<p>Mother Jones is not exactly a reputable scientific balanced source.</p>
<p>Here’s the kicker: many organic sweet corn growers apply Bt to their crop. That’s right: because Bt is a naturally occurring substance and not a synthetic chemical, organic farmers can use it and still market their sweet corn as “organic.” It’s the most effective way to control the corn earworm caterpillars that you sometimes find crawling around in an ear of organic corn. Organic farmers apply the Bt externally; Monsanto sells seed corn with a gene spliced in that allows the corn plant to produce Bt itself, but the Bt is expressed in the leaves, not in the kernels. EPA classifies Bt as toxic only to the larval stage of certain insects (e.g., corn earworm caterpillars). Chances are you’ll ingest trace amounts of it if you eat sweet corn, but that’s true even if you eat only organic corn. So if you want to avoid the stuff entirely (even though EPA says there’s no reason to do so), you’ll just need to refrain from eating corn. Or grow your own, and pick the pesky caterpillars off by hand.</p>
<p>It’s called Roundup Ready corn. Supposed to be only for livestock. Says Monsanto.</p>
<p>I just read a short article about corn in a publication called The Organice & Non-GMO Report in an organic ice cream store here in Minnesota. A farmer in Sioux Falls planted some GMO corn and some non GMO corn side by side and the raccoons at all the non GMO corn. What I thought was ironic was that he said something about how he would not plant non GMO corn after that because it would get eaten by the raccoons. Think he might be missing something important about his discovery, LOL.</p>
<p>I also read on FB about GMO corn that has been modified to be insect resistant and that it causes insects stomachs to explode when they eat it. You can google that. Truthfully, I’d rather not eat that kind of stuff. Which is why I’d like more labeling and info about what I buy. After reading that, I won’t buy corn unless I know it is not GMO. So far, most sweet corn is not GMO, I think. But that could change. And of course, corn is in so much processed food. I do eat some GMO corn and soybeans too, I’m sure, because of that. </p>
<p>The Bacon Chocolate and Peanut Butter Diet (Post 16) – That sounds like it could be a best seller to me.</p>
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<p>I don’t understand most of the words in this sentence, but I had the same reaction you did… rolled eyes.</p>
<p>Since you all are my peer group I’m sure you’ve grown up with the same warnings over the years that I have.</p>
<p>“Don’t eat butter! It’ll give you a heart attack. Use margarine! You won’t believe it’s not butter.”</p>
<p>“Oops, we mean that margarine is the stick of death. Butter is better!”</p>
<p>“A Pritikin diet will save millions of lives!”</p>
<p>“Except that it doesn’t.”</p>
<p>“For the love of God, don’t wrap your potato in tin foil before tossing it on the grill!”</p>
<p>I give up. I’m going to eat what I want. In fact, I’m enjoying a Strawberry Cheesequake Blizzard from Dairy Queen right now. :)</p>
<p>Round Up Ready is a quite different situation, it is just resistant to application of glyphosate, not toxic to bugs or man.</p>
<p>BTW, if you fear parasites, don’t kill and eat deer from the woods …</p>
<p>I don’t trust Monsanto et al at all. </p>
<p>I am a studious reader of food labels and try very hard to buy as few as possible processed foods. And if something has more than 5 ingredients I don’t buy it.</p>
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Don’t start hating on the bacon!</p>
<p>Wait. If more people hate on bacon. Less people will eat it. Which will lower the prices…</p>
<p>Hate on the bacon! </p>
<p>More for me.</p>
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<p>Right. The stuff that causes insects’ stomachs to explode is Bt, the agent produced by Monsanto’s genetically modified corn–and the very same stuff that is applied to organic sweet corn by many organic farmers. But it has that effect only on insects, or more particularly, on the larval stage of certain insects, including corn earworm (see my post #22 above). The point is, you’re not avoiding Bt by avoiding GMO sweet corn, because much organic sweet corn has been treated with Bt, a naturally occurring pest control agent the use of which is consistent with organic labeling. Beyond that, EPA says there’s no reason to avoid it because they believe it has no adverse human health effects.</p>
<p>I’ve read similar stuff. Apparently, the kernels are now insecticide filled pockets. Too bad, because I use to love corn.</p>
<p>I am thankful for all the preservatives in food. I’m going to live to be 100!</p>
<p>bclintonk – Dang it about the organic corn. There is no escape!</p>
<p>I don’t eat that much sweet corn. But, one thing I do eat a lot of is tortilla chips. I guess they are made of corn. So, I’m a goner, I guess.</p>
<p>DH has had recent trouble with a partially obstructed small bowel, so he cannot eat high fiber or corn right now. I’m doing low carb, so no corn for me. Guess I’m safe. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>We can never escape corn. It’s in everything. </p>
<p>And I could never do a low carb diet. I’d break down after 8 hours.</p>
<p>Serious Question-Does anyone know how to plant corn? If so please advise. Thank You.</p>
<p>Plant seeds in groups of 3 1-2 inches deep (deeper the later in summer you plant it) every 7-15 inches. Once they germinate, thin to 1 plant every 15 inches. Weed the soil around the seedlings regularly, give them around 1" of water per week. Fertilize at 6" and knee high. Hand pollinate (google it), then 3ish weeks after corn silks appear start checking them for ripeness. Pierce a kernel and if a milky liquid comes out, they’re ready to eat! If they get dry or the corn sheath turns yellow/faded green, you waited too long. </p>
<p>Trust me, it’s pretty easy to grow.</p>
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<p>I know corn is King, but it is not in everything. Today I had an omelet with eggs, spinach, onions, and cheese. No corn. I am trying to avoid all processed foods if possible.</p>
<p>Low carb is hard for me at the beginning. Not that I’m a big bread person (wouldn’t eat bread out of the bread basket at a restaurant, for example), but I do like a good sandwich. The lettuce wrap version is NOT a sandwich. I also love cheese and crackers. Who just eats slices of cheese? I can forgo the sweets, but I do love a good risotto and a loaded baked potato. But diabetes runs in my family, and if I’m not really careful, I can get into metabolic syndrome really, really easily if I gain weight and don’t watch the carbs. I gained weight after my neck surgery, and those signs of metabolic syndrome have reappeared. </p>
<p>When I was younger, I could eat anything I wanted as long as I exercised. Not the case anymore…:(</p>
<p>Re: growing corn. Depending on where you live, it can be challenging.</p>
<p>The worst problem in growing sweet corn is the coons 
Or the midwestern hail storms that knock it flat.</p>
<p>Except for corn on the cob, I can’t think of anywhere I’d be eating corn - maybe some tiny amounts in condiments and once a year in pecan pie. I eat fresh fruits and vegetables and real meat. I don’t eat chips, I eat very little bread or crackers.</p>
<p>While we have been making genetically modified food since we invented agriculture, I think there’s a difference between sticking animal genes and pesticides in plants and what you used to be able to do. Some of the new stuff may be harmless, but I think some of it is going to turn out to have been a big mistake.</p>
<p>Latest I’ve heard is that “harmless” Roundup may be one of the causes of bee colony collapse.</p>