Wasted

Imagine a family dinner of three with a menu that could be anything from grilled chicken to pasta salad. But, imagine if one of those family members didn’t eat their meal, and it had gone to waste. Sadly, those circumstances parallel American society. For decades, wasted food was been problem hiding in plain sight. Thankfully the issue of food waste has gradually become one the food industry, press and now politicians–are noticing.

 

 

Just this month, the separation of church and state was set aside when combating food waste. The Environmental Protection Agency on January 18^th, 2016 launched the Food Steward's Pledge, an initiative to engage religious groups of all faiths to help redirect the food that ends up in landfills to hungry mouths. The EPA also partnered with the USDA back in September of 2015 at a joint event where USDA Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and EPA deputy administrator Stan Meiburg announced a plan with a multifaceted way of getting there: reduce the country’s food waste by 50 percent by 2030.

According to US Government Figures, more than 1,200 calories per American per day are wasted. These losses occur on the farm, at the retail level and in homes. We consumers often toss out foods because they've passed their sell-by date — but are still just fine to eat — or because we buy more than we can eat before it goes bad. In addition, Food waste is the single biggest material in U.S. landfills, according to the U.S. Agricultural Department. As this waste decomposes, it releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

 

For many Americans, there are multiple reasons that they throw away food, including food that goes past its use by date, Food that has visibly gone bad, making too much food, and many more. According to Government Agencies like the EPA and the USDA, the key to reduce food waste at the consumer level is by changing behavior.  The EPA is engaging with faith-based groups to help make that change behavior in a variety of ways. For instance, when these organizations hold potlucks, the leftovers can go to the local food bank.

Given that food affects every single US Citizen in some shape of form, it’s easy for consumers to take action against food waste.  Government Agencies, Researchers, and other parties have found that there are simple ways to decrease food waste and save money, such as:

1. Grocery Shopping Realistically:

When going shopping, make sure you don't buy too much food. This may mean going to the grocery store more often, and buying less food each time. A good way of solidifying this is by planning out meals in advance, and making a detailed shopping list with the ingredients you'll need.

2. Saving and Eating Leftovers

Saving uneaten food when you either cook too much or you get too much food at a restaurant can help reduce food waste. Labeling leftovers can help keep track of how long they've been in your fridge or freezer. 

3. Don’t Over-Serve

The idea of massive portions is a problem in American Culture, and it’s consumers at home as well trickle into our homes. Refrain from over-serving friends and family when you're cooking meals. Using small plates can help with that.

4. Treat expiration and sell-by dates as guidelines

When it comes to expiration and sell-by dates, this is a tricky subject. Most Expiration dates identify with food quality, not food safety. The "sell by" label tells the store how long to display the product for sale. This is basically a guide for the retailer, so the store knows when to pull the item. This is not mandatory, so reach in back and get the freshest. The issue is quality of the item (freshness, taste, and consistency) rather than whether it is on the verge of spoiling.

5. Donate to food banks and farms.

Before you throw away excess food, look into food banks and charities where you can bring items you know you're not going to consume before they go bad, and give them to people in need. You can find local food banks through Feeding America and WhyHunger.

The good news about Food Waste, is that we as individuals can implement small changes that make a big difference in the amount of food we throw away each year.

Good Luck!

Conrad

Are Veterinarians Real Doctors?

Hard at work improving animal lives

 As a veterinarian, the worst question that I get is not “How do you deal with euthanasia?” or “Don’t you ever get tired of blood and guts?” or “How about those student loans?”  Honestly, the worst question I get is far worse, and actually all too common.  I can’t tell you the number of times that people have asked me “Why didn’t you just become a real doctor?” 

That question really just makes my blood boil.  I will tell you, I automatically have a problem with any person who asks me that question.  Why?  Because by asking that question, “Why didn’t you just become a real doctor?” that person has automatically devalued my degree, my livelihood, and most importantly, my passion.  I want to be a medical doctor for animals—I do not want to be a medical doctor for humans.  I don’t really understand why someone would want to ask me that question.  Frankly, it gets me pretty riled up.  I get angry, I get defensive, and I shut that person out. 

