MILLERSVILLE FARMER ENJOYS UNVEILING COLORS OF INDIAN CORN

MILLERSVILLE - If he had to do it for a living, Earl Wills says raising Indian corn would not be a profitable venture. But as a hobby it's an enjoyable way to spend time, and it's something he plans to continue doing as long as he is healthy.

Anyone who has purchased the bundles of Indian corn from Pioneer Market over the last 20 years probably bought some of the corn raised by Wills and his wife, Opal, on their farm near Millersville. The last few years his corn has been sold by Schnucks, IGA, Town and Country and other stores in the area.

"There's a real market for it," said Wills. "Pioneer has sold over 1,000 bunches this year already. As I get it out of the field, they keep taking it."

Generally, Wills says it takes about a month to harvest his corn and have it ready to sell. He had two acres of corn this year that was planted in the spring just like regular corn. But unlike regular corn, when it comes time to harvest Indian corn, it all is done by hand.

"You have to cut it by hand with a pair of snippers, and then you have to shuck it back and tie them three to a bunch," explained Wills. "It's all hand work and takes time."

Wills drives a small tractor and wagon through his field to pick the corn, and then takes the load to a shed where his wife helps him shuck it.

One of the enjoyable things about Indian corn, is that when you shuck it you have no idea what color the corn will be, says Wills. "Every ear is different. There are some purple, red, spotted, strawberry - almost every color you can think of," said Wills. "My wife especially likes to shuck it. You get all different colors and wonder what the next colors will be."

He pointed out that the harvest usually begins shortly after the SEMO District Fair and is done before Halloween.

"It was a little dry up here this year, but we got 120 to 125 bushels an acre," said Wills.

Not all of the corn is suitable for decorative purposes. "I have about 100 bushels of culls out of my two acres. I just grind it up and feed it to my cows."

About 25 years ago Wills began growing Indian corn after Pervis Wills, a distant relative who lived in Laflin, brought some seed back from a hunting trip. He had been hunting on an Indian reservation and traded a pheasant for the seed.

Pervis Wills gave some of the seed to Earl Wills' grandsons, who were about 7 years old at the time. They usually had a patch of Indian corn planted at the end of the regular corn field. That provided an opportunity for the boys to earn some spending money.

"When the kids outgrew it, I planted a little patch every year and just kept doing it," said Wills.

Wills said that last year he sold about $1,000 worth of corn off his two acres, which, he admits, would amount to almost nothing if his labor was figured in.

"I just do it to have something to do," said the 81-year old Wills. "I also run a few cows and make hay, and this gives me something to do."

Each year Wills saves some of the corn to use for seed next year. He proudly pointed out that all of his corn dates back to the original seed brought back by Pervis Wills from the Indian reservation years ago.

Wills says he doesn't know of many others around who raise Indian corn in the quantity that he does. "I don't think too many are interested in it. There's too much labor involved, especially if you are active in another job."

If anyone is interested in growing some in their back yard, all they have to do is shell the corn and plant it next spring like any other corn, says Wills.

As for next year, Wills anticipates again planting two acres of colorful corn. "I won't plant any larger amount, but if I keep my health I'll probably plant another patch another year," he said.

"I just kind of enjoy growing it."