By Rowan Dunlap

Did you know that the U.S. Farm Bill subsidy program paid $51,261,278,801 to corn growers between 1995 and 2005? It is the most subsidized crop in America. Subsidies have driven the price of corn so low that many farmers don’t make any profit at all from corn sales. Their entire profit consists of government payments. This has created a situation in which it is cheaper to feed cows corn than let them graze naturally, and cheaper to sweeten products with processed high fructose corn syrup than with natural sugars.

When I think of corn, the image that pops into my mind is of sitting down to eat with my parents. We pass around the grilled salmon, the French bread, then the salad and finally the bowl of corn-on-the-cob is passed. My personal favorite is sweet white corn eaten without any butter or salt. As someone who is committed to learning about and improving our food system, I’ve come to realize there is a darker side of corn that I can’t ignore. King Corn isn’t about the organic corn that I buy from the farmers’ market, or even about the cut corn served as a side with fried chicken and mashed potatoes at KFC. It’s about the corn that we don’t even realize we’re ingesting; the corn that sneaks into our soda, fruit juice, potato chips, french fries and hamburgers.

In King Corn, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis travel to Iowa. Their goal: to learn where their food comes from. They contracted with a local farmer to use one acre of his land to plant, tend, and harvest corn. They navigate the complex machinery, the convoluted commodity payment system, weather the skepticism of neighbors, and end the season with a respectable harvest of corn, which they soon discover is not even edible! The corn is a genetically modified variety that is designed for processing into animal feed and has a flavor with little resemblance to my sweet white corn. The story heats up as they try to follow their corn through the food system.

This journey takes Ian and Curt to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) and to the doors (but not inside of) several high fructose corn syrup factories. One hilarious scene in the documentary depicts the friends attempting to cook high fructose corn syrup in their kitchen after being repeatedly denied entry into the factories. The process is incredibly complicated and involves the use of many chemicals that I can’t even begin to pronounce, a sure sign that it’s not a substance I want to put into my body. Their visit to a CAFO is less amusing. The animals are kept in crowded pens with not a blade of grass in sight. Their movements are restricted by the limited space and they have nothing to occupy them save the over-consumption of processed corn, husk and all. A cow must consume six pounds of corn for every pound of meat that makes it to the market. Since cows are not accustomed to this diet of corn, their health is adversely affected resulting in shorter lifespan and the increased use of antibiotics to prevent now commonplace illnesses.

In the final stage of their journey, Ian and Curt take us to New York City to meet some of the people who regularly consume corn through these covert means (remember the soda, fruit juice, potato chips, French fries and hamburgers we were talking about before?). Not to give away the entire film, I’ll leave you to imagine what kind of effect the over abundance of low-cost, unhealthy foods have on the general public. I will say that the ramping up of subsidies in the 1970s conveniently coincides with a dramatic increase in obesity and diabetes in the U.S.

King Corn is a great film. Curt and Ian manage to do something truly remarkable: remain objective and present a balanced and nuanced perspective of corn production, processing and consumption. The gentleman who owns the CAFO they visit is not villainized any more than the farmers who grow GMO corn in Iowa. There are no scare tactics, gross exaggerations, or vociferous speeches in this film. It is a film that leaves you feeling educated rather than lobbied. I highly recommend taking the time to watch it!

By Rebecca Nemec

Growing up in the Central Valley of California was filled with hot summer days and foggy winter nights. The winters brought about the citrus harvest and the sounds of windmills churning in the fields to protect the delicate fruits from the frost. The summers were hot and dry, and the stone fruits flourished. I remember running cross country races through an almond orchard next to my elementary school. Agriculture was a way of life and a part of everyone’s life.

But the Central Valley wasn’t always a productive and fertile place to grow food. Behind the now endless grape vineyards and orange groves was quite a lot of money and an endless power struggle over the right to water. Although much of the agricultural land in the Valley is primarily owned by large corporate agricultural companies, there continues to be a small group of people committed to sustainable agriculture, family farming and real food.

Now that I am a part of this sustainable food movement, I have begun to search out these people, learning their stories, struggles, and victories in the Central Valley. Little did I know that as I ran those cross country races through almond orchards as a child there were people my age and older fighting for what I’m fighting for now - a food system that nourishes people, land and community. My appreciation for where I grew up continues to grow as I unearth the unique people that make up the Valley and how they have shaped the sustainable food movement that I now feel deeply connected to. On the same token, I continue to appreciate not only the people who see a vision for a more just, equitable and sustainable food system, but also those that continue to suffer from the current food system that exists.
(more…)

By Rebecca Nemec

Right around now, I usually get a bit of that “spring fever”. As I sit at my desk at work I daydream of the sprouting corn, beans and squash in the fields. I can’t wait until the first spring harvest of salad greens. If you’re reading this, you’ve probably felt the same way each March, as the days begin to grow longer , and the buds on the trees just begin to poke through the delicate winter frost.

