You know you’re in the country when you’re sitting in the lobby at a hospital, and amid magazines such as Pregnancy Magazine, Family Circle, and other common lobby fodder you see a copy of Corn & Soybean Digest:
I had to laugh to myself when I saw it. Illinois is definitely corn and soybean country. I had no idea such a magazine existed, although it’s not too surprising. As my girlfriend Yara pointed out, even corn and soybeans “have their own importance.” Now I’m going to keep an eye out for The Sugar Beet Weekly.
While I see the humor in your post, I am learning a greater respect for the humble occupation of agriculture. It may be too late before we (as a “post-agricultural” society) realize that agriculture provides what we eat. And it may soon be providing (more of) the energy for transportation, etc. as well.
It’s kind of sobering to realize that most of us don’t have any direct way to provide for our needs, if the system of suppliers broke down.
My wife and I just bought a soy milk maker (tofu can also be produced). In our case, it was simply a matter of not being able to get fresh tofu where we live (in an Eskimo village), but we are enjoying learning to make as much food as we can from scratch. Too so little of it will grow here in the Arctic…
Last line should read “Too bad so little of it will grow here in the Arctic…
”