There once was a farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the State Fair where it won a blue ribbon.
One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.
“How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked.
“Why sir,” said the farmer, “didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”
{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
Then another neighbor planted genetically altered corn. That also cross pollinated making the farmer’s and other neighboring seed sterile and he could no longer grow a superior quality corn. What we choose affects our neighbors and sometimes we reap our reward. Other times what our neighbor chooses affects us. Not always with our knowledge or consent. Have a nright and blessed weekend all!
Yes, Emma, I happen to know some organic farmers who dread what may come from their neighbors since if their harvest is found with non-organic products these farmers will lose their label ‘organic’.
On the other hand, I like the wisdom of the story above — in a non GMO world
Yeah, “seed corn” is almost a thing of the past. Seed from hybrid corn is not as good as the parent seed, and any farmer who saves seed with a patented gene in it risks getting sued out of existence by the seed companies, even if the gene blew in from the neighbor’s field in the form of pollen, and even if the farmer in question would rather not have it.
(The “terminator technology” to prevent GMO plants from producing fertile seed has never been commercialized. Lawyers serve that purpose more than adequately.)
Emma,
Point taken. But was this the point of the story?
Paul
Yes. He wasn’t entirely unselfish with his gift. He gave to protect his interests in his own crop. Karmic Law or we reap what we sow and sometimes we just have to try to stay the h out of the way or we’ll reap what our neighbor sows. Better to exert control to protect yourself. That’s what he did. I wonder how it would ‘ve ended if his neighbor had preferred a supersweet white corn and he thought the sweet yellow was the perfect variety??? Just havin’ fun with the city boy
There is a great lesson here about the consequences of sin, original sin etc!
Yes, this is so true. We are all in this together. Unfortunately, policy makers all too rarely recognise this.
Have a good ‘un one and all.
Simon,
Let’s pray that policy makers will learn that “we are all in this together.”
Paul
That is wonderful! Everything is connected and generosity is always at the heart of good.
This is a bit counter-intuitive, don’t you think?, in a world that tells us to come first, win, etc etc etc.
Fran,
Amen! Amen!
Paul
Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.
― Ruth Reichl
Have a pleasant weekend everyone…
Tim,
LOVE the quote.
Paul
Love the quote also, but, was that the point of the story?
A generous, and wise, farmer. There’s much for us to learn in that story for us. By helping someone else you are also helping yourself at the same time. Neat.
Enjoy the weekend, and the feast of St. Lawrence, Deacon.
Bob,
Yeah for Deacons!
Paul
And St Lawrence ‘s Tears!! aka Perseid ‘s Meteor Shower!! Peaks late Sat night thru early Sun. Grab a blanket and friends, little libation and spend some time witnessing how splendorous God’s Great Gift is!! And all for FREE!!!!!
Emma, That’s a new term for the Perseid’s for me, and one that made me smile, thanks!
Emma,
Not too much to see from the light-pollutes skies of Chicago, I’m afraid.
Paul
When I read this I thought of John Donne’s poem “No Man is an Island”:
No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man’s death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
Have a good weekend!!!
Lynda,
I am thrilled that you thought of John Donne. A particular favorite of mine (despite the fact that he hated the Jesuits!)
Paul
Send it to Obama. Good wisdom story to tell on the stump!
Mike,
How good to hear from you!
Paul
This is one of your best wisdom stories yet, Paul. Being people for others, and finding our own salvation and happiness, are inseparably and divinely intertwined. Thank you for the lovely illustration and reminder — especially while corn is in season!
Happy weekend, everyone. May you all get the chance to taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Denise,
First of all, they’re not “my” wisdom stories. I steal them from near and far.
Paul
I am sorry. You are always good about linking to your sources. I know you didn’t create this. I only meant to say that this was my favorite among the ones I have seen you choose, and I appreciated it.
I Love this story. It just about sums it all up
Anne
Anne,
I’m really pleased that you liked this story.
Paul
People for others, indeed! I was just out at my dad’s in rural California, where the roads are maintained by those who live in the area and a fire sparked in your pasture can wreak havoc on so many others. It brought home to me the need to care for more than your own “stuff”!
Michelle,
You speak the truth – simply and clearly. God help us to understand that we all depend on each other.
Paul
I like this because it’s a simple enough story to understand, but the way the farmer benefits himself by sharing seed with his competitors is counter-intuitive enough that it’s obvious that he’s seeing a much bigger picture than most of us would.
I’m working on a research project to help improve the wine industry in the Great Lakes region and the Northeast, and there’s a similar thing going on with wineries in that area. They’ve realized that they sink or swim together. Wineries can attract more visitors if they cooperate by forming “wine trails” and sending their visitors on to the next winery after their visit. They’ve also realized that, if someone tries a wine from your state and doesn’t like it, they’ll write off the whole state’s wines (unless you live on the west coast), so it pays to help your neighbors improve their products, if you can, and if they’ll let you.
Jim,
Counter-intuitive is often a path to enlightenment.
As for the wineries… looks like global warming is your friend!
Paul
I don’t know about that. The project that pays my salary is intended to help cold-climate wineries succeed with cold-hardy grapes. What if we get all that sorted out just in time for everyone to switch to growing Riesling?? Well, I guess Saskatchewan could still benefit.
I love this story.
It reminds of the family I had married into. The Lawrence’s.
They all farmed. They cared and helped everyone.
I am no longer in that family, however their lessons stayed with me.
Carol,
Good lessons always last, don’t they?
Paul
I like this story so simply explained and wise.
Happy weekend one and all.
Katy,
I’m halfway through my weekend – late to the conversation, as usual – but thank you for wishing me/us a happy one.
Paul