Heirloom Seeds & Poultry
1878 230th Street, Calamus, IA 52729
(563) 246-2299
SORGHUM
19 varieties to choose from)UPDATED FOR 2024
Plant after frost has passed and the soil has warmed. Plants do best when there are only 3 to 4 plants per foot of row. More drought tolerant than corn. Packets contain 1 oz. of seed (unless otherwise noted) which should plant around 100 foot of row.
Black Seeded Hungarian
Black Seeded Hungarian- 130 days- A broom corn with 16” plus length brooms with deep black seeds on 8 to 10 foot stalks. This s a great one to grow for ornamental purposes as well. Louise Bastable from Massachusetts sent me this one back in the middle 1980's and it is always an eye catcher when planted near a garden edge. Louise was the manager of a community garden and always planted it around her "office" as she called it . Her office was a plastic shack to dodge into when it rained and this added some support with the thick growth it provided as well as shade. Birds love the seed throughout the winter. Pkt. $1.50; 4 Pkts. $5.00 Certified Organic Seed
Iowa Red
Iowa Red- 110 days - Nice 8 to 9 foot tall broom corn - red seeded and straw is golden with reddish streaks. We obtained this variety from the late seed saver Virgil Johnson who got it from relatives in southern Iowa many years ago. Virgil and his wife Hazel were dear friends, great seed savers and Virgil also loved his poultry. Pkt. $1.50 Certified Organic Seed
Red Seeded Broom
Red Seeded Broom- 130 days - A broom corn with nice broom straw. Plants are not as tall as the Hungarian varieties. Broom straw is thick and stalky. Very ornamental. Pkt. $2.00 Certified Organic Seed
Red Seeded Hungarian
Red Seeded Hungarian- 130 days- Another Hungarian heirloom that we are pleased to offer again. This is a twin variety to the black seeded version. 16 inch length brooms with deep red seeds on 8- 10 foot plants. Pkt. $1.50 Certified Organic Seed
Santa Fe Red
Santa Fe Red- 95 days sparse broom straw and red seeds Birds love the seed throughout the winter. Pkt. $2.50; Certified Organic Seed
White Seeded Broom
White Seeded Broom - 115 days - White seeded version of broom corn. Pkt. $2.00 Certified Organic Seed
BROOM CORN
Primary use is for decoration and making brooms. Also makes good bird feed.
GRAIN SORGHUM
Used for feed grain and human consumption.
Black African
Black African - 90 days - Early, black seeded, darker grain sorghum. This one grows fast and does well in our sandier areas and still produces a decent crop. Seed is a very shiny black and is best suited for bird feed. Pkt. $2.00 Certified Organic Seed
White Pearl
White Pearl - 90 days - Very tall 6 to 8 feet a least for a grain sorghum type but grows fast and has good yield. (100 seeds)Pkt. $3.00 Certified Organic Seed
Black Milo
Black Milo - 90 days - Early, black seeded, darker grain sorghum. This one grows fast and does well in our sandier areas and still produces a decent crop. Seed is a very shiny black and is best suited for bird feed.Very similar to Black Seeded and Black African Pkt. $2.00 Certified Organic Seed UNAVAILABLE FOR 2024
Black Seeded
Black Seeded- 105 days- Black seeds on 7 inch heads on 7 foot stalks. This one tends to produce larger seed heads and stalkier plants than Black African. Excellent ornamental, also good bird seed producer. Pkt. $2.00 Certified Organic Seed
Crookneck Milo
Crookneck Milo - 110 days - Crookneck seed heads, some straight heads occur. We had some of the most beautiful plants this year that reached 6 feet tall with large drooping crookneck heads. When given proper planting distances this is a good yielder of nice grain quality sorghum . It takes a bit of a season to get to total dryness but the heads can be quite large. Pkt. $2.00 1 lb. $25.00 Certified Organic Seed
Tarahumara Popping
Tarahumara Popping - 120 days - Seed frequently used after popping and then ground into a flour. We tried popping some in an air popper (used for popcorn) and it made a very nutritious snack with a good, nutty flavor (looked like mini-popcorn). Make sure the soil is very warm before planting this one. PKT. $3.00 Certified Organic Seed
Texicoa
Texicoa- 100 days - 40 inches tall, white seeded grain sorghum. Pkt. $3.00 8 oz. $15.00 Certified Organic Seed
SWEET SORGHUM
Used for making syrup and seeds make great animal food.
