Fun Facts

Fun fact! The sugar in maple sap is the result of starch produced between May and August, which is stored in the tree roots. When the snow begins to melt, the starch turns into sucrose and circulates through the tree in preparation for the growing season. Click to read more!

Fun fact! Before almonds become the hard nut we know and love, they can be harvested early as green almonds. They have a fuzzy green exterior reminiscent of peaches, and its insides have a jelly-like consistency. Click to read more!

Fun fact! Hobbyist and part-time beekeepers, defined as a having 25 or less colonies and 25-300 colonies, respectively, make up 40% of honey production in the U.S.

Fun fact! Kohlrabi’s name originates from the German words for cabbage (kohl) and turnip (rübe).

Fun fact! Before the widespread use and availability of cane sugar and beet sugar, parsnips were used as a natural sweetener in cakes and other baked goods.

Fun fact! Belgian endive is grown in a two-part process. Click to learn more.

Fun fact! The edible part of the passion fruit is composed of up to 250 seeds surrounded by an orange-colored juicy pulp.

Fun fact! Guava is rich in vitamin C, phosphorous, iron, and calcium, even surpassing the vitamin C content of oranges.

Fun fact! While jicama can grow to be as large as 50 pounds, it should be harvested when under five pounds. They can be woody if when too large.

Fun fact! The bark of jackfruit trees is used by some Buddhist monks in Southeast Asia to dye their robes.

Fun fact! Pomelo, a citrus fruit native to Southeast Asia, can grow to weigh up to 25 pounds.

Fun fact! Rambutan is a fruit rich in potassium and vitamin C.

Fun fact! The bulb of the turnip provides a good source of vitamin C while the greens offer folate, calcium, and vitamin E.

Fun fact! Ninety percent of the cauliflower grown in the U.S. comes from California.

Fun fact! The term “gumbo” is derived from the West African word for okra: “ki ngombo.”

Fun fact! The smaller the turnip's bulb, the sweeter a turnip tastes.

Fun fact! The seeds in papaya are edible, and have a spicy, peppery flavor.

Fun fact! Sixty percent of peanuts grown in the U.S. are used for peanut butter production, with 15% of the crop being crushed for oil, producing cake and meal as byproducts.

Fun fact! There are images of artichokes on the walls of temples and tombs of pharaohs, demonstrating their significance to ancient Egyptians.

Fun fact! The earliest evidence of yerba maté usage was the remnants of carbonized yerba maté leaves in a pipe found in Catamarca in Northwestern Argentina alongside carbonized leaves of coca, lemon verbena, and tobacco that were dated to 650 BCE–500 CE. Click to read more!

Fun fact! Turkey is still the biggest global grower of hazelnuts, producing approximately 75% of the total world’s supply.

Fun fact! Parsley tea was drunk in the trenches by World War I soldiers as a treatment for dysentery.

Fun fact! The top four most consumed fresh vegetables are potatoes, tomatoes, sweet corn, and onions.

Fun fact! 92% of U.S. broccoli is grown in California. Arizona grows the second largest amount.

Fun fact! Flax fiber could potentially be a lighter, environmentally friendly alternative to fiberglass in cars.

Fun fact! Animal rations containing flax have been shown to increase fertility in hogs and immunity in steers.

Fun fact! Some celery varieties contain potent chemicals, including caustic secondary plant metabolites that function as a repellant to insects and herbivores to protect the plant. Click to read more.

Fun fact! In the U.S., organic wheat is the largest organic grain/seed crop with 451 million acres, followed by organic corn with 319,953 acres.

Fun fact! Farmers often plant proso millet as an emergency cash crop when other crops have failed or unable to be planted because of unfavorable conditions. Click here to learn more.

Fun fact! Maple sap is actually clear and slightly sweet with the consistency of spring water. Click to read more!