 The SAME thing happens when people who have never been on a farm, have never experienced the rewards of growing their own food, and have never realized the value that they receive at the grocery store, ask farmers why they choose to raise their crops or their livestock the way that they do, using the technologies that they have available.  It happens when they accuse farmers of raising crops that are “tainted” with GMOs, or when they accuse cattle, pork, or poultry producers of raising animals “inhumanely.”  When people cry out about the “florid, inhumane” conditions that farm animals live in, or the “unnatural, corrupted” crops that are grown, it makes those farmers’ blood boil as well.  When farmers hear such falsities, and such questions, they tend to react like any other person whose livelihood and passion are being questioned and put down—they get angry, they get defensive, and they shut down.  Sound familiar?

Being a farmer’s daughter from Kansas, I’ve lived my whole life answering questions like “Do you actually have running water in your house?” or “Do you still go to church in a horse and buggy?”  My family gets it--most of the time those questions are in jest, but we do get a bit defensive about things like that.  But when we really get defensive is when people are angered about our use of some of the most innovative technologies in the world (ahem, GMOs), but are still asking whether we have some of the same technologies that the ancient Romans had!  It’s a bit mind-boggling, to tell you the truth.

Any good farmer will be the first to tell you that the crops and animals they raise are safe, nutritious, and produced in a responsible manner.  They will tell you that they feed those products to their own children, and would be happy if you fed them to yours, as well.  However, they will not tell you these things if they feel like their whole lives are being threatened.  And that’s how many farmers feel right now.

Again, with this anger and defensiveness comes that urge to shut people out.  I will be the first to tell you, farmers can be some of the most defensive people out there.  It’s hard not to be when you feel your livelihood is being threatened.  However, if I’ve learned anything from my experience in being asked the “real doctor” question, it’s how to be gracious and accepting of it, and provide an answer that gives the inquirer the reply that they’re looking for, but also gives me the chance to enlighten them on important aspects of my job and maybe, for the future, let them know that the question is not necessarily appropriate when asked in that way.  Believe me, it’s taken a while for me to become accepting and gracious, but I believe that farmers are much more graceful and accepting than I will ever be, so it doesn’t take them long to come around. 

What I ask of the majority of consumers is that you take a step back before making accusations and asking some possibly offensive questions, and ask yourself, “If someone had no idea what I did in my job, and asked me why I was doing it wrong, what would I say?”  I think you would find that you’d be a little put-out and defensive, too.  But I think you would want to help that person see that you ARE doing a good job, and that you are proud of what you do, just like farmers are.  Consumers have a right to ask all the questions they want—they’re part of the food production process as well—however, I think if we all took a step back and thought about our approach, these conversations just might become a whole lot easier.

Why the Food Babe is BAD for Food Education

We are all about learning and engaging here at Food For Thought. Learning about where your food comes from and speaking directly with the farmers and ranchers who grow crops and raise livestock. We believe it is fundamentally important to be confident in one’s food choices and know that our food supply is safe, wholesome and accessible.

NOT a trusted source for farming/ranching/food production

Which is why the Food Babe is NOT helping consumers learn more about their food and, in turn, trust producers. She’s actually doing the exact opposite. She uses fear tactics to sell her books, promote her diet plans and force companies to stop using federally inspected and approved products that help our food be safer. The Food Babe is not thinking about consumers. She’s thinking about numero uno and how she can make more money scaring the living daylights of you, the consumer, while simultaneously disparaging companies that use ingredients that are FDA approved safe for consumption. And she won’t let facts stand in her way – just read this piece about airplanes for further proof (you may have to call on your sixth grade science knowledge).



This rancher IS a trusted source for raising cattle and beef.

 Food For Thought is not a group of fear mongers, nor are we out to make the Food Babe look ridiculous. We don’t need to do that and it’s not our goal (quite frankly she is making herself seem ridiculous all on her own). Food For Thought’s main focus is to help consumers learn more about where their food comes and answer questions about food production. It’s even in our mission!

Food For Thought will provide consumers with answers about where their food comes from by empowering agriculturalists, informing consumers and confronting myths about modern agriculture through innovative and effective methods.

