Corn economics

I passed by an old time dairy farm that had been having economic difficulties today, and saw that they had a stand out for corn: fresh sweet corn. I thought, that’s good economics for an old dairy farm that’s struggling. You can sell a corn cob for half a dollar or a dollar, and people will like it better if you say No Spray (I didn’t see that on this farm stand, so it is a little suspect in my mind.) As for dent corn…

However most dairy farmers don’t sell that corn directly. Instead they work hard to keep the animals alive and moderately healthy in unnatural conditions. Then their reward for that is the price of milk. Which is…

Let’s look again. One farm decided to sell little jars of corn for an outrageous price, eight or ten dollars for not too big a jar. The variety was Painted Mountain flour corn. But it was somewhat justifiable, because it was the very best corn you could buy anywhere locally. It was delicious. They stopped selling a few years ago, though.

Think—if one were to grow a field of Bloody Butcher or Roy Calais or Otto File, or even blue corn (because I’m sure the color would help it sell!) use natural, organic growing practices, pasture a much smaller number of cows, and sell that corn by the pound, to locals, then what would happen?

What if instead of growing soybeans one were to plant Jacob’s Cattle beans, black turtle beans, desi chickpeas, or some other good, interesting bush bean? Or even a really good soybean?

In summary, maybe a viable way out of these economic difficulties is quality rather than quantity, and feeding the crops directly to humans instead of to animals who are not adapted to eat large quantities of grain. I think that the major hindrance to farms flourishing may be the ability and knowledge to get these crops to the people.

Maybe even a crop rotation system involving periodic fallowing and grazing, like in the olden days?

I say this as a non-farmer who has never made a living through selling crops or raising animals, but, these are my observations and speculations.

Old dairy farm struggling sound like they need to diversify.

Are they growing the corn as animal fodder then why would I want to buy that to eat? Or flour corn in jars?  Why not make flour?

Why not grow corn to harvest for consumption and let the cows eat the stalks and leaves after harvest.

I recently got a wrong number call on voice mail for a `You pick it corn~, a dozen ears for $5.00.

Sounded like a get idea if they were not a thousand miles from me.

I'm not a farmer, but I am a friend with a lot of farmers.

A lot of farmers in my area have found they can't do things the way their fathers have done it and expect to keep afloat. One of the farms that has really blown up in my area has learned that a combination of U-Pick fields and farmstands in surrounding towns has been the ticket. There are folks all around that wait for their sweet corn to come out and buy it by the 80lb bag. They also produce some of the BEST cantaloupes I have ever had. I believe this farm to customer system helps keep more funds in the pocket of the farmers instead of all the middlemen getting a slice of the pie. I've also noticed more local restaurants highlighting where the produce they are using comes from. I'm assuming the growers and the chefs have worked something out further helping get food in bellies.

Local Farmstand

It takes courage to try something new, and it can pay off!

Part of the issue may be the shear volume of corn produced. The US produces about a trillion pounds of corn per year, or about 2,500 pounds of corn  per person in the US. With that much being produced, it's relatively easy to overwhelm the demand for human consumed corn.

John Wolfram wrote:Part of the issue may be the shear volume of corn produced. The US produces about a trillion pounds of corn per year, or about 2,500 pounds of corn  per person in the US. With that much being produced, it's relatively easy to overwhelm the demand for human consumed corn.

Corn is not in demand for human consumption, I think, for good reason—variety and growing practices.

If you can grow the corn that makes not just okay polenta, grits, cornbread, tortillas, and so on but the best and healthiest, and sell it to people you probably know, then I think that should make a difference.

I have tried organic yellow dent corn in tortillas, hominy, etc. and it is not a thing I would miss…