Traditional white/cream corn. Developed 1848 by Nathaniel Newman Stowell as a stable, sweet, and storable variety, designed to mature late in the season, even into early October.
After spending years refining it, Stowell sold two ears of corn for $4 to a friend, who agreed to keep it for personal use. Instead, the friend sold the seeds to Thoburn and Company Seed for an estimated $20,000! The variety was introduced to the seed trade in the 1850s (often cited as 1856) and quickly became the standard, favored "late" sweet corn for both home and market gardeners.
The name derives from its unique ability to remain in the "milk stage" (fresh, sweet, and tender) for a longer period in the field than other 19th-century varieties. Historically, the whole plant was hung upside down to keep ears fresh into the winter.
Traditional white/cream corn. Developed 1848 by Nathaniel Newman Stowell as a stable, sweet, and storable variety, designed to mature late in the season, even into early October.
After spending years refining it, Stowell sold two ears of corn for $4 to a friend, who agreed to keep it for personal use. Instead, the friend sold the seeds to Thoburn and Company Seed for an estimated $20,000! The variety was introduced to the seed trade in the 1850s (often cited as 1856) and quickly became the standard, favored "late" sweet corn for both home and market gardeners.
The name derives from its unique ability to remain in the "milk stage" (fresh, sweet, and tender) for a longer period in the field than other 19th-century varieties. Historically, the whole plant was hung upside down to keep ears fresh into the winter.