Having worked at The Food Project for a little over a year now, I have developed a yearning for local and sustainably produced foods throughout the year. Each time I go to the market or I head to my garden, I always want to harvest or buy everything in sight! But I’m never quite sure what to do with all of the food! It has quickly dawned on me - with the help of veteran Food Project staff - that the best thing to do with all that extra produce is to preserve it. Common sense of course, but one doesn’t always think about this option. So, next time you go to the market, community garden or farm, load
up!

Here are some quick and easy canning and freezing recipes you can use to save up that local, sustainable flavor, even during the coldest months of the year.

Raspberry Freezer Jam

Use jam on toast, crackers, or even in porridge and other hot cereals. A TFP favorite is spreading a bit of jam on a cracker and placing a slice of Vermont cheddar on top!

Makes 6 to 7 pints

3 lbs raspberries to yield 4 cups of crushed berries
6 1⁄2 cups sugar (you can decrease this if you like)
3 ounces liquid fruit pectin

Prepare berries by removing stems and caps (do not wash them). Place berries in a food processor and process for 15 seconds or until pureed. You can also mash them with a hand masher until they are pureed.

Measure berries into a 6 or 8-quart pot. Stir the sugar into the fruit and mix well. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Add the fruit pectin and return to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.

Remove from heat, and skim off and discard any foam using a metal spoon. Ladle the jam into a liquid measuring cup and fill the jars immediately to within 1/8 inch of the top.

Place lids on the jars and screw on tightly. Invert the jars for 5 minutes, and then turn upright. Check the seals after 1 hour to make sure the lids are curving down. Store jam in freezer for up to several months. Defrost and store in refrigerator after opening.

Dilly Beans

Dilly beans are great for a party snack, in a green salad, on a sandwich, or in a cocktail. They taste very similar to kosher or dill pickles and stay crisp and crunchy. They also add beautiful color to your kitchen pantry.

Makes 6 to 7 pints

3 1⁄2 cups water
3 1⁄2 cups distilled cider vinegar
6 tablespoons pickling, pure granulated or kosher salt
4 pounds green beans, washed and ends snapped off
8 small hot red peppers (1 to 2 per jar)
7 heads, stalks and leaves of dill plant (1 of each per jar)
7 teaspoons of mustard seeds (1 tsp per jar)
7 cloves of garlic (1 to 2 cloves per jar, depending on size)

Combine water, vinegar and salt in a 3-quart saucepan and bring to boil over high heat.

Pack beans into hot, sterilized pint jars* and divide remaining ingredients among jars. Pour boiling liquid over, leaving 1⁄2 inch headspace. Seal according to manufacturer’s directions. Process** 20 minutes in boiling water bath.

*Sterilized means to wash your jars in hot soapy water. Let air-dry. Boil rings and lids in hot water for a few minutes to kill all germs.

**Process means to place your filled jars with lids on into a hot boiling water bath.

Tomato-Apple Chutney

This chutney uses up all those culled tomatoes that you might usually use for sauces. It has a tangy flavor that will spice up any roast or other meat during the winter months.

Makes 12 pints

12 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
12 large green apples, finely chopped
8 medium onions, finely chopped
2 large green peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 1⁄2 quarts white vinegar
4 cups light brown sugar
2 cups golden raisins
4 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup mixed pickling spices, tied in cheesecloth bag

Combine all ingredients in large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook about 1 1⁄2 hours, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick and syrupy. Remove spice bag.

Ladle into boiling hot sterilized jars and seal according to manufacturer’s directions. Cool. Store in cool, dry place.

Freezing Greens
(Including Spinach)

This is a great way to save up those greens and you can easily toss them into pastas, soups or a stir fry all year long.

Preparation - Select young, tender green leaves. Wash thoroughly and cut off woody stems. Water blanch greens 2-3 minutes.

Cool, drain and package. Seal and freeze.

Favorite Strawberry Jam

Makes 2-1/2 cups

Generations have made strawberry jam to preserve this favorite summer fruit. Traditionally, low-pectin strawberries are cooked for long periods to achieve a gel. This uses standing periods alternating with much shorter cooking times. It make a jam that retains its lovely red color and fresh flavor.

4 cups halved or quartered strawberries
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

Mix berries and sugar and let stand for 8 hours, stirring occasionally. Place berry mixture in a medium stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add lemon juice, return to a boil and boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 24 hours. Bring berries to a full boil over high heat and boil rapidly for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Ladle into sterilized jars and process.