Corn, a cereal crop, has male tassels and feminine ears. Sweet corn is for direct consumption, while field corn is for a variety of uses from cornmeal to ethanol. Cultivated since 7000 BCE, it spread through the Americas, reaching the “Old World” after the Columbian Exchange. First Nations peoples cultivated corn alongside beans and squash in the “Three Sisters” garden. Today, corn is a vital food source globally, surpassing wheat and rice in abundance.
Our corn kernels are GMO-free heirloom seeds sourced from an Ontario grower. While these seeds should be able to germinate, but as we cannot store them in temperature controlled conditions, we cannot guarantee that they will germinate.
Corn kernels are diuretic and mildly stimulant. Cornmeal can make a palatable and nutritious gruel for convalescents. The shucks of corn can be boiled down into a mush which is good for infants and convalescents. The Cherokee have used corn starch to powder babies and soothe dry feet. An infusion of dried kernels has been used for nausea and vomiting, and an emolient poultice has been used for rheumatic pain, swelling, and skin ulcers.
The Popol Vuh states that man is created from corn, believed by the Maya to be hidden in Maize Mountain, while in Aztec mythology corn was brought to the world by Quetzalcoatl. In Aztec and Maya cultures, maize deities symbolized agriculture and fertility, with sacrifices made for bountiful harvests. Various Native American myths tell of maize deities like Mandaamin and the importance of the Three Sisters - Corn, Beans, and Squash - in sustaining people. Among the Cherokee, corn was used in marriage ceremonies. It is also said that corn is protective when placed near babies and brings prosperity when hung over mirrors.
In modern witchcraft, it is connected to the element of Fire, all four directions, the Corn Moon as well as other summer moons, the sign of Leo, the "planets" of Venus and the Sun, the summer months, Litha, the numbers 7, 9, & 5, the colours light yellow and white, the tarot cards of the Empress and the Sun, the rune Jera, stones Citrine, Nephrite, and Bloodstone, and the metal Gold. It is obviously connected to Corn Sister or Corn Spirit, of the Three Sisters, as well as various Mesoamerican deities, particularly corn goddesses. Some European-based religions connect it to various harvest deities who are connected to grain. However, out of respect to a history of colonization that has suppressed its original spiritual context, we encourage corn and corn silk to only be used for European grain deities when no other grain product is available, and to ALSO give thanks to the local spirits which have blessed us with so much corn that we are able to use some for this purpose.
We only sell herbs for spiritual purposes, not for human consumption. Our herbs have not been packaged in a commercial kitchen, as required by Health Canada for all food items. All references to consuming herbs is provided for educational purposes only.
