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  • From: Mike Brabo <mdbrabo AT att.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] GM sweet corn
  • Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 09:49:50 -0500

Etienne,

As part of your research I recommend contacting Brian Severson at
http://www.bseverson.com.
He and his family grow 50-60 acres of organic sweet corn per year about an
hour southwest of Chicago.

Regards,
Mike
Vesterbrook Farm
Certified Naturally Grown
Clarksville, Missouri - Mississippi River Bluffs, Zone 5b-6a


On Oct 31, 2013, at 9:19 AM, Etienne Goyer <etienne AT lejardinduvillage.ca>
wrote:

> Thanks for the info.
>
> I am considering trying growing sweet corn next year on a small-scale as
> a pilot project. The demand is strong, but the price uninteresting. I
> want to test the market, and see if people are willing to 1. pay more
> than they currently do for local, non-GMO, unsprayed sweet corn (not
> certified so cannot call myself organic), and 2. accept that an ear or
> two a dozen may contain a worm. I will have to do so some work on crop
> budgeting to make sure I don't make a loss, but I am considering pricing
> in the 8$/dz range. I am also considering using trichogram wasp for
> worm control. The growing part will be a challenge; I have plenty of
> space to grow, but the climate here is not exactly the best for sweet
> corn. We'll see how it goes.
>
> I do not know much about american consumer's culture, but I can tell you
> that around here, if you where to label your corn as "genetically
> modified", you would not sell a single ear. I am not saying it's
> rational, and I fully agree that is in contradiction with demanding
> perfect corn. But I think that there is definitely a market opportunity
> here, although customer education is key to getting into it. It's
> important for me to be truthful about the claims I am making, hence why
> I am trying to confirm the information I want to use in marketing my own
> crop (in that case, that store-sold sweet corn import from the US is
> likely to be GM).
>
> Anyway, this may or may not pan out. I have very many projects on the
> burner, so whether or not I go ahead with growing sweet corn in 2014
> remains to be determined. I will let you know guys how it works out, if
> indeed I go ahead with this.
>
> Thanks again!
>
> Etienne
>
>
>
> On 13-10-31 09:41 AM, Richard Stewart wrote:
>> A majority of the bulk big box store sweet corn is indeed Bt. Around us
>> its about half and half…half Bt and half sprayed about 4 too 6 days. I
>> have yet to meet an organic grower that consistently grows great yummy
>> sweet corn where they have it available from July to September.
>>
>> I am not saying they do not exist. The closest I have found is the guy
>> we work with that is light spray and only sprays once they see an large
>> outbreak of ear worm and then its only spot. They are smart and reserve
>> their sprays to outbreaks and infestations like the three generations
>> before them understanding that insects develop tolerance. Nothing
>> remotely organic though. THey told me they tried it one year and they
>> pretty much had to absorb the cost on the corn that was damaged. Folks
>> go through and look for ear worms. I remember it being my childhood
>> duty to break off tips.
>>
>> I'll argue that Bt is as consumer driven as GMO products come.
>>
>> Richard Stewart
>> Carriage House Farm
>> North Bend, Ohio
>>
>> An Ohio Century Farm Est. 1855
>>
>> (513) 967-1106
>> http://www.carriagehousefarmllc.com
>> rstewart AT zoomtown.com <mailto:rstewart AT zoomtown.com>
>>
>> You can follow us on Facebook or on Twitter @CarriageHsFm
>>
>> */P/*lease consider the environment before printing this e-mail
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Oct 30, 2013, at 9:31 PM, Etienne Goyer <etienne AT lejardinduvillage.ca
>> <mailto:etienne AT lejardinduvillage.ca>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi everyone,
>>>
>>> It's been recently reported that GM sweet corn is now being sold in
>>> Canada. In one article I've read on the topic, it's claimed that the
>>> majority of sweet corn grown in the US have been GM for a while. I
>>> doubt that claim. Is it actually true? Is there any statistic about
>>> this available online?
>>>
>>> Note that I am talking specifically about *sweet* corn, not grain or
>>> silage corn.
>>>
>>> Thanks for the info!
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Etienne Goyer - Le Jardin du Village
>>> http://lejardinduvillage.wordpress.com
>>>
>>> "Changer le monde, une betterave à la fois"
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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>
> --
> Etienne Goyer - Le Jardin du Village
> http://lejardinduvillage.wordpress.com
>
> "Changer le monde, une betterave à la fois"
>
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>
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