Bananas: The Fastest- Traveling Fruit
INSIDE THE GREAT BANANA SCRAMBLE OF 1899 Is any bowl of oatmeal complete without bananas? What about a hotel breakfast? Or three scoops of ice cream lined up in a row? Here in America, the answer is no. Bananas are as ubiquitous as they are quirky — but how did they get that way?
Warp Speed Bananas Two secrets helped Keith’s bananas cross the 7,175 miles from Limón to Seattle in under seven days. The first was the railroad, which United Fruit operated.
Preparing for the Inevitable The beginning of the year is a great time for reflection. As we begin 2021, I want to encourage you to consider the ways in which you can ensure your legacy and loved ones are protected. Part of this consideration is to look at how you’ll provide your spouse with the support system and financial plan they will need to cope when you are no longer there to look after them. United Fruit’s Banana Empire Once upon a time, there lived a man called the “Banana King.” Actually, it wasn’t once upon a time: It was 1890 in Limón, Costa Rica, and the man’s name was Minor Cooper Keith. Keith traveled to Central America to build railroads, but when he planted 800,000 acres of bananas to feed his workers, he ended up in the banana business, too. In 1899, he co-founded United Fruit. Back then, the U.S. market for bananas was in its infancy. Keith wanted to change that, but one huge obstacle stood in his way. The Problem of Perishability Keith’s conundrum was this: How could he get his bananas to American breakfast tables before they went bad? He had to find a way to transport them from Costa Rica to U.S. supermarkets in less than seven days — with only early 1900s technology! To do it, United Fruit came up with something brand new.
Railroad cars sped the bananas from their plantations to the Port of Limón. There, they were loaded onto the second secret: the first-ever refrigerated ships. Those ships steamed north, where their precious cargo was unloaded, stacked into yet more United Fruit railroad cars, and dispatched across the U.S. to Seattle at warp speed. This mad scramble of plantation workers, conductors, and captains brought us the plethora of bananas we have today. The Next Banana Battle United Fruit is still pulling the levers of the banana machine today under the name Chiquita. But now the company is facing another hurdle. Our everyday banana — the Cavendish — is under threat from a disease that could cause it to disappear from the breakfast table for good. To find out more about the banana crisis, head to Wired. com and dive into Rob Dunn’s story “Humans Made the Banana Perfect — But Soon, It’ll Be Gone.”
How Creating a Financial Plan for a Surviving Spouse Is the Greatest Show of Love
changes and evolves. This is also a great time for each spouse to share their wishes for their partner and legacies. These are factors we can work into a plan that can be utilized by either spouse when necessary. For other couples, sometimes this conversation needs to happen more rapidly. Maybe there has been a diagnosis or there has sadly been a premature death. It is still just as significant that this conversation happens, as the remaining spouse will need help and support in adjusting to life without their partner. Regardless of what phase you are in, many find it helpful to have a financial advisor in the room to begin and guide discussions. I’ve been there to lend perspective, offer guidance, and mitigate any nerves or discomfort. Chances are, we’ve already been through this process together. If so, I’m hoping you found some comfort in the plan. If for some reason things have changed, or if you feel we haven’t covered this adequately, I’m here to help. Just reach out to me!
However, if you’ve been through the process and it’s helped you in any way, I’m going to ask you to share. There are others you care about who may now or someday have the need, financially and emotionally, for my support as an advisor. I would greatly appreciate you sharing this message with someone who needs to hear it. It can be as simple as saving this newsletter to share at the right time or even directing them to my online resources. I have a very helpful blog post to guide couples through numerous stages of financial planning, including those who are just beginning to consider this tough conversation or those facing a more immediate need. You can find it online at McBeathFinancialGroup.com/blog/ financial-planning-for-loss-of-a-spouse . Thank you for sharing this information with others, and please reach out if you need assistance in discussions like this one.
This is never easy to discuss. Death is often a taboo subject, and it can be hard to picture your life without the person with whom you’ve spent many years. However, one of the greatest shows of love I see is during the planning process for such events. There’s a genuine concern for protection. One of the best ways to do this is to create this plan while both spouses are healthy. Without an imminent need, rational decisions can be made, rather than reacting on emotions. Time is also a major advantage at this point in the planning process, and adjustments and considerations can be made as your life
2 McBeathFinancialGroup.com
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker