Have fun and enjoy the experience.
I could write a book on growing corn, and Im dumb about it compared to the good operators. I can hit 200bu plus per acre, but my variable soils average 160 more often.
So there are 100 details to grow good corn.
You need the 10 beginner big steps first I would guess?
Corn comes up, gets 4 leaves on it, and sits there for 2 weeks feeding its root system. Then it takes off like a race horse and grows and grows. It really wants and needs nitrogen when it takes off and grows, and fills its ears.
But, it hates being shaded. So the biggest mistake folk make growing corn is letting weeds shade over it during that period it sits still and creates its root system.
So aside from seed spacing, seed depth, and fertilizer, the biggest mistake beginners make is letting the weeds grow and shade the young plants. The corn will panic and stop growing its roots and try to grow taller to keep up. This simply destroys any yield potential.
And improve that every year with giant rag weed patches escaping in my fields and shading the corn. I kick myself every year....
Anyhow, early weed control, lack of, is the biggest mistake beginners make.
Free seed, cool! Sometimes cheap corn seed is not worth having tho, we farmers learn that too..... you have a friend or family willing to share a 1/3 of a bag to you?
Paul