At Clark's house, Bruce put down the phone and said, "Lamborghini's headquarters had sent a technician to teach us how to operate this tractor.".
"That's Lamborghini for you!" Clark immediately praised.
"What you should say is, 'That's Bruce Wayne for you!' A regular person wouldn't get such treatment," Diana rolled her eyes and added, "I guarantee they're wondering just how bad a wealthy man's driving skills have to be to dent a solid tractor four times in two days."
"Alright, gentlemen, should we not get down to business now?" Diana turned to Clark on the couch and asked, "So, what exactly should we plant in that land? How do we go about it? And what help can it provide for the Metropolis Agricultural Fair?"
"Yesterday, Martha and I discussed it. That spot is pretty suitable for growing vegetables. It's near a stream, the soil is fertile and the veggies will be all-natural and very tasty. I think lettuce, cabbage, or spinach would all be good choices."
Bruce seemed to remember something, a small smile appeared on his face. He looked at Clark and asked, "Can we plant broccoli?"
"Of course, broccoli isn't too demanding of the soil. It's related to cabbage and similar to lettuce – they're long-day plants that can thrive here... Do you like broccoli?"
"Are we growing this stuff to eat for ourselves, or to sell?" Bruce further asked.
"Mainly for sale," Clark replied. "We can eat some ourselves, but wouldn't make a dent. Most of it would go bad if we stored it, so usually we'd sell it in town or the nearest city. It would help us accumulate some funds, although not much, it's better than nothing."
"Then we should choose the one with the highest economic value. Among these options, which vegetables will sell the best?"
"Lettuce," Clark showed him with his hand, explaining, "This vegetable prefers low temperatures. The conditions on Kent Farm are superb. Due to the existing wildlife protection zone, windbreaks, and nearby stream, temperatures on this land averages 4 degrees lower than surrounding farms in Smallville."
"This implies that it's a special product unique to our farm. Only we could grow it on a large scale and do it better than anyone else. Naturally, it'll sell well. Scarcity breeds value, after all."
Bruce and Diana both nodded their heads. Diana looked at Clark and asked, "So, does every farm have its own unique product?"
"Absolutely, what you see at the Agricultural Fair may be ordinary vegetables, but each one has its own story. Some may even be the result of generations of accumulated farming wisdom and heritage."
Diana seemed interested. She rubbed her chin and said, "Historically, Metropolis never had a real agricultural culture, let alone legacy. If we are to develop agriculture, inevitably, we'd have to learn from others."
"Inviting each farmer who participates in the fair to discuss the circumstances under which their unique products were cultivated might provide invaluable insight for other farmers in the Metropolitan Area."
"What about seeds?" Bruce asked.
"Kent Farm has its own superior breeding seeds. This is the main source of income from our vegetable business. Selling vegetables alone doesn't make much, but seeds, that's another story."
Clark's voice turned low as he said, "What you might find hard to believe is, many seed merchants monopolize the superior breeding varieties."
"Everyone wants to monopolize a high-yield variety. Some agricultural companies even process superior seeds in a way that reduces the yield of crops after the first generation. This forces farmers to buy their seeds every year."
"Can they really do that?" Diana asked, puzzled.
"Absolutely, I can't understand all the professional knowledge, but it's undeniable that it results in a vicious cycle. High seed prices lead to higher produce prices."
"But the agricultural association doesn't allow arbitrary price increases, so they hoard their own farm's superior varieties. They refrain from selling or sell at sky-high prices."
"Are you saying that many people have high-yielding and delicious seeds, but they refuse to share them?" Diana's face showed a hint of anger. Yet, she seemed resigned. Being alive for so many years, this princess understood well that capitalism is about profit-making. No one wants to suffer losses.
But Bruce fell into thought. After a while, he leaned forward against the back of the sofa, standing between the two said, "What if there was a seed, with unmatched yield, that could feed the world just by planting it on the land? Would many problems disappear?"
Diana shook her head and said, "Maybe so, but that's about it. It won't solve all the problems. The truth is many governments, including America, the so-called most developed country in the world, don't want their people to have enough food."