The Rural Voice, 1990-11, Page 38FIRE
AND YOUR PROPERTY
YOU DON'T WANT TO
SEE THE TWO TOGETHER
For protection call the
Howick Mutual Broker in your area
Brown Insurance Brokers, Palmerston 343-2663
Paul Brown General Insurance, Palmerston 343-2663
Cardiff & Mulvey Insurance, Brussels 887-6100
Elliott Insurance Brokers, Blyth
Gaiser-Kneale Insurance, Clinton
Exeter
Grand Bend
Hensall
Vern Hargrave Insurance, Dundalk
Johnson-Dadson Insurance, Listowel
Keil Insurance, Gorrie
Wingham
Listowel
Bryan Lavis Insurance, Clinton
Lyons & Mulhern Insurance, Goderich
McDonagh Insurance, Lucknow
Teeswater
Middleton Insurance, Chesley
Milverton Insurance, Milverton
J.P. Uniac Insurance, Mitchell
Glenn Warren Insurance, Clifford
Hanover
Wylie Insurance, Gorrie
Harriston
Kincardine Insurance Brokers, Kincardine
F1o+rvick
523-4481
482-9747
235-2420
238-8484
262-2119
923-2244
291-2964
335-3525
357-2636
291-5100
482-9310
524-2664
528-3423
392-6200
363-3162
595-8108
348-9012
327-8041
364-4039
335-3193
338-3847
396-8112
Tel. (519) 335-3561
1-800-265-3033
EST. 1873
MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
Wroxeter, Ontario
NOG 2X0
34 THE RURAL VOICE
RURAL LIVING
CORN
in the Kitchen
by Rhea Hamilton -Seeger
To celebrate the harvest of the year
and the coming of the winter solstice,
there is coloured corn hanging on our
back door. Typically called "Indian
Com," its colours fascinate many of us
and draw our thoughts back to a time
when harvests were smaller and we
spent more time working on, and
thinking about, our rural ties.
The early Indians depended on
corn for food and considered it a
sacred commodity to be offered to
their gods. To some tribes, the
different colours represented the many
facets of life and society. The colours
were also associated with the six
directions: north, south, east, west,
up and down.
The great long yellow ears we
harvest nowadays are a far cry from
the original com first cultivated in
Mexico and Central America over
4,000 years ago. The first small cobs
had 8 rows of 6 kernels compared
to the 17 rows per cob now.
The greatest leap in corn
production is due to genetic
engineering in the 20th century.
Through hybridization, yields have
jumped from 25 to 70 bushels per
acre. The evolution of corn seems to
symbolize the great leaps and bounds
farmers around the world have made
to feed the hungry and provide for
their families. While our dependence
may seem to have broadened its scope,
there are very few areas in our lives
where corn does not play a part.
I was surprised to read just how
dependent on corn we actually are.
Margaret Visser writes in her book,
Much Depends on Dinner, "Meat is
largely corn. So is milk: American
livestock and poultry is fed and
fattened on com and cornstalks.
Frozen meat and fish have a light com
starch coating on it to prevent
excessive drying. The brown and
golden colouring which constitutes the
visual appeal of many soft drinks and