• 6"x 8" image size (8"x 10" paper size) / 100 prints / 11"x 14" matting size

The techniques used in corn crib design was probably introduced by German settlers. The open construction (loges stacked with spaces between) saved on wood and allowed air to circulate, keeping the corn fresh and dry. Indians built communal cribs on stilts 6 feet off the ground and greased the stilts with bear fat to fend off rodents.

Dry corn shucks were once used for mattresses. Mattresses had a side slot for fluffing up the shucks to provide a better night's sleep. Corn was even ground and roasted as an early substitute for coffee. Corn is native to the Americas but its origin remains a mystery. Evidence exists that cultivated corn existed in the southwestern U.S. for at least 3000 years. Wild corn may have existed in southern Mexico 4,600 years ago. Early wild corn was not much different in fundamental characteristics from the modern corn plant.

Today, corncobs are a source of furfural, a liquid used in manufacturing. Ground corncobs are used as a soft-grit abrasive. Large, whole cobs from a special type of corn are used for pipes for smoking tobacco. Corn oil is used as a cooking and salad oil, as margarine and in the manufacture of paints, soaps, and linoleum. The search for alternate sources of energy has brought attention to corn as a fuel source. High in sugar content, corn is processed to produce alcohol for use with gasoline as gasohol.

A major finding in 1978 was the rediscovery in Mexico of a species of perennial wild corn thought to be extinct. This could provide the development of a plant that would not need to be reseeded annually. Corn is a food staple and animal feed. An excellent source of carbohydrates, it is low in total protein and must be supplemented with protein for satisfactory growth.