Its barbeque season… please don’t peel the corn!
Reprinted with permission from the June issue of the Ester Republic.
‘Outpost Agriculture’ is a new column I’m authoring in the Ester Republic, an independent publication of the Independent Republic of Ester, AK. The column is conceived with a mission to explore all things food: the science, culture and politics of its production and consumption. It takes its name from a 1967 article by geographer Karl Francis, who said “Agriculture in
Inspiration for this first installment, of what I hope becomes a Republic tradition that matches the’Missionary Position’ came at the Fred Meyer’s produce department. There are a number of things that are bound to annoy me on a trip to Fred Meyer’s: shoppers who hang out in the middle of aisles, for instance. But at the top of the list is when people mistreat produce. And the most severe form of this capital offense, bar none, is when they peel back the husks on corn-on-the-cob.
Heavens forbid that when you get home, you’re missing 5-10 kernels from the top of your cobs that you purchased at 3 for a dollar.
Of course Zea mays is certainly not the only produce item that people disrespect, with their prodding and squeezing and dropping, and as an anthropologist I may be particularly sensitive to the mistreatment of this icon of civilizations-past. But when you peel back the husks but don’t buy the cob, it becomes much harder to sell, as if newly diseased or unclean. Instead it dries out and makes its way to the nearest landfill with the rest of the unsold glut produce - 18.9 billion pounds were tossed in 1995, roughly 52 million pounds per day.
Few consumers have an understanding or appreciation of how much work goes into producing each corn-cob, granny smith apple, or Vidalia onion. Most also believe that food is supposed to be cheap. Perfect, but cheap. Many times have I overheard shoppers exclaim “there’s no reason these [insert vegetable here] should cost so much!” Since they perceive in it no value, they treat it accordingly, beat it up like a cheap pair sunglasses and yet continue to be turned off by any imperfection of shape, size or color. A 2004 study of citrus, for instance, revealed that consumers base their buying decisions on blemishes and price, even when farming practices are known. It is no wonder that the family farm has all-but disappeared, and why small-scale natural-systems farms across the country struggle to charge an elevated but entirely fair price for their superior, albeit less uniform-looking produce. Moreover, it is no wonder that this nation places no value on the welfare of its 2 million migrant farm workers, without whom our grocer’s shelves would be bare.
The fact is, food is not cheap. It does not come without a significant investment of time, labor and expertise. Corn farmers rarely, if ever, break even on their corn, though they break their backs trying. Ironically, that corn-cob makes far more profit (a pittance nonetheless) than the feed corn that most producers grow.
Everyone’s perspective could benefit from opportunity to experience firsthand the value of food. I recommend volunteering a morning or afternoon with any of our fine local farms. You might be asked to do some weeding, help building a compost pile, or haul manure. Whatever the task, I guarantee you’ll have a good time and walk away with a new appreciation for the work and care that makes your fresh food possible. P.S. Bring your kids!
