Farming friends: Corn question

[tulip]

Corn is fertilized by the wind. If you plant two varieties close together, you'll likely end up with funky corn. This can be a problem if you plant sweet corn near field corn--you probably won't end up with too much edible sweet corn.

[bmccasland]

Tulip is right about cross-pollination - but I don't know how much seed is saved by farmers to replant like they used to. The way to beat the issue is that seed is saved from the center of a "pure" stand. So Marquise's father would get his sweet corn from a different field, or just buy the seeds for a few rows next to the house. I'm sure the cows and pigs appreciated a bit of sweetness in their corn.

Back when I was a kid living in France, my Mom had a housekeeper who was appalled that Mom was giving us corn-on-the-cob, as the only corn Madame knew was field corn. Mom tried to explain that no, it was sweet corn, not pig food. Mom grew up on a farm and knew the difference. Madame wasn't convinced and brought us a bunch of garden vegies the next week because if we were eating pig food, maybe we weren't doing as well financially as she thought - she got her wages, but the children eating pig food, perish the thought!

[Biciclista]

gosh, with the way Monsanto acts about their 'rights' to the farmer's corn, you can't use the grown seed for replanting. Even if you did, all commercial corn seed is hybrid and the next generation doesn't produce as well.
There are still heirloom varieties that can be replanted.

[channlluv]

Beth, that's a hoot.

Have any of you ever made a corn maze?

Does Monsanto really think they can bully all the farmers everywhere into using only their genetically-modified corn? I heard they, or a company like them, recently sued a smaller organic farm for copyright violation or something based on cross pollination of their adjacent fields.

Do you think our generation will go down as a monumental failure because we've made corporations into people?

Roxy

[Trek420]

Does Monsanto really think they can bully all the farmers everywhere into using only their genetically-modified corn?

Yes they can and yes they do and yes they will

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ied-crops.html

Do you think our generation will go down as a monumental failure because we've made corporations into people?

My hope, work and prayer is our generation or maybe the next generation will be the one that takes back our food supply. Maybe led by a child inspired by your book?

[withm]

Does Monsanto really think they can bully all the farmers everywhere into using only their genetically-modified corn?

I strongly urge you to read the book Food Inc., by Eric Schlosser or see the movie. You can rent it and watch instantly from Amazon for $2.99. It could very well be a life changing event for you.

[Trek420]

I strongly urge you to read the book Food Inc., by Eric Schlosser or see the movie. You can rent it and watch instantly from Amazon for $2.99. It could very well be a life changing event for you.

ooh, ooh, ooh also read "The Omnivore's Dilemma"

http://michaelpollan.com/books/the-omnivores-dilemma/

and distill all this down to children's book form. Good luck!

Eat local!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2LBICPEK6w

[channlluv]

"His name was Colin..." - bahahahahaha! That is hysterical. There are some cafes in San Diego that approach that, but not really all that close. We're happy with "local" and "organic."

I found Food, Inc. on Netflix. I've added it to my queue. Thank you for the suggestion.

I'm meeting with four editors in early May at a writing retreat. I'll be bringing these book proposals to them. I'll keep you all posted. Thank you so much for the inspiration!

Roxy

[withm]

ooh, ooh, ooh also read "The Omnivore's Dilemma"

http://michaelpollan.com/books/the-omnivores-dilemma/

and distill all this down to children's book form. Good luck!

Eat local!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2LBICPEK6w

I've read most of Pollan's work and a lot of Mark Bittman on the subject. As Pollan says, "Eat real food, mostly plants, not too much." If you can't pronounce it, just don't eat it. Of course I'm not perfect, but I do cook, have very little processed food in my house, and rarely eat meat. If I can make it, I'd rather not buy it.

[missjean]

Back when I was a kid living in France, my Mom had a housekeeper who was appalled that Mom was giving us corn-on-the-cob, as the only corn Madame knew was field corn. Mom tried to explain that no, it was sweet corn, not pig food. Mom grew up on a farm and knew the difference.

lol! I was a kid living in Germany and my Mother's relatives (she is German) thought the same thing. She was raised on a farm and when she moved to the US, she thought corn was only for the cows & pigs - but she changed her mind when she tried sweet corn.