Ada, OH – As members of a community outside the Ohio Northern campus, we all have a connection to the village of Ada. Diversity is one of the most essential elements of a community, which creates strength and understanding within its citizens. Especially as the home of a liberal arts institution, Ada’s level of diversity is directly impactful on the educational experience ONU can offer, facilitating the free exchange of ideas and promoting cultural tolerance. It pleases me to announce that Ada has just made a massive leap in favor of diversity: wheat fields are being introduced in addition to the cornfields.
For far too long, corn has totalized the agricultural population of Ada. This has imposed their method of tilling on the environment. Finally, the introduction of wheat is bringing many significant changes to the farming scene in Ada. For example, wheat is higher in mineral content than corn, especially among vitamins C, B, and K. Wheat is also higher in protein, although corn has a higher fiber content.
The move has been met with resistance, however. Corn apologists have been pointing out that corn has a lower caloric content than wheat, arguing that this places corn as a legitimate source of priority over wheat. They also believe that corn’s higher crop yield indicates superiority. One local resident expressed his frustrations: “Why do we need it here? I don’t even eat bread, but you know I eat good old-fashioned corn!”
Others, however, feel that Ada is still too agriculturally homogenous. They point out that Ada is already behind the curve of agricultural diversity, asking why it took this long for wheat to have a presence. Othertown, for example, has been cultivating wheat and corn for the past 15 years and plans to introduce soy by 2025.
In reconciling these conflicting interests, some moderates have identified the remarkable similarities between corn and wheat; they are both in the grass family, and they are both commonly categorized as cereal grains. A paradigm shift may be in order, with the farming community realizing that our crops aren’t all that different.