A Tale of Two Corns

By Kat Rendek | Artwork by Olivia Barton

When you drive through our region, it quickly becomes apparent that corn is a major economic driver here. In any given year, corn production in SDG takes over 130,000 acres of land, and accounts for 70% of crop receipts and $34 million in revenue for local businesses. Although high, those numbers are tiny compared to the billions of dollars generated by cleaning, transporting, processing, and packaging corn into the countless products consumers around the world need and love.

But what if there was even more to the story? Perch asked a local foodie to take to the fields to speak with two local farmers who transformed their farms and in turn, continue to change the defi nition of what it means to be a corn producer in a world of multinational seed corporations, climate change, and increased consumer awareness.

YELLOW CORN

Established outside of Martintown in 1801, Kinhaven Farms has slowly transitioned from a homestead farm to dairy, then conventional grain and oil seeds, and most recently to nongenetically modifi ed (GMO) corn. “We considered planting non-GMO seed a few year ago, but it was too risky,” explains Scott Kinlock, owner of the 6th generation farm.

Now, with more consumers wanting non-GMO products, we thought it was worth a try.”

The transition took time, and Scott explains how they fi rst invested in new equipment and grain storage, verifi ed non-GMO seed suppliers, and established a new buying relationship with Ingredion, an international company that turns things like corn, potatoes, and other fruits and veggies into ingredients for the food, beverage and brewing, and pharmaceutical industries.

It is too soon to tell what impact the farm’s transition will have on farm revenue, but encouragingly, their fi rst yield was on-par with other corn producers in the region. Beyond quality seed, Scott attributes his success to advancement in on-farm technology, no-till planting, and cover crops.

Agriculture has completely changed over the past decade. Now we can map data from previous years to better understand what to plant, where to fertilize, when to harvest, and so on. We are much more aware and effective with how we grow.”

The only downside to non-GMO corn? A lot more paperwork.

PURPLE CORN

For three decades, Shelley and Tony Spruit produced conventional corn, soybeans, and wheat on their land in Winchester. This all changed six years ago, when they quietly converted a portion of their farm to heirloom, non-GMO, and openpollinated grains; and that’s how Against the Grain was born.

We started small, with only six crop types in the first year,” explains Shelley. “By our third year, we had several unique varieties that thrived on our farm like the Peruvian purple corn and Spanish red corn.”

Unlike the crops grown before them, the heirloom corn is grown entirely for human consumption. The kernels are processed into products like masa, fl our, and tortilla chips to be used by businesses in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver, who are looking to serve gluten-free options, traditional bread, and nutrient-dense foods. For Shelley however, Against the Grain is about more than prepared foods. “It is about building a movement between seed growers, researchers, bakers, and small business owners. We need to work together to maintain a diverse seed system for our future.”

Recently, Shelley and Tony have started sending seeds to specialized research institutions in Denmark, Cyprus, Italy, and Belgium.

People all over the world are looking for alternative grain, so it is our job to keep testing new seed and bulking up so we can continue to meet consumer demand.”