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Cooking Up a Story
Cooking Up a Story (CUpS) is an online television series (and blog) about people, food, and sustainable living. The Show offers a variety of original short-form programming that examines our food system, up close and personal.
Updated: 22 min 19 sec ago
Artisan Cheese Maker Talks About Her Bloomy Rind Varieties
Pat Morford has been raising goats on her farm for many years. Her dive into becoming an artisan cheese maker was a logical extension of her goat farming. The secret of great cheese comes from the original quality of the milk. The goats that Pat raises are fed on her own pasture, and great care is given to ensure their health, and natural lifestyle.
In this short video, Pat Morford talks about her Bloomy Rind style cheese that uses a type of mold that effects not just the surface of the cheese—like most of the varieties produced in this country—but throughout. As her cheese ages, it ripens the dense cheese into a soft and creamy texture with a full bodied flavor neither flinty, or dry.
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Urban Fruit Gleaning (video)
Portland Fruit Tree Project provides a valuable service that helps communities benefit directly from local resources. Fresh fruit that grows on neighborhood trees is collected by volunteers, and dropped off at local Food Banks for distribution to those in need. The great thing about this program is that in large part, the fruit would not be harvested or eaten by anyone—if not for fruit gleaning. Everyone involved benefits, including the trees, as harvesting is beneficial to their health!
Related Posts: Share and Enjoy:Growing Food in Kenya Amid Climate Change (video)
July 23, 2010 Growing food in a region facing climate change has many daily challenges for its residents. In parts of eastern Africa this is compounded by deforestation, which has led to water run-off and erosion. The soils health has greatly diminished which has led to crop failure for many.
Through a program overseen by the Swedish Cooperative Centre, several communities in Kenya have learned how to rebuild the organic matter in their eroded soil in order to grow food. Some of the methods that have positive results: adding manure, building retention ditches, constructing a dam with a water-gate, and planting nitrogen fixing plants.
Many great sustainable agriculture methods are shared and you can see the positive results in the short video.
Go to original post, “A Winning Scenario”.
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Lansing’s First Urban Farm
July 22, 2010 Urbandale – considered a food desert – on the east side of Lansing, MI. is creating and growing its first urban farm. The project was started by 2 MSU professors. With the help of residents and nearby community, it is taking shape and growing.
Go to original post.
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Seeds of Life: Consolidation in the Seed Industry (video)
Frank Morton, an organic seed breeder from Philomath, Oregon, explains the current structure of the global commercial seed industry, as part of our ongoing series, Seeds of Life.
(see related: Animated Charts Showing the Seed Industry Structure from Phil Howard, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University.)
On the surface, understanding the organizational structure of the seed industry may seem a pursuit into the arcane, and wonkish world of academics, and private seed breeders. This is certainly not the case!
World's Top 10 Seed Companies; ETC Group, 2007. Click to enlarge image
According to the ETC Group’s, November 2008 report, Who Owns Nature (PDF), 67% of the commercial seed industry is controlled by just 10 global corporations. By contrast, prior to 1950, most seeds where freely available for use by farmers, and universities, whose seed breeding research programs were held in the public domain. The rise of consolidation in the seed industry parallels the rise of biotechnology in food crops. Since 1996, when only 37% of the commercial seed business was controlled by private interests, as of 2007, that number has skyrocketed to 82%.In a recent New York Times article, Rapid Rise in Seed Prices Draws U.S. Scrutiny, the price of corn seed, the most dominant seed crop, has risen 132% since 2001. Soybeans, another major seed crop, rose 108% over this same period of time. The U.S. Department of Justice is currently investigating the seed industry for possible antitrust violations.
Related Posts: Share and Enjoy:Visit to an Urban Agriculture Organic Farm Supply Store (slideshow)
CUpS recently spent the day filming at Naomi’s Organic Farm Supply for an upcoming DVD series, and had the good fortune to get to know the co-founder of the company, Naomi Montacre, an expert on raising egg laying chickens in urban environments. It’s incredible the amount of information that Naomi possesses at her finger tips, and just the sheer volume of information that exists on raising chickens.
Stay tuned for more videos on this subject.