What this means, dear readers, is that we want to hear YOUR questions and concerns. How do you feel about your food and the people who produce? Ask us anything – we want to talk to you!


This pig farmer is responsibly caring for her animals and IS a
trusted source for animal care and pork production.

Please, we beg you, if you have a question about GMOs, corn, cattle, sweet potatoes, rice, pigs, lizards, marshmallows: ask! We are here to quench your thirst for knowledge!



New Member Alert - Kiah Gourley

We have some fresh faces around Food For Thought these days - we held a membership drive in August and September and have some great new minds who are excited about agriculture among our ranks! Periodically, you'll see their bios here so that you can get to know them. This post is about new member Kiah Gourley, a sophomore majoring in Animal Science here at K-State.

--

 Hi, I am Kiah Gourley.  I am from Philomath, Oregon.  I grew up raising pigs and showing livestock in 4-H.  I am excited to be in Food For Thought because it gives me a chance to learn how to talk to the consumer about where our food comes from. I want to get involved so I can hear from very inspirational people, and fellow peers on how to present agriculture in a positive way. I would love the opportunity to take these ideas back to the west coast, and put them into action.

New Technology Brings Pigs and People Together

    Would you be interested in a video game that is played between real people and their counterparts in the pig world? How could this work, you might wonder? Well, thanks to collaborative research between the Utrecht School of the Arts and animal scientists at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, the  Playing with Pigs  project has become a reality in the form of a video game called PigChase.

PigChase is designed as a way to bring humans and pigs closer together, as it involves a human playing on an iPad or iPhone video tablet interacting with live pigs in their home environment. It will be much easier to understand if you check out the video.

Researchers have set up a large touch-screen system inside a pen where young pigs are housed. Research has shown that pigs are attracted by moving light and based on this principle, a game was created where humans use their fingers to drag a ball of light with their finger and try to match it up with the pigs' snouts on the other side of the screen.

This is an exciting idea that I must say needs to be applauded for it creativity. In animal science we often discuss the need to bring food animals and consumers closer together, and what better way to do so than by keeping both pigs and people entertained at the same time?

For those of you interested in getting the game PigChase, keep your eyes peeled for its release!

Enjoy,

Grocery Shopping: No Longer Just for Women!

Men,

  Congratulations, you are no longer completely relegated to only the traditional tasks of car care, plumbing and lawn mowing. Although this unfortunately means we may have to wash a dish or fold a load of laundry every now and then, it also means we get to be involved in something we been wanting to for a long time......buying groceries!

   According to a consumer report by Yahoo and the market research firm DB5, in a survey of 1,000 fathers, 51% consider themselves to be the primary grocery shoppers for the household. With more men taking the reins of the cart, companies like Proctor & Gamble are adapting their grocery offerings to more accurately target this growing demographic.

   So-called "man-aisles" have been popping up around the country in Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens and other chains  since 2009. Some have described their inclusion as the pinnacle of western civilization. To paint a better picture of the "man-aisle" environment, I particularly enjoyed this quote from the Chicago Tribune:

       "What is the man aisle like? The man aisle is slightly colder than room temperature and smells faintly of cedar and wet dog. The shelves are eight feet high. There is a basket filled with old baseball gloves and hammers and a rack filled with cassette tapes with pictures of trucks on them. In some places there are small fires. All the people in the man aisle stand with their arms crossed and skeptical looks on their faces. Sometimes they sing rounds together, and roll an empty keg down the aisle. No one has ever left."

That description made me pretty excited to find a "man-aisle" in my area, so if anybody knows of one near Manhattan, KS let me know. I'm up for a road trip to go buy myself some beer, bacon and cheese!

Cheers,


Hyatt

Why Vegetarians are Crazy: Part 2

This is part two in a two-part series of posts about my conversations with a vegetarian. If you did not catch the first post, please go check it out here. 

By now you have probably figured out that I am not a vegetarian. Nor do I think vegetarians are crazy. I had a conversation with a vegetarian friend of mine and wanted to share it with you. It enlightened me and I hope you will find the same thing, no matter what's in your diet!

How long have you been a vegetarian?

