Episode Details

This episode continues the saga of American Energy Farming Systems (AEFS) and its audacious attempt to build an agricultural empire on the back of the Jerusalem artichoke. Hosts Andy and Elliot further examine the company's dubious tactics, increasingly desperate attempts to create a market for their miracle crop, and the growing skepticism from experts and authorities.

The Gospel of the Jerusalem Artichoke: AEFS's Sales Pitch and Cultish Tactics

AEFS goes beyond simply promoting the Jerusalem artichoke; it positions the crop as a divinely ordained path to prosperity and even incorporates religious faith into its sales pitch. The episode highlights the company's deep ties to evangelical Christianity, noting that its initial sales list came from the membership of a regional radio show called "Prayer Power", hosted by Pastor Pete. AEFS's first employee is John Peterson, Pastor Pete's son, further blurring the lines between faith and business.

The company integrates religious elements into its daily operations, starting workdays with prayer services and incorporating organ music into its events. AEFS even goes as far as encouraging its employees to pray for the failure of corn crops, hoping that farmers, faced with economic hardship, would turn to the Jerusalem artichoke as a salvation.

AEFS uses various tactics to attract investors, including:

• Promising an escrow account: For every dollar spent on seed, 50 cents would be kept back, creating the illusion of financial security and responsible management.
• Appealing to a sense of shared purpose: The company positions buyers and growers as a "spiritual family" united in a project for God and the nation.
• Utilizing high-pressure sales tactics: AEFS employs the "train is leaving" pitch, creating a sense of urgency and encouraging impulsive decisions.
• Making extravagant claims about industrial uses and imminent demand: Salesmen carry products like spaghetti pellets and jars of alcohol, falsely suggesting they are made from Jerusalem artichokes to bolster the idea of existing demand.
• Exaggerating potential profits: AEFS claims that an acre of Jerusalem artichokes could yield 45 to 65 tons of tubers, a figure exceeding even the highest-producing corn crops, which yield around two tons per acre. This claim, however, ignores the reality that there is no established market or infrastructure for processing and selling such quantities of Jerusalem artichokes.

To further bolster its image and foster a sense of community, AEFS celebrates growers' birthdays and anniversaries, sponsors contests for the tallest plant and best school speeches about the artichoke, solicits recipes from growers' wives, and promotes the exchange of Jerusalem artichoke recipes under the questionable label "breaking loose." These efforts are reminiscent of "love bombing," a manipulation tactic used by cults to foster a sense of belonging and loyalty.

Smoke and Mirrors: Fabricating Success and Hiding the Truth

AEFS uses various methods to create the illusion of legitimacy and future success:

• Partnering with independent news organizations: AEFS collaborates with publicist Willetta Warburg and other individuals to publish questionable articles that promote the Jerusalem artichoke's potential.
• Misrepresenting facilities: Potential investors are flown in to see the large Marshall corn processing plant, falsely presented as belonging to AEFS.
• Exploiting the digestive side effects of Jerusalem artichokes: After signing contracts, prospective growers are treated to a "smorgasbord" of fresh artichoke foods that are deliberately undercooked, causing digestive discomfort. This tactic, while ethically dubious, further reinforces the idea that the Jerusalem artichok