It’s no secret that many Americans fall short when it comes to eating the recommended five daily servings of fruits and veggies, despite the health benefits. Many of us know we should be eating more fruits and vegetables. So, why aren’t we getting enough? Here are some common barriers to fruit and veggie consumption, and strategies to help you add more produce to your plate.
As American statesman and inventor Benjamin Franklin grew older, he had trouble seeing both up-close and at a distance through his glasses. Getting tired of switching between two types of glasses, he devised an improvement on the traditional spectacles—and bifocal lenses were born. There’s always room for improvement and progress; not only in the necessities we use every day, but also for the agricultural crops we grow and the foods we eat.
Vegetarian. Vegan. Bland. Unsatisfying. Rabbit food.
Those descriptors are exactly what plant-forward eating does not have to be. The food industry is abuzz about the huge rise in plant-based everything—from burgers to butter. This global trend isn’t about removing meat or animal products from the plate. But “plant forward” instead praises plant foods, like produce, peanuts and other nuts, legumes and more, and encourages making them part of our diets more often.
The home garden has become a hugely popular way to help pass the time, while also allowing people to grow food they can actually enjoy eating. Tomatoes, peppers, various leafy greens, and peas are some of the common plants that may be found in home gardens today, but have you ever considered growing peanuts at home?
Women have been a vital part of farming from the early days of agriculture. Tough, hardworking, caring and smart, female farmers make up 36 percent of American farmers and ranchers, and the numbers are growing. Fifty-six percent of all farms have at least one female decision-maker, and from 2012 to 2017, the number of female producers increased 27 percent.
In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, we’re highlighting female peanut growers who do the essential jobs of running family-owned operations, spending long hours on tractors in the field, keeping the farms’ finances in order, getting family fed and everything in between, all while developing as leaders in the industry.
You probably remember George Washington Carver from elementary school. He was the man made famous by his more than 300 inventive uses for peanuts. What you may not know is the role that his many inventions played in promoting sustainability.
More Americans than ever are interested in eating plant-based foods high in protein. You may be surprised to learn that there’s a lot of protein hiding in your pantry. To include more plant-based protein foods in your meals, consider the following items we have shared with you.
Farming is an enterprise based on all kinds of variables, requiring tenacity and resilience. Some years are more difficult than others due to weather, volatile markets, and external forces peanut producers are unable to control. Still, these stewards of the land continue to plant, cultivate, and harvest their crops day after day and year after year. Why? Because farmers are in the business of hope.