Georgia - Ag Mag

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Georgia Agriculture Teaching Kids Where Food Comes From

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15 Crops

Georgia Agriculture

Georgia

Bell Peppers

Georgia is the 4th largest bell pepper producing state in the U.S. Georgia is home to over 4,000 acres of bell peppers.

Bell peppers can be 2 to 6 inches long.

Bell peppers are a FRUIT. Red bell peppers are also known as sweet peppers.

The bell pepper is the ONLY member of the pepper family that does not produce capsaicin.

Capsaicin is the chemical that makes other peppers spicy.

Bell peppers transition from green to yellow to orange to red depending on how long they ripen.

Bell peppers get s w e e t e r the longer they ripen.

Georgia

Blueberries

Georgia’s soil is sandy and acidic which is ideal for growing blueberries.

4

Types of Blueberries:

Blueberries are native to North America.

Blueberries are the #1 fruit produced in Georgia.

JULY

is National Blueberry Month!

1. Highbush 2. Lowbush 3. Rabbiteye 4. Half-High

Blueberries are one the only food naturally blue in color.

Highbush blueberries are the most common type of blueberry.

The waxy coating on blueberries is called “bloom.”

1 blueberry bush can produce 6,000 blueberries/year.

Lowbush blueberries are smaller & sweeter perfect for making jam!

Georgia

Cabbage

Georgia harvests around 30,000 acres of cabbage per year.

Cabbage is a type of cruciferous vegetable like broccoli & kale.

Cabbage has been harvested for over 6,000 years making it one of the OLDEST vegetables in existence.

There are over 400 varieties of cabbage.

Types of Cabbage: 1. Early 2. Late

Cabbage can grow up to 6 feet tall.

Early cabbage takes 45 days to mature, and late cabbage takes 87 days.

Cabbage grows best in a lot of sunlight.

The most popular varieties of cabbage: 1. Green Cabbage 2. Red Cabbage 3. Savoy Cabbage

Georgia

Cantaloupe

Georgia is the 3rd largest cantaloupe producing state in the U.S.

Cantaloupe are the most popular melon in the U.S.!

Georgia grown cantaloupe is the sweetest in June, July & August.

“Musk melon”

Georgia harvests around 54,000,000 pounds of cantaloupe each year.

Cantaloupe grow on vines that can reach up to 5 feet long.

Cantaloupe are pollinated by honeybees.

Cantaloupe plants take about 90 days to mature.

Georgia

Cucumbers

Georgia is the 4th largest cucumber producing state in the U.S.

Georgia is home to 10,000+ acres of cucumbers.

The U.S. is the 4th largest cucumber producing country in the world.

Cucumbers are technically fruits since they are grown from a flower & contain seeds.

The flavor of cucumbers comes from the seeds.

There are 100+ different types of cucumbers.

Cucumbers can grow up to 2 feet long!

Cucumbers are

90% water.

Cucumbers grow on vines.

1 vine can produce 25 - 125 cucumbers.

Bees are essential for the pollination of cucumbers.

Georgia

Green Beans

Georgia produces around 45,540,000 pounds of snap beans ach year.

Georgia is home to 9,000 acres of snap beans.

130+ varieties of green beans.

Green beans taste best when they are thinner than a pencil.

Green beans are also known as string or snap beans.

Green beans are the 3rd most homegrown vegetable.

The World’s Tallest Bean Plant was over 45 feet tall.

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String beans can be green, yellow or purple!

Equivalent to 3 fullygrown giraffes stacked on top of one another.

Georgia

Milk

Georgia produces around 227 MILLION gallons of milk per year.

Nearly 98% of U.S. dairy farms are family owned & operated.

Georgia is home to 85,000 dairy cows & 73 dairy farms.

Georgia dairy farmers recycle byproducts such as citrus pulp, brewers’ grain and whole cottonseed that are consumed by the cows instead of ending up in landfills.

1 Georgia dairy cow produces around 6.75 gallons of milk per day.

Milk is the source of ALL dairy products!

Macon, Brooks & Sumter counties are Georgia’s leading dairy counties.

Milk contains 13

essential nutrients.

Georgia

Okra

Okra is grown in every single county throughout Georgia.

4

Common Types of Okra:

Okra is a southern staple at the dinner table.

Okra is a warm-season crop.

1. Clemson Spineless 2. Jambalaya 3. Star of David 4. Burgundy

Okra pods are usually 2 3 inches long.

