at a time when our agricultural biodiversity is shrinking
Although they only represent less than 1% of corn supply, many heirloom varieties are kept alive today thanks to the tireless efforts of family farmers and seed bank organizations like Seed Savers Exchange.
Proud to be part of the
Heirloom corn isn’t just important. It’s alive, nurtured by generations of farmers who know how to bring out its best. The way it’s grown is what protects its flavor, legacy, and future. Here’s a look at the journey from soil to harvest.
Our process takes time
PLANTING SEASON
Soil biology check-ins
Plant best seeds from prior harvest
Input commitments
MANAGE LIVING SYSTEMS
Cover crop & companion planting
Water & resilience management
Biodiversity & habitat building
Continuous check-in on health of planted corn crop
HARVESTING SEASON
Harvesting main crops when kernels reach full maturity
Preservation of the best seeds for the following harvest
Soil & residue management
POST-HARVEST
Soil restoration after harvest
Review crop yields
Livestock integration & rotation mapping
Determine new contracted acreage needed
Regeneratively grown on family farms
By choosing heirloom seeds and practicing regenerative farming, Pip’s is part of a growing effort to honor the past and rebuild healthier soil for the future. We’re proud to support the movement to protect heirloom corn and help restore the land it grows on.
But, what is Regenerative Agriculture? While there isn’t one perfect recipe, in short, it encompasses holistic farming practices designed to improve soil health and reduce carbon emissions.
Minimal tillage of the land
Our farmers practice minimal-till farming methods that naturally enrich organic matter in the topsoil. No-till farming methods are so important because they reduce the number of passes through the field, thereby reducing carbon emissions, encouraging microbiological soil development, and preserving valuable topsoil from erosion
Wise water usage
Our farmers proudly follow an “as needed” approach to watering their land. By utilizing high-tech crop technology and sensors, farmers ensure that our heirloom corn has plenty of water to grow a high-quality crop, without overusing our most precious resource, water.
Crop rotation
If a farmer plants the exact same crop in the same place every year, as is common in conventional farming, the crop will continually draw the same nutrients out of the soil. Through crop rotation, our farmers are helping return nutrients to the soil without synthetic inputs. This improves soil health and also increases biodiversity on the farm.
Open pollinated
Open-pollinated plants are more genetically diverse. This can cause a greater amount of variation within plant populations, which allows plants to slowly adapt to local growing conditions and climate year-to-year, making them more resilient to climate change.
Livestock grazing
Between crops, many of our farmers let animals graze the remnants of last year’s crop. This practice helps to fertilize the soil naturally and create a symbiotic ecosystem in our food supply chain.
