National Agriculture Day: March 20, 2010, the First Day of Spring

From the AgDay website about why we should celebrate Agriculture Day:

"Agriculture provides almost everything we eat, use and wear on a daily basis. But too few people truly understand this contribution. This is particularly the case in our schools, where students may only be exposed to agriculture if they enroll in related vocational training.

By building awareness, the Agriculture Council of America is encouraging young people to consider career opportunities in agriculture.

Each American farmer feeds more than 144 people ... a dramatic increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Quite simply, American agriculture is doing more - and doing it better. As the world population soars, there is an even greater demand for the food and fiber produced in the United States."

We owe the basis for our society's knowledge about agriculture to the first farmers of ancient civilizations who settled down and began experimenting with plant foods. See the below image of the major agricultural regions of the ancient world. Here is some more information.

For more information on the origins of agriculture, watch this video:

Happy First Day of Spring!

Agriculture Facts: An Apple A Day

This week is National Agriculture Week. Each day, we will post a new set of agriculture facts. We got these awesome facts from AgDay.org.

- "Apples are a member of the rose family.
- Washington state grows the most apples in the U.S.
- The apples from one tree can fill 20 boxes every year.
- Fresh apples float because 25 percent of their volume is air.
- In the winter, apple trees need to 'rest' for about 900-1,000 hours below 45 degrees Fahrenheit in order to flower and fruit properly.
- If you grew 100 apple trees from the seeds of one tree, they would all be different.
- Apples are high in fiber.
- There are more than 7,000 varieties of apples grown in the world."


You can buy locally grown apples at the Farmer's Market in Pleasanton. Martinelli's Apple Juice is made of apples grown near Monterey Bay. Here's some information about the apple orchards in California: AllAboutApples.com.

Agriculture Facts: Broccoli Basics

This week is National Agriculture Week. Each day, we will post a new set of agriculture facts. We got these awesome facts from AgDay.org.

- "We are eating 900% more broccoli than we did 20 years ago.
- In 1970, consumption of broccoli was only a half a pound per person. Today, the average person in the United States eats four and one half pounds a year.
- In the United States, broccoli was probably first grown by immigrants from Italy in home gardens in Brooklyn, New York. In 1923, a group of Italian vegetable farmers in Northern California started to grow broccoli commercially and in a few years they were shipping fresh broccoli to Boston and New York."


Speaking of gardens, they are great ways to connect with the land. You can grow what you like to eat and save money. Plus, garden-fresh produce always tastes better than the produce from the grocery store. Especially tomatoes!

Agriculture Facts: Pumpkin Eater

This week is National Agriculture Week. Each day, we will post a new set of agriculture facts. We got these awesome facts from AgDay.org.

- "Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites!
- Pumpkin flowers are edible.
- Pumpkins are 90% water.
- Pumpkins are used for feed for animals.
- Pumpkin seeds can be roasted as a snack.
- Native Americans used pumpkin seeds for food and medicine.
- In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling. - The name "pumpkin" originated from 'pepon,' the Greek word for 'large melon.'
- Pumpkins contain potassium and Vitamin A."
Learning about the different ways foods were and are used by traditional cultures from around the world can be so interesting! Food is fascinating because it can say so much about a group of people and about a civilization.

Agriculture Facts: Green Greek Goddess

This week is National Agriculture Week. Each day, we will post a new set of agriculture facts. We got these awesome facts from AgDay.org.


- "The name asparagus comes from the Greek language and means 'sprout' or 'shoot.'
- Asparagus is a member of the Lily family.
- Asparagus is related to onions, leeks, and garlic.
- One of the most popular varieties of green asparagus is named after Martha Washington, the wife of George Washington.
- California grows about 70% of all the asparagus grown in the United States.
- More than 50,000 tons of asparagus are grown in California every year."

From the Pleasanton Farmers' Market site:
"Spring heralds the arrival of much-anticipated California Delta asparagus. From the fertile soils of the San Joaquin Delta region, the farmers' market has tasty bundles of fresh green spears in a variety of sizes, from fat jumbo to pencil-thin spears. Asparagus is here for only a few months so pick it up now for a real taste of spring!

Asparagus Tips!
♦ When buying asparagus, select firm, bright green stalks with little or no white, and tight, dry tips.
♦ Choose asparagus spears that are about the same thickness so they will all cook evenly.
♦ Thick stalks or thin stalks? It’s a matter of taste.

Visit the California Asparagus Commission website for more information."

Understanding seasonality for fruits and vegetables is an important part of being a "green" consumer. Grocery stores don't really have seasons anymore because we import food from all over the world. Recognizing the value of eating in season is a part of living according to nature. Just go to the Farmers' Market to see what fruits and veggies are in season for your location's climate.

Agriculture Facts: Cherrific!

This week is National Agriculture Week. Each day, we will post a new set of agriculture facts. We got these awesome facts from AgDay.org.


- "The same chemicals that give tart cherries their color may relieve pain better than aspirin and ibuprofen in humans.

- Eating about 20 tart cherries a day could reduce inflammatory pain and headache pain.

- There are about 7,000 cherries on an average tart cherry tree (the number varies depending on the age of the tree, weather and growing conditions). It takes about 250 cherries to make a cherry pie, so each tree could produce enough cherries for 28 pies!

- Today, in Michigan, there are almost 4 million cherry trees which annually produce 150 to 200 pounds of tart cherries."

Understanding where your food is coming from is a big step in living a more natural life. Stop by the Farmer's Market to buy local, fresh food. You can ask the people at the booths where the food is coming from. It's fun to eat local!