“Lady fingers”

Okra is

Okra is ready to harvest 60 - 70 days after being planted.

90% water.

Okra plants thrive in full sun.

Okra produces hibiscus-like flowers.

Okra plants can grow to be over 6 ft tall!

Georgia

Peaches Georgia grows around 130+ million pounds of peaches each year.

Peaches are harvested by HAND. 1 peach tree can produce up to 66

Georgia’s official nickname is “The Peach State.”

2

Main Varieties of Peaches:

1. Clingstone 2. Freestone

pounds

of fruit each year.

Georgia’s two main growing regions are Central & Southern.

Peaches are in peak season from June - the end of August.

Peach trees usually grow to be around 25 ft tall.

Peach trees can produce fruit for 12 years.

Georgia

Soybeans

Georgia harvest around 160,000 acres of soybeans each year.

75 MILLION acres of farmland are used for growing soybeans in the U.S. Soybeans were first grown in the U.S. for cattle feed.

Soybean pods usually contains

3 seeds each.

One acre of soybeans can produce 82,368 crayons!

Soybeans are a part of the legume family.

“Miracle Bean”

The U.S. is the leading country in soybean production.

Each soybean plant produces around 100 pods.

Georgia

Squash

In Georgia, both summer and winter squash are available year-round.

Georgia is the 3rd largest squash producing state.

TWO Types of Squash: W I N T E R & S U M M E R Examples of winter squash are pumpkins, acorn & butternut.

Winter squash has much harder skin than summer squash.

Squash require a lot of water to grow.

Examples of summer squash are zucchini, yellow & scallop.

Summer squash grows faster than winter squash.

Squash are related to m e l o n s!

1 acre of land can grow around 11,000 squash!

Winter squash takes 80 - 120 days to mature after being planted.

Georgia

Sweet Corn

Sweet corn is grown in EVERY county throughout Georgia.

Georgia has over 27,000 acres of sweet corn.

The U.S. is the LARGEST producer, consumer & exporter of corn in the world.

Humans only eat sweet corn.

There are around

Georgia is the 3rd largest sweet corn producing state in the U.S. An ear of corn ALWAYS has an even number of rows.

800

kernels on each ear of corn.

In many other countries, corn is called “maize.”

1 corn stalk produces 1 - 3 ears of corn.

Corn stalks can grow between 7 – 10 feet tall.

Corn is America’s number 1 field crop.

Georgia

Vidalia Onions

Georgia’s official state vegetable is the Vidalia onion.

Vidalia onions are ONLY grown in Georgia.

Vidalia onions became Georgia’s official state vegetable in 1990.

Vidalia onions are similar to yellow onions.

Vidalia onions sweet flavor is due to Georgia’s low amount of sulfur in their soil.

“The World’s Sweetest Onion” 200,000,000 pounds of Vidalia onions are harvested each year.

Only 20 counties in Georgia are allowed to grow & sell Vidalia onions.

The Vidalia Onion Act of 1986

ensures that these onions can ONLY be designated as a Vidalia if they are grown in 1 of the 20 specific counties in Georgia.

Georgia

Watermelon

Georgia is the 2nd largest watermelon producing state in the U.S.

40,000+ acres of watermelon grown in Georgia.

Most of the Georgia’s watermelons are grown in the Central region and along the southern Coastal Plains.

Watermelons are 92% water.

Watermelons are grown in over 96 countries.

Watermelons are in the same family as cucumbers.

JULY Watermelons are a N O N G M O crop.

Watermelons take 90 days to grow from seed to fruit.

National Watermelon Month!

Georgia

Wheat

Georgia harvests around 50 bushels of wheat per acre.

6

Classes of Wheat Grown in the U.S.

1 bushel of wheat contains 100,000,000 individual kernels.

1 bushel of wheat can produce 90 loaves of bread.

1. Hard Red Winter 2. Hard Red Spring 3. Soft Red Winter Hard Red Winter 4. Soft White wheat is used mostly 5. Durum for making breads.

The average wheat crop grows to be between 2 & 4 feet tall.

1 acre = 40 bushels of wheat.

Wheat grows best in warm weather.

Wheat is the M O S T harvested crop in the world.

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Georgia Agriculture

Georgia

Cucumbers

Sweet Corn

Dairy

Agriculture

Blueberries

Soybeans

Watermelon

Peaches

Cabbage

Squash

Wheat

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