Our focus is on historical open pollinated varieties that were selected for the northern edge of the corn belt. Here is major corn growing regions of the US per the USDA:
Corn does grow in Michigan, but we're not famous for it. To grow multiple varieties on our small farm, we will use length of maturity to manage multiple varieties as well as different fields on our farm. Unfortunately, some with similar maturities will have to take turns from year to year.
Days until maturity are certainly just a guideline. The real driver of plant (and insect life) is Growing Degree Days (GDD). It will take me a few years to fine tune the listed 'maturity' of each type relative to the other, but for the moment, here they (have, do and want to grow) are:
Days Named Variety
65 Alberta Clipper Corn
70 Gaspe' Flint Corn
75 New York Red Flint Corn
75 VK RX 2300 Flint Corn
75 New York Bloody Butcher Flint Corn
85 King Phillip Flint Corn
87 Minnesota 13 Corn
89 Coburn's Early Red Flint Corn
95 Polar Dent Corn
97 Floriani Red Flint Corn
100 Silver King Dent Corn
100 New York Red Robin Dent Corn
100 Black Cherry Parching Corn
105 Amish Dent Corn
105 Reid Yellow Dent Corn
105 Zdrowie Flint Corn
105 New York Amish Mushroom Popcorn
110 1776 Dent Corn
115 Ohio Blue Dent Corn
115 Buck Lantz Dent Corn
120 Johnny Dewlen Blue Dent Corn
120 Lancaster Sure Crop
120 Homestead Chicken Feed Dent Corn
126 Cocke's Prolific Dent Corn
These need maturities assigned. Aren't they gorgeous!
xxx White Landrace Corn
xxx Winnebago White Flour Corn
xxx Northwestern Dent Corn
xxx Rhode Island Red and White Flint Corn
Integrated Pest Management of University of Missouri had an interesting 3 part series on corn pollination:
The Male Role The Female Role Boy Meets Girl
It goes into the details of the mechanics, methods and perils reproduction without any birds or bees. Corn being monoecious has two unique traits among the grains: each plant has both male & female parts and they physically separated. As a result, corn depends on wind to move its pollen. Our honeybees can be seen gathering pollen from the tassels, but without a nectar treat on the female flower, they never land on the silks.
We do not grow a large enough plot size to be able to estimate yields on a commercial scale. I like this graph from Purdue University on corn yield per acre since 1866:
I like to think of the golden age of open pollinated corn breeding ended by 1940. According to this article on corn breeding hybrids took on an increasing role. Then came cheap chemicals, oil, irrigation and GMO...
So, it appears that one could expect 25 bushels per acre. A bushel of shelled corn weighs 56 pounds, so, about 1400 pounds of shelled corn per acre, or 30 pounds for a 30 ft by 30 ft plot. In my progression of the corn harvest, I calculate what I was harvesting. Much to my surprise (& joy), I've been able to beat these numbers.
Here is an interesting article on making tortillas including the nixtamalization process.