Sweet corn and goodwill

Bruce Shryock (pictured above) has been growing a good-sized patch of sweet corn for years. He says he’s always enjoyed planting it on his farm between Kingdom City and Columbia, Mo., because it’s easy to plant more than his family can use, which is all the reason needed to offer the excess to friends. And when people come to pick corn, it’s a good time to visit and catch up on the local scene.

This year Shryock decided to amplify his good will. He planted an acre of sweet corn and promised a couple truck loads to food banks in Fulton and Columbia, Mo. A few calls to 4-H clubs and FFA chapters provided both labor and a chance for local youth to get involved in a project that helped benefit the community.

MFA Incorporated’s Cedar Creek Agri Services provided the seed and sent a crew out to pick corn. Picking corn in the summer heat of 2007 wasn’t the most refreshing task, but the food banks appreciated the bounty and the food bank patrons enjoyed the home-grown roasting ears.

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