For now, here’s a slideshow introduction to some of the attractions at Naomi’s store:
Related Posts: Share and Enjoy:Tons of Tasty Tomatoes (video)
Cooking Up a Story: Stories
Tons of tomatoes, and over 70 different varieties are represented at this tomato fest. These farm fresh tomatoes have character, beauty, and yes, even charm.
It was back in May. Or maybe it was June. I passed by a group of folks selling plants for a community fundraiser. It was a good cause and I was looking for some geraniums to plant out back, which they had. There were also a handful of tomato starters. Should I give this a try? I love homegrown tomatoes. I knew I didn’t have the time for a whole garden, but maybe one tomato plant would work. There wasn’t a varietal name attached to it, or the others. I took the nameless home along with a small geranium, and planted both.
It was wise of me not to plant a whole bunch of tomatoes. With my schedule, I was happy to coerce the few I got from the plant. There was one surprise. I expected it to be red. And it is definitely orange.
My one plant was not going to satiate my taste for tomatoes—especially when my inner clock said—HEY! It’s time for tomatoes! So what a great opportunity it was to go visit the local farmer’s market and experience a Tomato Tasting.
I got there about 8:30am, as the plates were being filled with cut samples. The morning light filtered through the tall leafy trees and buildings surrounding the market. The light was beautiful and so were the colors of all the different kinds of tomatoes. Colors and types I had never seen before. Soon folks were lining up, equipped with toothpicks and pencils. Poke, taste, rate. Jab, taste, exclaim. Pick, taste, pick, taste, oooh, pick, taste, hmmm, move on. There was a quiet symphony of sounds stirring in the background as I filmed the activity and lushness of colors. What a great way to celebrate one of my favorites of summer.
Recipes from the show: Baked Roma Tomato Pasta; Tomatoes Vinaigrette.
—Rebecca
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Paul Hawken: The High Cost of Cheap Food (video)
CUpS Talks
Excerpted from the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s, Cooking For Solutions 2010 media conference, Paul Hawken eloquently explains how the price of food is divorced from its true costs, and what this really means for society, at large.
This is a central theme that runs through much of the sustainable food movement’s core beliefs, and those advocating a profound change to the existing structure of the food system. Michael Pollan, in his 2008 “Open Letter to the Next Farmer In Chief“, writes:
“Food policy is not something American presidents have had to give much thought to, at least since the Nixon administration— the last time high food prices presented a serious political peril. Since then, federal policies to promote maximum production of the commodity crops (corn, soybeans, wheat and rice) from which most of our supermarket foods are derived have succeeded impressively in keeping prices low and food more or less off the national political agenda.”
Indeed, the massive consolidation of agricultural food companies into giant transnational corporations may well trace its origins to Nixon’s Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz, whose prime directive was to develop a plan to keep U.S. food prices at a reliably low level. With the recent decision of the Department of Justice to investigate the mounting evidence of over-consolidation of the food industry, it seems fair to ask whether the pendulum of centralization, maximization of production, monoculture industrial farming, and the existence of mega-farms (technically referred to as CAFO’s), has shifted the pendulum too far.
The high cost of cheap food begs a serious question: who should foot the bill to cover the full external costs of industrial farming—the American people, as has largely been the case—or the corporations who chiefly benefit from the existing structure?
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Planting Seed Trays for Your Winter Garden (video)
You may be sitting in a heat wave right now, but it’s time to start planning your winter garden! Master Gardener Jen Aron gets a head start by planting some lettuce seeds in a seed tray. In this demonstration she uses a 72-cell tray, but any size will do.
Picking Kale
Other possible crops you might want to consider for a possible winter harvest are spinach, broccoli, carrots, beets, kale, and cabbage. Be sure and check the seed packet for specific information on how deep to plant the seeds. Aron gives a rule of thumb for planting depth: 3 times the largest diameter of the seed you are using.If you haven’t considered planting a http://westsidegardener.com/quick/winter_veggies.html">winter garden, maybe now is the time! There are many vegetables you can plant and harvest in the winter months, depending upon where you live.
Master gardener, Jen Aron watering her seed tray
Jen Aron, owner and operator of Peaceful Gardens, sustainable landscape design. OSU Extension Master Gardener, certified in Permaculture Design, have been teaching sustainable agriculture and Permaculture throughout the Portland area for the past two years, volunteer countless hours educating the Portland community about urban agriculture and sustainability. Related Posts: Share and Enjoy:Farm To Market (video)
The Perennial Plate Episode 15: Farm to Market from Daniel Klein.
Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of following the farm-to-market process with one of the “successful” upstart organic farms. Laura and Adam from Loon Organics let me film and work through their Friday-Saturday operation. I had been idealizing the idea of starting a farm: seeing the beautiful produce stacked up at the market made me want to take out a loan, buy 50 acres and start my own little operation. But after a day with the folks at Loon Organics, reality comes into play.
For more information about the details of starting a small organic farm, check out this resource page containing a list of (PDF) documents from the Minnesota Institute of Sustainable Agriculture featuring Loon Organics.
After learning to cook at his mother’s bed and breakfast, Daniel Klein (The Perennial Plate) went on to work and train at many of the world’s top restaurants. His culinary education brought him to Spain, France, England, India and New York, where he has worked and trained at top Michelin starred restaurants. After graduating from NYU, Daniel also pursued a career in film. Daniel’s most recent film “What are we doing here?” has aired on TV, in theaters and at numerous festivals around the world.
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Tomato Pie (video)
Tomatoes are beginning to show up at local Farmers Markets and, depending upon which part of the country you live, this may be growing season in your backyard garden. I thought this would be a good time to share Tricia Butler’s award-winning Tomato Pie recipe in this video.
Tricia Butler, Sassafras Catering
Although this is a Southern recipe tradition, Tricia says everyone in her family makes it differently. Different types of tomatoes, different cheeses, different spices, and, yes of course, different secrets. Consider making Tomato Pie your next family tradition. It’s great for special occasions, holidays, or if you’re just hungry for something good.Related Posts: Share and Enjoy:
Tom Trantham-Twelve Aprils Grazing Program Coming Soon on CUpS
Reporting from the Field
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Tom Trantham, Twelve Aprils Dairy Farm
July 2, 2010; Pelzer, South Carolina. In 1989, dairy farmer, Tom Trantham, was facing almost certain financial collapse on his conventional, 92 cow dairy farm operation. With the costs of animal feed skyrocketing, many farmers were turning to BST to increase milk production, a hormone purported at the time of being safe, and as the only way to offset higher production costs. Trantham refused to go this route. One day, his cows broke through the confinement gates and began feeding on a nearby pasture of grasses. At the next milking, each cow had produced an extra two pounds of milk, this from a dairy that already topped the state charts for milk production.This fortuitous discovery led Trantham to seek research and grant assistance from the Southern’s region, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. SARE has worked closely with him since, ultimately their collaboration together has resulted in his profitable and highly successful Twelve April’s program that serves as a model for other dairy farmers. Look for his story, and detailed information on his Twelve April’s grazing program, coming soon on CUpS.
Twelve Aprils Dairy Farm Holstein Cows; Photo courtesy of Tom Gerendasy
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Introducing Insectary Plants for Your Garden (video)
Growing food comes with its price. One of them being who is going to get the food you grow first, you or the wildlife? Actually, many sunflower farmers have this challenge too. Several have said you have to plant enough for the birds too, for you can’t keep them away.
A big problem for most home gardeners is how to keep insects like aphids, mites, and caterpillars from eating and destroying a crop. Growing insectary plants would be a good start. It’s purpose is to attract beneficial insects which feed upon insects that might be damaging your garden.
Master Gardener Jen Aron talks about the different insectary plants she has in her garden and some of the beneficial insects they attract. Not only is an insectary garden beneficial to your plants, it’s beautiful to look at too.
Master Gardener, Jen Aron
Jen Aron, owner and operator of Peaceful Gardens, sustainable landscape design. OSU Extension Master Gardener, certified in Permaculture Design, have been teaching sustainable agriculture and Permaculture throughout the Portland area for the past two years, volunteer countless hours educating the Portland community about urban agriculture and sustainability. Related Posts: Share and Enjoy:Monsanto v. Geerston Seed Farms: The Supreme Court Alfalfa Decision (video)
CUpS Food News: A Conversation with Craig Johnston
June 28, 2010; The recent Supreme Court decision on the Roundup Ready Alfalfa case (PDF) has drawn a mixture of reactions from the mainstream media, and from the Blogosphere. To help us better understand this decision, CUpS sat down with Craig Johnston, professor of environmental law at Lewis & Clark Law School, and the lead author (on behalf of the NRDC) of one of the briefs presented to the Supreme Court in this case.