Black Amber Cane
Black Amber Cane- 100 days - Heirloom that has a great flavor. Seed heads are decent sized and are paler in seed color making them more palatable. Pkt. $3.00 Certified Organic Seed
Coral
Coral - 100 days - Tall and thick heads with very big stalks. Pkt. $3.00 Certified Organic Seed UNAVAILABLE FOR 2024
Honey Drip​
Honey Drip - 120 days - Heirloom producing many tillers. Reports from sorghum makers say this one has a great flavor. Seed heads are decent sized and are paler in seed color making them more palatable. Pkt. $3.00 Certified Organic Seed UNAVAILABLE FOR 2024
Iowa Sweet
Iowa Sweet- 115 days- A very sweet sugar cane type, reaches about 9 feet tall with nice thick juicy stalks. This is another one from our late friends Virgil and Hazel Johnson from their families in southwest Iowa. Pkt. $2.00 Certified Organic Seed UNAVAILABLE FOR 2024
Mennonite
Mennonite - 95 days - 7 feet tall, good flavor. A very high producing and good stalk strength. Pkt. $2.50 Certified Organic Seed
Rox Orange
Rox Orange- 115 days- A sweet sorghum, 7 to 8 feet tall. This is the common commercial variety. Seed heads are a rusty orange red color. Pkt. $1.50; 4 Pkts. $5.00 Certified Organic Seed
Salts Red
Salts Red- 105 days- Nice, red-seeded, loose grain head. Heirloom sweet sorghum from southern Missouri. Pkt. $2.50 Certified Organic Seed
Sand Mountain
Sand Mountain - 100 days - 8 feet tall, good flavor. Another southern Missouri heirloom. Pkt. $2.50 Certified Organic Seed
Sugar Drip
Sugar Drip - 110 days - Southern sugar syrup type. Seed heads are a paler color, stalks are thin and flexible unless planted far apart. Pkt. $3.00 Certified Organic Seed
White African
White African- 120 days - Tall (8 to 10 feet) sweet cane sorghum with white seeds. This one is late and the seeds do not come of the heads very easily. Birds love to get the seeds before they get a chance to fully mature. PKT. $2.50 Certified Organic Seed
Williams
Williams - 90 days - Seed heads are decent sized and are paler in seed color making the seeds more palatable. Pkt. $3.00 Certified Organic Seed
Yellow Bonnet
Yellow Bonnet - 120 days - Cane sorghum heirloom from Southern Missouri. It has a long season, but is very sweet. Stalks seem to have less foliage than some and stalks are thicker. Pkt. $2.00 Certified Organic Seed
AMARANTH
Plant early in the season, thin to 1 plant every 6-8 inches for best results. Packet plants 50 to 100 foot of row.
Elephant Head
95 days- an amazing looking top like an overgrown giant cockscomb. Pkt. $1.50 Certified Organic Seed
Golden Giant
Golden Giant- 90 days- large heavy heads that are a golden orange in color . White seeds. Pkt. $1.50 Certified Organic Seed. UNAVAILABLE IN 2024
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Mayo Indian
Mayo Indian- 90 days - Black seeded, robust plants. When the first seed heads were cut, it regrew more for a second crop. Pkt. $1.50 Certified Organic Seed
Orange Giant
Orange Giant - 110 days - Huge 7-8 foot plants, loaded with gorgeous burnt orange seed heads. Pkt. $2.50 Limit 1 Certified Organic Seed ( LIMIT 1 PACKET)
Red Amaranth
Red Amaranth - 95 days - Deep red seed heads. UNAVAILABLE FOR 2024
Red Leaf Grain
Red Leaf Grain- 105 days - Red foliage and flower heads. Pkt. $2.00 Certified Organic Seed (Limit 1 Pkt.)
MISCELLANEOUS GRAINS
Various grains that can be planted for either decoration or food purposes.
Neiger Barley
Neiger- beautiful dark black seeds with the stiff awns typical of barley. A true ornamental. Plant early in the season as this must make its growth prior to the super heat. We always struggle getting this planted soon enough in Iowa. We do not have much seed of this variety but seeing it nowhere else we want to share . Pkt. (25 seeds) $2.50 Certified Organic Seed UNAVAILABLE FOR 2024
Brightest Brilliant Quinoa
Brightest Brilliant- bright colored and heavy production when the season allows.Plant early in the season as this must make its growth prior to the super heat. Pkt. ( 50 seeds) $2.00 Certified Organic Seed
Black Sesame
Black- Shades of dark brown to black, Taller and more irregular than Line 31. Pkt. $1.50 Certified Organic Seed. Plant after frost is past. Thin to 1 plant every 4 inches. Care must be taken at harvest to keep the seed from shattering on to the ground. Approximately 300 seeds/pkt.
Line 31Sesame
Line 31- White seeded plants grow to about 3 1/2 to 4 feet tall. Pkt. $2.00 Certified Organic SeedPlant after frost is past. Thin to 1 plant every 4 inches. Care must be taken at harvest to keep the seed from shattering on to the ground. Approximately 300 seeds/pkt UNAVAILABLE FOR 2024
Brown Teff
Brown Teff- A graceful grass, landscape plant. Seed is very tiny. Used as a cereal grain. Approximately 10,000 seeds/pkt. Pkt. $2.00