Man as scavenger

Afarm couple in Colorado opened their fields last month to gleaners, giving away what was left of their harvest. Expecting about 5,000 people to show up, they were shocked when 40,000 arrived. This may be a sign of the times. As the economy plummets, we enter an environment ripe for scavengers. From field gleaners to garage-sale aficionados, they are everywhere and are coming from everywhere. I am one of them, a modern hunter-gatherer.

By Craig Childs

December 3, 2008