A Field of Alfalfa
Alfalfa is the fourth largest cash crop, and is conventionally grown on over 20 million acres of land throughout the US. A member of the legume family, alfalfa is an important forage crop for livestock, and also for commercial seed production. The concern of some farmers, both conventional and organic alfalfa growers, is that through open pollination (principally from plants grown to produce commercial seed that must be allowed to bloom), the plants would be susceptible to cross contamination from the pollen of nearby genetically engineered (transgenic) alfalfa plants. The potential for gene flow (cross contamination between transgenic and non-transgenic varieties) was considered a possible outcome of the unrestricted regulation of Roundup Ready Alfalfa (RRA), and potentially, a catastrophic environmental threat to non-transgenic alfalfa seed growers. The other environmental concern was the possible transfer of the Roundup resistance to native populations of weeds, requiring the use of more toxic herbicides for future weed control.
The Monsanto vs Geerston Seed Farms case arose out of the 2005 decision by USDA’s Animal Protection and Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the agency charged with “Protecting American Agriculture”, to deregulate Monsanto’s RRA seed products. In responding favorably to Monsanto’s petition to receive deregulatory status on its RRA varieties, two alfalfa farmers, the Center For Food Safety, and other environmental groups went to court seeking a permanent injunction barring APHIS from deregulating RRA until a final Environmental Impact Statement was performed. As governed under the Plant Protection Act (PPA), APHIS was required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to conduct an extensive and rigorous scientific analysis, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), on any regulated article that poses a risk of significant environmental harm before fully deregulating its use. The District Court ruled (PDF) that APHIS violated the law by failing to conduct an EIS prior to deregulation, and ordered that all further sales of RRA cease, and (with certain limited exceptions) no future plantings of RRA seeds were allowed to occur until after a final EIS was conducted. Monsanto appealed the case, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals subsequently affirmed the decision (PDF) of the lower court.
In that neither side contested the decision of the District Court that APHIS violated the NEPA requirements, the Supreme Court chose to rule on narrow procedural grounds, for the most part, not weighing in directly upon the environmental issues involved. The lone dissenter, Justice Stevens, wrote in his dissenting opinion, in part:
“The Court does not dispute the District Court’s critical findings of fact: First, Roundup Ready Alfalfa (RRA) can contaminate other plants. Second, even planting in a controlled setting had led to contamination in some instances. Third, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has limited ability to monitor or enforce limitations on planting. And fourth, genetic contamination from RRA could decimate farmers’ livelihoods and the American alfalfa market for years to come. Instead, the majority faults the District Court for “enjoining [preventing] APHIS from partially deregulating RRA”.”
Nonetheless, there were some surprises in the Supreme Court’s decision, and both sides claimed legitimate victories. For Monsanto, they were able to overturn the lower courts injunction to block deregulation of their RRA seeds until the EIS report was released. The Supreme Court remanded the case back to the Agency (APHIS) to evaluate whether a partial deregulation could be allowed prior to the release of the EIS. APHIS had earlier proposed to the District Court Judge during their remedy phase, a set of limited conditions upon which Monsanto could continue to sell RRA seeds, and farmers to purchase and plant those seeds until a final EIS was issued, but the District Court Judge (Breyer) rejected their proposal. However, should APHIS again decide to seek a partial deregulation for RRA, the Supreme Court made it clear, the case would be brought back to the District Court judge to review again. According to Johnston, it was unlikely APHIS will seek to partially deregulate RRA, until after the final EIS is released, perhaps, in another two to four years.
For the farmers and environmental groups that initiated the lawsuit, there were a number of victories that resulted from this decision. For the first time, the Supreme Court now recognizes economic consequences resulting from environmental impacts as legitimate factors for consideration under NEPA rules. This aspect of the decision may significantly impact the similar GMO sugar beet case; already in response to the Supreme Court Decision, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals judge has postponed the next scheduled July hearing until mid-August to give both sides time to review the Supreme Court’s ruling. Both cross contamination threats, and economic loss, are central issues involved in the sugar beet case. For Johnston, the biggest win in this decision was the Supreme Court’s rejection of Monsanto’s threshold argument to prevent future court injunctions from being issued in cases where the “likelihood of irreparable harm” (even catastrophic harm) were considered less than a even 50:50 chance of occurring.
In the end, whether it becomes a matter of years, if indeed it ever does occur, before any Roundup Ready Alfalfa seeds reach the marketplace again, or as Monsanto predicts, their seeds will be available for sale under partial deregulation by this Fall—on determining the actual outcome—the jury is still out.
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Cover Crop for the Home Garden (video)
Cover crops are a variety of plants that are grown prior to planting food crops and they are grown to benefit the soil. Traditional farmers have been using cover crops for years, but it’s a method that is not often carried over to the home gardener. Master Gardener Jen Aron talks about one of her favorite cover crops: buckwheat. It’s easy to grow and matures in six weeks. Like many other cover crops, buckwheat increases soil health, provides organic matter, and often attracts beneficial insects.
Master Gardener, Jenn Aron Pulling Out the Cover Crop from Her Backyard Garden
Jen Aron, owner and operator of Peaceful Gardens, sustainable landscape design. OSU Extension Master Gardener, certified in Permaculture Design, have been teaching sustainable agriculture and Permaculture throughout the Portland area for the past two years, volunteer countless hours educating the Portland community about urban agriculture and sustainability.
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Making Small Batch Strawberry Jam (video)
Marge Braker, a retired home economics teacher demonstrates how to make small batch jam using fresh strawberries, sugar, and other simple ingredients. It’s strawberry season now, from May through June is the best (maybe) only time to find fresh strawberries in your neck of the woods. The ones that grow in the Portland area literally melt in your mouth with sweetness and flavor. Canning strawberry jam is a great way to preserve fresh strawberries (and other berries) for year-round enjoyment. Check out this companion recipe for the ingredients, and all the necessary steps to make your Small Batch Fresh Strawberry Jam
And for those wanting more, watch the related story about Marge Braker and an old friend who develop a closer bond through their connection with preserving food: Preserving Food and Friendship.
Related Posts: Share and Enjoy:Growing and Caring for Potatoes (video)
In this Growing Fresh Food video, Master Gardener Jen Aron talks about how to grow and care for potatoes.
Potatoes are one of those vegetables that are so plentiful and easily found at the market, many don’t even consider growing it. But it is one of the easiest crops to grow and there are over 4,000 varieties to choose from. They like to be planted when it is still cool outside, and urban farmer Donna Smith says she always gets hers in around St. Patrick’s Day.
Depending upon variety, potatoes can be harvested 90-120 days after planting. Many kids find digging up potatoes a fun activity, almost like going on a treasure hunt! And there are as many different ways to cook them as there are varieties. If you haven’t tried it, I highly recommend the Twice Baked Irish Potatoes with Stout Onions and Kale.
Master Gardener Jen Aron Working in her Backyard
Jen Aron, owner and operator of Peaceful Gardens, sustainable landscape design. OSU Extension Master Gardener, certified in Permaculture Design, have been teaching sustainable agriculture and Permaculture throughout the Portland area for the past two years, volunteer countless hours educating the Portland community about urban agriculture and sustainability.Related Posts: Share and Enjoy:
Seeds Of Life: Open Pollination (video)
CUpS: Food News
Organic Seed Breeder, Frank Morton Working In the Field; Wild Garden Seed, Philomath, Oregon
Continuing with our Seeds of Life series, Willamette Valley organic seed breeder, Frank Morton, explains the benefits of open pollination in plant breeding, and the important role for farmers in the selection process to continually improve plant varieties for better local adaptation.
In open pollinated plant varieties, pollination can occur from the pollen of related species that sometimes travel great distances (as measured in miles), by insects, wind, and birds.
Open pollinated plants can be selected over time to breed a desired mix of traits, and the seeds from these plants can be reused over successive generations with highly favorable results. In particular, Morton says, organic farmers want organically bred seeds, that is, seeds which are designed to work well in an organic system. Organic farmers place a strong emphasis on maintaining soil fertility, and do not use commercial fertilizers, and other chemicals to artificially boost production yields. Organically bred seeds, may be bred for roots that travel deeper through the ground to acquire the necessary supply of nutrients that a healthy plant may require. By contrast, an organically grown seed, means only that the seeds were grown on organic soil, but will not have been bred to do better under an organic farming system.
Swiss Chard; Wild Garden Seed Farm
Working with open pollinated plants, Morton provides organically bred seeds better suited for organic and sustainable farming systems, and offers farmers a means of continually improving their own crops along with the ability to reuse their seed.
By contrast, most hybrid seeds, including genetically engineered seeds with patent protections, either can not be reused under licensing restrictions, or, the hybrids have been designed not to be stable beyond their first harvest. This lock and key protection means that while farmers will continue to purchase their seeds year after year from the seed companies, they may also have to purchase an assorted mix of farm chemicals to insure the best chance of success with those seeds. Not only does this bind a farmer to the seed companies, it precludes them from cultivating varieties over time from their own selection process. As Morton emphasizes in the video, when the farmer participates directly in the selection process, he can further adapt his seed to fit his particular tastes, and growing conditions.
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A Potato Remade for Industry Has Some Swedes Frowning
Amflora potato. photo courtesy BASF
June 11, 2010 In Skara, Sweden, the genetically modified Amflora potato is being grown for its starch content, not food. But the debate and concern still continues for many in the region.Go to original post…
Related Posts: Share and Enjoy:Storing and Planting Heirloom Corn (video)
Urban Organic Farmer, Anthony Boutard, Expert on Corn, Shares His Farming Knowledge
Orange: Roy’s Calais Flint
Yellow:
Red:
What’s most remarkable about hanging out with Anthony Boutard besides his passion for food, it’s his incredible breadth of knowledge about organic farming. He does everything by hand, and he constantly is learning from his observations and field experiments. As Boutard is readying his corn seeds for planting in this video, he is doing another experiment by separating the 3 different corn varieties onto different plots of land to learn more about their unique characteristics.
In a follow-up email, I asked Anthony Boutard a few more questions about his corn. This is what I learned from him, some of his responses are provided just as he wrote them.
Corn Sheller Removing Seed Kernels from Ear
The device that removes the kernel of corn from the ear is called a “corn sheller”, and is made by C. S. Bell and Company, located in Tiffin, Ohio.The process of removing corn kernels from the ear is known as “shelling”. As Boutard explains in the video, the best place to store ears of corn prior to shelling are in “cool, dry places without rodents”.
Longevity of the seed depends upon a variety of factors, in general, the seed will keep for several years, depending also, upon the variety. After a couple of years, the viability of the seed begins declining. Storing the seed on the ear, lengthens the period of time the seed remains viable.
Boutard explains how he determines the best time to plant his corn:
“This year, or normally . . . Corn planting is governed by soil temperature. Generally, you want soil temperature of 60 degrees (16 C) or higher. Sweet corn needs the soil closer to 70 degrees (21 C), or it will rot before it germinates.
Corn is harvested at “physiological maturity” in the autumn. A sooty layer forms where the kernel is attached to the ear, a sign that the ear has matured. Maturity varies greatly among the varieties. In Oregon, Roy’s Calais Flint is mature by early September, while gourd seed corn needs another month or so, late November if you are lucky.”
Anthony Boutard Planting Corn at His Ayers Creek Farm Near Portland, Oregon.
These are the varieties of corn that he planted:Orange: Roy’s Calais Flint
Yellow:
Red:
“They are all Roy’s Calais Flint. It has many different kernel colors. I think I referred to the variety having a superb library of traits found in the Northeastern eight row flint corns.
Unlike ornamental varieties, all of the kernels on an ear are the same color. The color varies from ear to ear. I separated the kernels to get a better understanding of the corn, and to build up the red color in my “grex,” as the the breeding population is called. Nice scrabble word, huh? Get rid on an X and if you hit a triple word square, good for 36 points.
The red kernel is apparently a recessive trait, so you have to pay attention to it. The red kernel matures earlier and has better cold soil germination, so I favor it. “
Boutard is working on a new book on the subject of corn, as he describes below:
“The working title is: Beautiful Corn: A guide to growing, milling and cooking America’s grain. The book is loosely organized as an almanac, following corn through the year, as well as from kernel to plate. In addition to the practical details, I hope to encourage readers to pause in the corn field and take a moment to contemplate the aesthetics of this remarkable sweet grass. It is a beguiling and accommodating plant that has seduced its cultivators from its earliest cultivation in southern Mexico.”