Though you wouldn’t think of the Old West as a place to find a traditional treat of the Middle East, the Yuma area is the world’s largest producer of gourmet Medjool dates – long known as the fruit of kings.

That’s why this town on the banks of the Colorado River is busy making plans for its first-ever Yuma Medjool Date Festival from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 17 in historic downtown.

“It’s going to be a celebration of food, fun, family and all things dates!” said Perlita O. Wicks, coordinator for the City of Yuma Heritage Festivals, which is organizing the new event with Bard Valley Medjool Date Growers.  “We’re going to kick off with free date muffins and coffee from 8 to 9:30 a.m., then serve up a whole day of everything you ever wanted to know about dates!”

That includes displays and demonstrations of specialized farm machinery developed specifically for cultivating and harvesting dates and an exhibit of historic pictures, artifacts, equipment and more at the Yuma Art Center, as well as a chance to ask questions of two of the area’s largest growers, Gus Nuñez and Steve Shadle.

But there will also be plenty of chances to sample date delights as well, with cooking demonstrations by local and international chefs – vote for your favorite dish — and a date milkshake contest that’s open to all. And you can leave the guilt at home, because Medjool dates are a “super food” that’s naturally fat free, high in fiber, potassium and anti-oxidents, and low on the glycemic index.  Bursting with flavor, chewy Medjools are so richly delicious that many first-time tasters can’t believe they have no added sweetener.

Shaking things up in a whole different way, Zarmineh Moody and the Jawhara Belly Dance Group will provide an exotic flavor to a daylong schedule of music and dance.  Vendors will offer festive food, art and collectibles, so this is also the perfect place to pick up a unique holiday gift.

In addition, festival goers can take a free tour of the nation’s most advance date packing facility, operated by Datepac, LLC – but because there are a limited number of tour slots available, you must register in advance at the festival website.

Dates are an important part of Yuma’s number one industry, agriculture – and even Saudi Arabia imports Medjools from our corner of Arizona, recognized by Guinness World Records as the sunniest place on earth.  Yuma’s ideal growing conditions mean that local growers don’t need to use pesticides or chemicals to produce a heaping harvest of these tasty treats – up to 10 million pounds a year that’s worth $30 to $35 million to the local economy.

“The date industry in Yuma touches our community in all kinds of ways, from the elegant silhouette the date orchards add to our views, to the inimitable flavor of a date shake,” said Juan Guzman, Datepac marketing manager.  “This festival is an opportunity for the whole community to learn more about the wonderful world of Medjool dates and the hard work our growers put into making this natural delight available to all of us – and all of the world.

“We’re excited about giving the whole community an ‘inside look’ at an unheralded side of our local ag industry,” Guzman added.  “Come down for a taste of something that’s uniquely Yuman.”

MAKE IT A WEEKEND:  The 22nd Annual Colorado River Crossing Balloon Festival takes off Nov. 16-18 from various locations around Yuma.  Sponsored by the Caballeros de Yuma, this airy festival draws balloonists from as far away as England and features flights Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and a “glow” Saturday evening.

Info: www.caballeros.org, 928-343-1715.

What is your favorite cut of beef? Are you a steak person, or do you prefer ground beef in a dish such as spaghetti or burgers?

According to a recent survey by the Beef Checkoff, we’re eating just as much beef now as we did in 2005, the last time a survey was completed.

Our preferred product? Ground beef. The survey suggests that we often choose ground beef instead of deli-style beef products and steaks.

What other pertinent information can be gleaned from this survey?

Beef Consumption Facts

The Beef Checkoff survey found a number of other interesting facts about our love of beef:

• We’re eating out less than we were in 2005. This is quite possibly a result of economic conditions in many areas.
• More of us are foodies now. 2012 plays host to more cooking shows, new recipe resources, and folks that love to cook.
• Ground beef is being chosen over steak. The preferred mix is 80% lean/20% fat.
• The majority of us (64%) purchase large quantities of beef and freeze much of it for a later date.
• The most preferred method to enjoy beef? The grill. We enjoy a good grilled steak or burger. Also popular were beef with vegetables (such as a fajita preparation) and roasts.
• We like sauces and spices with our beef more than we did in 2005.
• Ethnic foods are becoming more popular, but American/local and Italian food still tops the list.

Beef in Arizona

We’re very fortunate to have a large number of beef producers in AZ. By purchasing from these individuals, we can support AZ ranching while also enjoying our favorite beef products.