I have been a vegetarian since I was 14 (over 20 years). The summer before my freshmen year, I went to a camp sponsored by the Kansas Association of Teachers of Science, where the food was disgusting and many of the counselors were vegetarian environmentalist KU students. I didn’t eat any meat that week and just never started eating it again.

What are the main reasons you choose to maintain a vegetarian diet?

Meat just really doesn’t seem like food to me. You would never want to eat your mittens or the newspaper; meat is the same way for me. I also think my body functions best on a diet with lots of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains and not many “heavy” foods. Although I haven’t eaten meat (intentionally) in 20 years, I just can’t imagine that my body would like it.

What major resource did you use when converting to make nutritionally sound decisions?

When I first stopped eating meat, my mother bought me a copy of Diet for a Small Planet and The Vegetarian Times cookbook. She also got me a subscription to the Vegetarian Times (which I’ve maintained). Because my father has high cholesterol and high blood pressure, my mother had previously purchased a Dean Ornish book and a cookbook called The Vegetarian Gourmet, which both contained nutritional information. Finally, my mother made me meet with a registered dietician to learn about balancing nutrients. (Unfortunately, the nutritionist didn’t really know much more than I did.) Today I have a large collection of vegetarian cookbooks, and I follow a number of healthy eating (but not necessarily vegetarian) blogs, including Kath Eats Real Food, Apple Crumbles, Runner’s Kitchen, and The Daily Garnish.

I have always thought that the food and agriculture industry failed you (and others who choose not to consume meat) as a consumer, where do you think that happened or what is the problem?

I really don’t think the food or agriculture industry has failed me. I certainly spend enough on groceries!

Is your point of view respected often? At home? At work? On travel?

I am surprised by the extent to which my point of view is respected and tolerated in the middle of beef country. Most people go out of their way to make sure that I have something to eat, and I really haven’t been teased about my eating habits since high school. My mother-in-law (who is from a ranching family) keeps veggie burgers in her freezer for me and has stopped adding bacon to her green beans so I can eat them. My friends keep vegetable broth in their pantries so I can eat their soup. The biggest problem I encounter is lack of understanding, particularly in restaurants. For example, the people who run the Chinese restaurant in Hugoton don’t understand why I don’t want to eat fish sauce and people who run Mexican restaurants around here are confused when I ask about lard. Even my mother sometimes forgets to read labels and tries to feed me something with meat in it.  I do find it refreshing in places like California where food is labeled vegetarian or vegan, and I actually have more than one choice on a menu. That doesn’t really happen around here.

What could the animal agriculture industry do a better job of in order to reach out to consumers who choose to maintain diets that include animal products?

I suppose focus on health benefits of animal products?

The population is growing exponentially, how can food producers  accommodate the extra growth?

I am particularly concerned about the lack of availability of whole foods, particularly in areas of poverty. I think it’s important that people everywhere have access to fresh, healthy, unprocessed foods and are given the tools and education needed to prepare that food.

Let me know your thoughts!

Tera Rooney 

Why Vegetarians are Crazy

You didn't really think I was writing a one-sided post about why a rural Kansas, farmer's daughter thinks vegetarians are crazy, did you? Well, they aren't and I hope that you clicked on this post for more than just the catchy title, because if you'll stick around you might even learn something new about consumer choices. 

I am always challenging myself to learn the opinions from people on what I used to consider, "the other side". It is a way to broaden my view on certain topics and adjust my opinions accordingly. Sometimes I find out that there really aren't sides at all...

That is exactly what happened when I had a conversation with a vegetarian. She is a good friend of mine and someone I have learned a great deal from without even talking about our diets. I wanted to start with a background and if you come back soon, you'll get to hear more from my vegetarian friend!

A consumer is a broad label used for people or households that utilize goods or services generated within the economy. 

Within this broad category of consumers, people identify with different choice groups, oftentimes labeled with a name, based on the type and kinds of goods or services they consume.

Food consumers are no different and the American Dietetic Association identifies four types within the vegetarian lifestyle:

• Strict vegetarian or vegan: A vegetarian diet that excludes all animal products such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese and other dairy products
• Lactovegetarian: A vegetarian diet that excludes meat, poultry, fish and eggs but includes dairy products
• Lacto-ovovegetarian: A vegetarian diet that excludes meat, poultry and fish but includes eggs and dairy products. Most vegetarians in the United States fall into this category.
• Flexitarian: A semi-vegetarian diet with a focus on vegetarian food with occasional meat consumption. 

