About Us
Adolph Steinbronn The Man With The Vision of Wapsie Valley Dent Corn
Adolph Steinbronn with his display of Open-pollinated corn at Natural Foods Organization meeting at the Francis Winkowitsch farm in rural Aplington Iowa in 1970 . It was at this display of open-pollinated corn varieties that he found out that there were other farmers that had as much interest in his pursuit of good corn as he did. These two heirloom varieties would be the original cross leading to what has become known as Wapsie Valley Dent Open-Pollinated Corn.
We are very proud of our family heritage, where Wapsie Valley Dent Open-Pollinated corn got its start. Wapsie Valley Dent is an open Pollinated Corn that was first developed in 1971 and sold in the winter of 1971/1972. Wapsie Valley Dent started as a cross between Reids Yellow Dent and Golden Glow open pollinated corn varieties. Wapsie Valley Dent is an open pollinated heirloom corn that is highly sought after for food, feed, and in distilling a great bourbon whiskey!
Wapsie Valley Dent Open Pollinated Corn
Wapsie Valley Dent Open-Pollinated Corn is continuing to be grown in Bremer County Iowa where it originated with our Father and Grandfather Adolph Steinbronn in 1971. Our century farm, Artesian Organic Farm was first purchased by my maternal Great Grandparents John and Sophie Huck in 1906. It is currently being farmed by the 4th, 5th and 6th generations of John and Sophie. The corn is being grown by the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generations of Adolph Steinbronn.
Our commitment to preserving good healthy soil, and growing good, nutritious, high quality organic open-pollinated corn and heirloom small grains are of the utmost importance to us. We hope you share our enthusiasm and passion and we look forward to helping you attain a fulfilling and sustainable future. Wapsie Valley Dent Open-pollinated Corn makes excellent polenta, grits, cornbread, feed, and is an heirloom variety well suited for making a distinctive bourbon whiskey!
Why Artesian Organic Farm?
Adolph Steinbronn made the decision to turn his back on chemicals, insecticides pesticides, herbicides and hybrid corn back in 1969. He never had a liking for that type of farming, he summed it up with his hand painted sign by the road that said "Natural Grown Beef and Pork - No Chemicals or Poisons Used on Land or Livestock" . That was a bold move to make in 1970, but that was my father - he stood for what he believed and what was right even if he stood alone...
I thank God every day for giving me a Father who stood up for his beliefs, and for my Mother, who stood side by side with him, supporting him every step of the way.
For our family, open-pollinated corn and heirloom grains, especially the Wapsie Valley Dent Corn that he developed in 1971, are about more than making a living, they are about preserving a sustainable way of life and carrying on our family legacy. It is an honor and a privilege to be able to continue practicing organic, and sustainable agriculture practices on through present, and future generations.
My Father, Adolph Steinbronn finished up his first presentation on organic farming in 1970 with a bible verse he lived by: "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man" - Psalm 118:8.
We still pick our Wapsie Valley Dent and other varieties of seed corn on the ear, store it in corn cribs and hand select, clean and process all the seed that goes into our ground and into the hands of our customers. Our growing and processing operation is all on our own farm.
Site Content
What We Bring
Feed Value and Palatability Testimonials
Future Crops We Are Working On
We offer Wapsie Valley Dent Open Pollinated Seed Corn that is raised and processed with the same passion as our Father and Grandfather who developed it in 1971
Future Crops We Are Working On
Feed Value and Palatability Testimonials
Future Crops We Are Working On
We are working on expanding our seed offerings beyond Wapsie Valley Dent Open Pollinated Corn, these will include Japanese Hulless Popcorn Seed, Emmer Wheat Seed, Einkorn Wheat Seed, and Rodney Seed Oats
Feed Value and Palatability Testimonials
Feed Value and Palatability Testimonials
Feed Value and Palatability Testimonials
"I've never had butterfat and protein levels as high in my milk in 40 years until I got into the Wapsie Valley Corn silage" - Phil Huck , Waverly, IA
"My cattle never cleaned up their hybrid ground corn, but when we ground the Wapsie Valley corn and fed it to the, they cleaned every last crumb up" - Mike Steffen, Dunkerton, Iowa.
Genetic Diversity at a Glance
The Origin of Wapsie Valley Dent Open Pollinated Corn
Feed Value and Palatability Testimonials
When we select seed for our own stock, we select for many things, the various colors within Wapsie Valley
Dent Open Pollinated Corn are a great indicator of various traits and genetic diversity among the strain. Wapsie Valley Dent Open Pollinated Corn has many different traits including traits that can help maintain yields in wet or dry years, weed pressure and high winds.
The Origin of Wapsie Valley Dent Open Pollinated Corn
The Origin of Wapsie Valley Dent Open Pollinated Corn
The Origin of Wapsie Valley Dent Open Pollinated Corn
Adolph Steinbronn developed Wapsie Valley Dent Open Pollinated Corn in 1971. Wapsie Valley Open Pollinated Corn was developed as a result of his passion for organic farming and his desire to create what he considered the perfect corn. His public display of the corn he was working with intrigued many other farmers and he started taking orders that day. I was 5 years old when Dad started on this journey, his passion definitely rubbed off on me. I watched him struggle to develop a successful seed business up to the time when cancer made it impossible for him to continue. I feel privileged to have been fortunate enough to rekindle and continue his legacy - Larry Steinbronn