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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Wallerstein originally worked for a _______ where he learned he could entice people to buy more with larger sizes.

2. What is the name of the development lab that Pollan visits in order to learn more about corn?

3. Where does Pollan find himself first questioning what the food on the market is made of?

4. Pollan points out that the Republic of _______ exists today because of all of the excess corn in the market.

5. How many acres of woodland help Salatin continue to live outside the modern world?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Pollan point out is the start of any of the foods in the food chain, which came as a surprise to him?

2. What does a person need to know in order to succeed with grass farming?

3. What are the reasons why Pollan calls farms and humans imperfect natural systems?

4. What happens to the cows that produce organic milk for places like Whole Foods, according to Pollan?

5. What is the hybrid corn that is described in this section of the book?

6. What are some of the other creatures and ingredients that are a part of the picture of the natural cow eating the natural grass?

7. What happens during the wet mill process of processing corn?

8. What does the lack of a good culture in America cause among people?

9. What are three of the benefits to grass farming, as outlined by Pollan?

10. What did Pollan feel about the meal that he had that was made from all organic foods?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The idea behind grass farming is to begin and end with a highly renewable resource - grass.

Part 1: Why do you think Salatin decided to be a grass farmer?

Part 2: Does the idea of being a grass farmer seem like a lot of work?

Part 3: How do you think an industrial farmer could implement the ideas of grass farming. Or couldn't they?

Essay Topic 2

The organic farmers talk about how there is a price to pay when they want to be productive.

Part 1: Do you think that organic farming can ever be pure farming?

Part 2: Why do you think that organic farmers still grow their crops in an industrial way?

Part 3: Is there anything wrong with organic farmers being more industrial in their techniques?

Essay Topic 3

At one point, the book brings up the idea that food should be the next revolution in America.

Part 1: Why might food be the basis for a new revolution?

Part 2: Do you think food is something that is causing divisiveness in the country today?

Part 3: How do you think the food supply might change if there was a revolution?

(see the answer keys)

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