That's a lot more complicated than I ever dreamed! There is an estimated 2.5% of US population who fall into one of these four consumer groups. No matter if you find yourself falling into one of these groups or not, we all have one thing in common - we make choices about our food at the grocery store or farmer's market everyday. 

Stay tuned to see how my conversation went with my vegetarian friend. 

Back in the Dust Bowl

An aerial view of a wheat field that failed to grow because of the drought in Haskell County.

Leaders in the Captiol here in Kansas have been hard at work to get 21 south western counties in Kansas recognized by the USDA as areas of natural disaster because of the recent drought that has caused crop and cattle production to dwindle. These are the counties involved in disaster areas: Finney, Gove, Grant, Greeley, Hamilton, Haskell, Kearny, Lane, Logan, Meade, Morton, Ness, Scott, Seward, Sheridan, Sherman, Stanton, Stevens, Thomas, Wallace and Wichita.

"Kansas if facing one of the worst droughts since the Dust Bowl days," said Sen. Pat Roberts in this article released today.

He's not far off. If you will remember my family's farm is in Haskell County where we attempt to raise wheat, cotton, corn and cattle. This year the wheat crop is non-existent partly due to the drought conditions and the fire that blazed through the area in April.

It's easy to see that it will be a rough summer for most farmers in the area. One thing many people won't think about is how the drought will affect cattle ranchers in the area. We don't have the lush green pastures of the Flint Hills in Kansas, but what we do have usually works for our cow herd. We turn our cows out in the spring on a pasture of mostly Bermuda grass that looks pretty dormant most years and greens up pretty good in April or May. Things are a little more desolate this year.

The greenest thing in the pastures back home might just be the algae in the water tank. Thus is the reason that this morning my Dad headed to the sale barn this morning with a big chunk of our cow herd. He culled any of our cows that were old or had structural problems. The reason we can't keep these cows around is because the feed that we normally depend on (the pasture grass) isn't there due to the severe drought conditions. This year we are hoping to be able to run 25 cows with their calves along side on 1000 acres of grass. We're not even sure that we will make it into the fall without supplementing them with feed and 1000 acres is a lot of ground!

Remembering that farmers and ranchers are the original environmentalists, the SWKS area will get through this drought just as it has in the past. Rest assured that farmers are doing everything possible to preserve the ground that they have signed on for a lifetime to be caretakers of. My dad will not be doing anything foolish with the ground he farms because he wants his son to be able to continue with the family business. Ranchers are also being responsible in how their cattle are cared for. Knowing that it's going to be a rough summer, my family will not be compromising the welfare of any cows that might have a hard time grazing the pasture ground we're dealing with. By selling them as cow-calf pairs we have, in a sense, given them an opportunity to move on to greener pastures!

What does this mean to you as a consumer? The southwestern corner of Kansas is a huge supplier of grain and cattle in the Kansas economy, which is also a huge supplier to the US food supply. You probably won't see a rise in prices at the grocery store, even though many farmers are going to see huge deficits on the profit margin. That's where understanding how American Agriculture works full circle and realizing that we are still able to feed our population through adverse weather conditions comes in.

American Agriculturists are working hard to literally put food on the table. We need consumer support and welcome any questions you may have.

My Best,

Tera Rooney

To read more:

http://www.kansas.com/2011/05/10/1843545/usda-named-21-counties-as-natural.html#ixzz1LzUGIPgk

http://www.dodgeglobe.com/features/x855743556/Drought-prompts-call-for-federal-disaster-assistance-in-southwest-Kansas

Where were you in 2002?

Two-thousand and two. At first glance it doesn't seem like it was that long ago. Where were you in oh-2?

