Take corn, for example. Those of us who grew up in the Heartland already know that a cornfield produces more than grain. It is the set and stage of our lives, it is the living furniture of our backyards. It’s where you play hide-and-seek on Sunday afternoon while the grown-ups are still eating potato salad and it’s not yet time for pie. It’s where you pick up two garter snakes at the same time, one in each hand, to prove to your brother that you aren’t afraid. Eventually, it’s the place where you park the old Ford at midnight and boast to your friends that you can’t wait to leave this little
...more
