SLOVENIA'S 5 CORE VALUES

Yes, proper, genuinely delicious, yellow corn, which is excellent for eating. The idea to prepare a lecture on this topic and an exhibition of corn dishes was conceived by Anton Kous, who was, by the way, also my father. Car I am writing because he sadly passed away last year. 

My father possessed the wisdom to always know how to connect people through activities so they would feel a sense of belonging. His vision was based on bringing together the young and the old, and through old customs, introducing young people to country life and healthy farm food, which includes corn. At one time, this was one of the staple foods for people, and not just for animal feed. 

The children wanted to be shown where food actually comes from and where it grows. He was very successful at this, as he demonstrated precisely that at various events held at the family's tourist farm. When the idea for a corn festival had fully matured, he took action. First, he got all the family members excited about the event, so we dug up all the recipes that contained corn; from savoury to sweet dishes. We asked older people from the surrounding area for old recipes and obtained some of them. 

Certain agricultural acceleration services and a cooperative also assisted my father in organising the event, ensuring it was all carried out to a high standard. They notified primary and secondary schools, as well as the local radio station, about what would be happening at our farm, so that news of the event spread among the people. And since a good and interesting rumour travels far and wide, exactly what we wanted happened. 

The corn days have become a real celebration. During the week, many primary and secondary school children visited us and attended lectures about corn. They were able to see an exhibition of corn dishes and witness the making of baskets., Carpet in other products made from corn husks, which have been tackled by skilled country women. They could observe how the corn husks were peeled and the corn tied, which was then hung on a pole under the roof, where it would dry. 

The children were surprised by the information that people once made their own mattresses, stuffed with dried corn husks. However, what most impressed the children was the tasting of corn delicacies. Everything from corn soup, polenta, semolina pudding, corn fritters, crackling pastries, and gratins to sweet varieties such as corn biscuits with fruit and other sweet fillings was available. We even prepared a corn cake. It was lovely to watch the children enjoying food that most of them were trying for the first time in their lives. It was evident that they left the event with pleasant impressions. 

Over the weekend, young, old, and everyone in between gathered at the homestead. The event was also accompanied by the local radio, which, with occasional live broadcasts, carried snippets and impressions of the happenings over the airwaves for those who couldn't attend. To the sounds of a cheerful accordionist, people ate, drank, and celebrated. A deep sense of belonging among all generations to this tradition, way of life, and the culture of simple rural living could be felt. 

A week after the event, impressions of what happened were also featured in local newspapers, and so the corn festival became a well-attended traditional event. This realised my father's vision, and all his family members today look upon our father with great respect and pride as a great man who always cared about his fellow human beings and the community, while we are also grateful to have been a part of these wonderful creations.

Jožica Kous