I was...a lanky, boy crazy 7th grade student at Satanta Jr.-Sr. High School. Fresh into a sweet, maroon, 1990 model Cadillac DeVille loaned to me from my grandfather as my first official set of wheels to take me from the farm to school and back per the farmer's permit I had obtained. George W. Bush was the President, no comment. The Olympics were in Salt Lake. After school I probably rocked out to a mix of Dashboard Confessional, 50-cent (pronounced "fiddy-cent" for you vintage readers!), and Nickelback that played on my cassette-to-CD converter on a CD I am sure was burned off of Napster downloads.

In 2002, Michael Pollan began telling the story of how food goes from farm to fork with his article, Power Steer.

And ever since then Agriculture has been fighting to set it straight. If you are interested in Pollan's article and the information presented in it, I would encourage you to talk to an actual Agriculturist. Rather than taking the word of a journalist who lives in the confines of a over-populated concrete jungle, maybe you should check out what these people have to say.

• Garden City, Kansas, missed the suburban building boom because it retained the rural lifestyle in a corner of Kansas that produces a lot of food for a large portion of our population.
• POKY Feeders is located in Scott County and is managed by Joe Morgan. My dad delivered a bull to Mr. Morgan this past Tuesday that we picked up on a trip through Nebraska. You want to learn about cattle feeding? POKY Feeders runs a fine business and you can find more out on their website - http://www.cattlefeeding.com/
• Blair Brother Angus raised the calf in the article. They would be a reliable source to hit up on all things cattle - http://www.blairbrosangus.com/index.cfm
• The Hadricks refuse to let people like Pollan tell their story any more and have done an amazing job promoting agriculture -http://advocatesforag.blogspot.com/

I guess my point is that these are great examples of people who could tell you more about how cattle go from the farm to your table. They are all accessible on the internet and would answer the phone too! I like to go to the source for my information. When I have a health concern, I don't check out the New York Times, I ask my doctor. When I have a question about clearly getting a point across to group members, I ask my mom who is an educator and is pretty good at conveying messages to others.

When you want to know more about where your food comes from, call a producer. Agriculture has to do a better job of telling agriculture's story. We have some pretty good ones to tell...

Partying like it's 0h-2,

Tera Rooney

If you liked this post about experiencing agriculture first hand. You have to check out this place!

Fair Oak Farms

Bringing the consumer on to a farm to view how dairy products go from farm to fork is the best way to educate...now booking birthday parties!

Farmers Fighting Hunger

Over the past few weeks, the month of March has been recognized as National Nutrition Month. The month represents a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign strives to focus attention on the importance of making informed food decisions and developing sound eating and exercise habits.

However, for many individuals, these choices may not only be a decision of eating healthy, but a concern of, “Am I going to eat at all?” According to the U.S. Census population, there are currently more than 2,818,747 people living in the state of Kansas. Of these families, an alarming 13.7% of them live in poverty.

The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) announced this month the beginning of its Farmers Fighting Hunger campaign in Kansas. KBC along with its farmers and ranchers, are joining the fight against hunger in our communities. By working along side the Kansas Foodbank and Harvesters, as well Feeding America member food banks, they are hosting a county challenge amongst its farmers and ranchers in raising donations for fighting hunger.

You see, farmers and ranchers are dedicated to providing safe and nutritious meals for our families. Check out this short video on the importance of our communities’ farmers and ranchers. You can watch the clip by clicking here. 

Interested in how you can help?

• Donate! From March 1 to May 1, 2011, you may submit your pledge card and monetary donation to the Kansas Beef Council or KLA representative within your county. Or, Donate directly to the National Feeding America Fund
  
• Remind your neighbors, friends and family that hunger exists in your own backyard by passing this information along to them.
• For more information, visit the KBC website.

Until next time,

Kiley Stinson

Foodie Feature: I Am Angus - Creating Connections with Consumers

Connections between consumers and producers is what Food For Thought is always striving to create. A great example of this is the connection that the I Am Angus series, produced by the American Angus Association, is creating.

For your information, Angus is a breed of cattle largely used in the beef industry. Angus cattle are black hided and commonly associated with high quality carcass characteristics. Different breeds form associations to connect breeders from across the country. Breed associations are built on the premise that registered cattle are worth more, the benefits trickle down through the system to the individual producers.

