It was bad enough when Debi Martin Smith discovered people were randomly helping themselves to ripening ears of corn planted near the roadside at her family’s Golden Harvest Farms.
But then someone had the gall to complain about its quality to her face.
Debi’s husband Carl Smith along with their son Shawn operate the family farm in Mapleton where they grow, among other things, Dent — so called “cow corn” because it is fit only for bovine consumption. It’s different from the sweet, bi-colored corn enjoyed by humans.
“I don’t know who these people are or how many have stolen corn,” Smith said. “But I have had some of them come up to me and say, ‘you know that corn tastes pretty bad.’ Well, you know what? You are not supposed to take it or eat it.”
The Smiths are growing 200 acres of the cow corn to sell to markets around New England for cattle feed.
The County is pleased to feature content from our sister company, Bangor Daily News. To read the rest of “Roadside ‘harvesting’ is still stealing,” an article by contributing Bangor Daily News staff writer Julia Bayly, please follow this link to the BDN online.
