Packaging Detail of the Day

Small farms — we love ’em, and we want to support ’em. This, at least, would seem to be the sentiment that the folks at Woodstock Farms are counting on. Sarah Mirk (of The Stranger) wrote in to describe her encounter package of the brand’s wasabi peas.

On the front: “a picturesque photo of a classic American small farm (complete with barn!) across the top.” And the copy on the package: “Small Farms and Agribusiness: It takes both to keep farming viable. Changing our agricultural practices on both large and small farms is a worthy vision and necessary endeavor. Small farms and agribusinesss can learn from each other the best of farming practices and rural livelihood.”

Uh, okay, that all seemed a little strange. Is this the product of a small farm? A corporation? Both? If the packaging simply repeats the phrase “small farm” enough times, she wondered, is that going convince us that that’s where the peas came from?

Then she turned the package over and noticed some more fine print: “Product of Malaysia,” it said.

My theory: The small farms of Malaysia look an awful lot like the Normal Rockwell version of heartland America. They just happen to have better supply chains and easier access to container ships.

Thanks Sarah!