I Am Angus is an hour-long show that airs on RFD-TV. All of the videos are posted on YouTube as well. This February 28th at 7 p.m., the program will feature several people in the industry with highlights including one of our own Food For Thought members, Chelsea Good, and world-renowned animal behaviorist, Dr. Temple Grandin. Tune in on RFD-TV or catch the segment on YouTube because you won't want to miss this touching video connecting consumers and producers by telling the story of agriculture.

Here is the preview that you can access today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO6j14NdR10.

My best,

Tera Rooney

The Story of Corn: As Told by a 4-year-old.

You may remember my post written this summer, The Story of Wheat: As Told by a 3-year-old.

Well this fall Cameron turned 4! He also got to see corn harvest at our farm. Irrigated corn is the main crop that we harvest and by the end of the season our combines have shelled close to 1 million bushels of this crop. Remembering what a bushel is, that is a lot of corn! Today while traveling to my hometown with my nephews in tow, we passed the John Deere dealership in a nearby town. Cameron spotted a combine with a corn header on it. This brought on the story of corn, and it goes a bit like this:

(his words, not mine, and you are lucky it's my spelling!)

1. Corn is a kernel and Papa's tractors plant it in the dirt in rows.
2. Papa has to water the corn to get it to grow.
3. We eat corn when the petals are green, but cows eat it when the petals turn brown.*
4. When the corn turns all brown Papa can cut it with a combine.
5. He has to put a corn header on the combine, it's the pointy one, not the round one!**
6. The combine pours corn into the grain cart.
7. The grain cart dumps it into a big big truck.
8. The truck takes the corn to the elevator.
9. The elevator loads up train cars that will take some of the corn to the cows for them to eat.
10. That's the story of corn, Tera, yep that is the story of corn.

*Here he is referring to the sweet corn that he likes to eat so much. I wrote a post about the difference between sweet and field corn a while back. You should check it out if you haven't read it. Our farm grows only about one acre of sweet corn. Just enough for our family and friends to enjoy. Sweet corn is ready in July usually and the leaves (or petals!) are still green when we hand pick it. The rest of the corn crop is field corn and it is harvested in September by large combines when the leaves have turned brown.

**A combine is a large piece of machinary that harvests grain crops. It will cut the plant, take in and separate the pieces of grain and shoot out the extra stems and leaves. Combines come with removeable heads that are designed to harvest different crops. The most common one you will see is called a grain platform or standard header. It is used to cut cereal grains. Most farmers use a specialized corn header to harvest corn. Cameron sure loves combines!

This is a combine with a standard header attached to it. Cereal grains are harvested with this header and are things like wheat, rice, oats, and barley and are referred to as staple crops because they produce more food worldwide than any other crop.

This is a combine with a corn header attached to it. Now you can see the pointy things Cameron was referring to!

Enjoy!

Tera

Resolve to Evolve

Photo courtesy of http://egoscueportland.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/join-the-revolution.jpg

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year's Eve weekend and that you're all ready to jump headfirst into 2011.

I'd like to challenge each and every reader to evolve in 2011.  This isn't a Charles Darwin lecture -- this is about evolving as a consumer; become more informed and educated about the food you choose to eat, where it comes from and who produces it. All of us, producers and consumers alike, regardless if you live in the country or the big city, should make educated decisions about what we put on our plate. So I strongly encourage that if you hear gossip about a certain food, agriculture practice or eating lifestyle - check it out for yourself.  Form your own opinion - don't just take someone's words as truths.

At Food For Thought, we strive to facilitate learning about food and agriculture production.  Many of our previous posts have done just that.  Below are some of the posts that explain a little more about certain agriculture practices and foods - I hope you enjoy them!

Basil Blues
Getting to know your BEEF
Cotton is King: Part 1 and 2
The Story of Wheat: As Told by a 3 Year Old
Amber Waves of Grain

Additionally, you can check out these resources for more information on nutrition and food safety in the United States.

Nutrient Rich Food Coalition
Tips on Choosing Produce and Keeping it Fresh and Safe from Plant to Palate
Food Safety Education - Meat and Poultry Hotline

I hope that you'll all join me in becoming a healthy, informed consumer!

Until next time,

~ Buzzard ~