| ANSWERS TO THE FARMING QUIZ To return to the questions,
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1. a
There is evidence that Native Americans grew corn 7000 years ago.
Over the centuries, people have bred corn for various purposes and
climates. Field (or dent) corn, like we grew for our corn maze, is the
most commonly grown. Dent corn is starchy and grinds well into a powder.
It’s used for animal feed, grits, corn meal, corn syrup, hominy, and
many other products. Sweet corn was discovered in a Pennsylvania
cornfield in 1779. Popcorn is a relative of flint corn, which is harder
than dent corn. Christopher Columbus took corn back to Spain where it
quickly spread to the rest of Europe.
2. a
Old timers living in the area tell of the time lettuce was shipped
from the Sammamish Valley all over the United States. This was before
the development of iceberg lettuce, which grows well in warmer climates.
Many dairy cows also inhabited the valley, but most milk is consumed
near the dairy.
3. b
To a farmer, some birds--those that eat blueberries especially-- are
pests, some--like those who eat insects--are beneficial, and many are
just nice to have around. We think a broad diversity of species is a
sign of a vital environment and a healthy and thriving farm.
4. a
According to the USDA, the U.S. loses 3,200,000 acres to development
each year. While this is still a small fraction of the total land in the
country, much is the best farmland, since many towns and cities were
founded where the potential for farming is greatest. The American
Farmland Trust has documented that the Willamette and Puget Sound
valleys are the fifth most threatened agricultural area in the United
States.
5. b
Farmers expect a good layer to produce about 240 eggs a year,
although some chickens lay 300 or more. Some duck breeds can be relied
on to lay 290 or more eggs per year.
6. a
A travel distance of 1,500 miles means that the food cannot be as
fresh, sweet, or flavorful as food grown locally. Produce is an average
of two weeks old before it shows up at the grocery. Buying your food
locally means you’re not paying the cost of shipping all that distance.
7. b
The 1000-pound barrier was broken in 1996. This year’s U.S. and
Canadian record pumpkin weighs in at 1262 pounds! It was grown right
here in King County by Geneva Emmons. These pumpkins are grown with lots
of care and fertilizer using seeds from prior champion pumpkins.
8. a
Claire Thomas has calculated that she can produce enough food on one
acre to feed 214 people per year, based on her 15 years of experience
growing at the Root Connection Farm. This is based on 200 pounds of food
for a family of three. She tells us that on one acre she could grow
62,250 bunches of carrots or 130,500 heads of lettuce or 14,500 pounds
of potatoes.
9. a
Well, of course, most of the food at our neighborhood grocery was
grown on a farm. And there are lots of other reasons why you may care
about farming. These reasons include: impact of farms on the
environment, both on land and in the water; the use of genetically
altered plant crops; the working conditions of farm workers; the rapid
loss of much of the best farmland to continuing development; humane
treatment of farm animals; the quality and safety of the food we eat;
and the security of our food supply.
10. a
Corn is a member of the grass family, and like grass is a heavy
feeder of nitrogen. The cucurbit family includes cucumbers, pumpkins and
squash.
11. b
The goal of sustainable farming is find the approach for each farm
that will preserve a viable farm for future generations. Rather than
basing decisions on a short-term goal of maximizing yield or profit for
the current year, practices are chosen based on long-term impact on
profitability, soil productivity, water quality, human health, and
quality of life for workers and the surrounding community. Goals of a
sustainable farm include the following: The soil and farming conditions
are improved over time. The plants are raised to be as healthy as
possible, rather than pushed to produce the maximum weight of crop. Farm
workers are paid fairly and have good working conditions. The farm makes
money, rather than needing government or private support.
12. a
More than 80% of the U.S. commercial crop of raspberries is grown
right here in the Puget Sound area. In fact, most of the berries of all
types for jam, ice cream, and yogurt production in the U.S. probably
come from the Puget Sound area.
13. b
2376 different chemicals are approved for use on strawberries. Data
from the FDA show that strawberries are the worst produce item in terms
of dietary risk (human carcinogens, nervous system poisons, and
endocrine system disrupters) from pesticides, followed by bell peppers
and spinach. We use compost and organic fertilizer to grow healthy
plants, and plastic film and hand weeding to control weeds. Each year we
start with new plants, to avoid building up disease in the soil. It’s
more expensive, and takes more work, but we think we grow the best
tasting berries around.
14. a
Avoiding synthetic chemicals to kill weeds and pests means more work
weeding and controlling pests. It requires more work and a greater
understanding of the crops and both damaging and beneficial organisms.
Even the best of the synthetic chemicals have impact beyond the intended
use. Whatever the pest, insect, fungus, nematode or whatever, there are
many more species that are neutral or even beneficial. We strive to
create an environment where the crops are healthy (more stress leads to
weaker plants and greater susceptibility to pests and disease), and
where beneficial creatures thrive (soil-improving worms, bug-eating lady
bugs and minute pirate bugs, insect-eating birds and bats, rodent eating
foxes and owls, and the like). Weeds we control by cover cropping,
mulching, weeding, and cultivating.
15. a
"Feed the soil--the soil will feed the plant" is our motto. We want
to build the soil up, rather than using it up. Healthy soil has lots of
humus (decomposing plant matter), bacteria, fungi, and many, many
crawling and wriggling bugs, worms, and other tiny critters. We make our
own compost, which adds nutrients and humus. We don’t use chemical
sprays, which kill many helpful organisms in addition to the pests we
are trying to control. Just like people, healthy, unstressed plants have
much less trouble with pests and disease.
16. b
Tomatoes belong to the Nightshade family, along with potatoes. For a
time, tomatoes were grown as an ornamental in Europe and were shunned as
a food, since people recognized the similarity to deadly nightshade. The
Brassaca family includes broccoli, mustard, and kohlrabi.
17. a
Worms are a major producer of good soil. They eat decomposing plant
and other matter. They help aerate the soil by tunneling and secreting a
goo that binds soil particles together. Earthworms drag bits of
vegetation from the surface deep underground, and make long vertical
tunnels that help aerate the soil and improve drainage. Red wigglers, or
manure worms, stay near the surface where there are piles of decomposing
matter.
18. a
The average healthy beehive can have 50,000 to 60,000 bees in the
summer. Without honeybees and a number of native insects such as
bumblebees and orchard mason bees, we couldn’t grow our fruits and
vegetables. A hard-working insect pollinates each of those tiny seeds on
a strawberry. If every seed isn’t pollinated, we get oddly shaped
strawberries, small apples, and crooked cucumbers--or no fruit at all.
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