Since steak is still a popular summer dish, we asked Kacie Tomerlin of Arizona Legacy Beef for a few beef cooking tips. She said if you do cook a good quality steak “allow it to rest for a few minutes before you put it on the grill. If the steak is too chilled, the muscle fibers are tight. But if you allow the steak to rest for 10 to 15 minutes, or to the touch,” it will be more tender after grilling.

Want a few more steak grilling tips? Be sure to check out Kacie’s recent video on grilling quality steaks.

One in four Americans is affected by high blood pressure.  However, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, only about two-thirds of those with high blood pressure know they have it and less than 30% have it under control.  This is a significant health issue that carries significant long-term consequences like stroke, heart failure, and damage to other organs.  Managing high blood pressure, which is also called hypertension, is the best way to prevent these problems from occurring.

As part of this month’s National High Blood Pressure Education Month, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is urging every American to check their blood pressure and talk to their doctor if it is over 140/90.  Managing hypertension often requires a combination of medication and lifestyle changes, including increasing activity and eating a diet specifically aimed at controlling blood pressure.

The NHLBI recommends that people with hypertension follow the DASH plan, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.  The plan also recommends that those with this condition take steps to limit their sodium intake.  There are two levels included in the plan related to sodium intake.  The first and highest allows for 2,300 mg of sodium per day which is the maximum recommended for any American, regardless of their blood pressure.  For those with high blood pressure, this level can help manage and control the problem.  The second level is more restrictive, allowing only 1,500 mg and has shown to be more effective and reducing blood pressure.

Based on research supported by the NHLBI, the best diet for those with hypertension is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, added sugar, and sugar-laden beverages.  Instead, those with hypertension are encouraged to focus their diet on fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, whole grains, fish, poultry, and nuts.  While the diet focuses on reducing fat and sodium, it also aims to increase important nutrients like potassium, magnesium, calcium, protein, and fiber.

Here in Arizona, our access to locally grown and fabulously fresh produce, meat, and dairy products makes it easy to implement small dietary changes in support of good heart health and normal blood pressure.  Also, for meat choices, reference our 29 Lean Cuts of Beef for additional ideas.  Whether you shop at the farmer’s market or the grocery store, you can find a wide range of seasonal food options that will help you manage your blood pressure without feeling like you are giving anything up.

Here are some great ways that you can swap fresh heart healthy Arizona foods for less blood pressure friendly options.

• Instead of a bowl of potato chips or a handful of cookies for some fresh fruit.  Apples, oranges, dried apricots are all great options.
• You can still have a delicious burger cooked on the grill, just make sure you use lean Arizona ground beef and decrease the size of the patty to around three ounces.  Swap your old white bread bun for one made from whole wheat for an extra health boost.
• Swap fried chicken for chicken stir-fry and replace some of the chicken with fabulous fresh vegetables like bell peppers, onions, broccoli, sprouts, and carrots.
• Swap skim milk for whole milk and frozen yogurt for ice cream and improve your health without sacrificing taste.

Related articles

• Take Control of Your High Blood Pressure (everydayhealth.com)
• Obesity Epidemic: Supermarkets Are Making It Easier to Eat Healthy (fillyourplate.org)
• The Battle Over Vegetables: 4 Creative Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat More (fillyourplate.org)

One of the best ways that families can stretch their food dollar is to cook their meals at home using fresh, locally grown Arizona ingredients.  But we all have very busy lives and it isn’t always possible to stay on top of the grocery shopping or remember everything you have in your pantry at home during a quick stop at the farmer’s market or grocery store.  After a hectic day, most people would toss in the towel and order in rather than cook at home.  While this is totally understandable, one unplanned meal out can easily bust your food budget for the whole month.  There is another option that takes a little planning and preparation but ensures you will always have something at home that you can whip up into a quick, healthy, low-cost breakfast, lunch, or dinner, a well-stocked pantry.

Here is a list of the 10 things you should always have in your pantry.  These staples enable you to make a variety of healthy meals with just the ingredients listed here.  They also give you the peace of mind of knowing what you have at home so that a quick stop at the local market really is quick.

1.     Oil

Oil is an essential ingredient to many meals and having a few different kinds on hand enables you to cook many different kinds of food.  Whether you are marinating meat, sautéing vegetables, or baking goodies, it is likely you will need some kind of oil.  A well-stocked pantry should have olive oil, vegetable oil, and sesame oil. A great place to find locally grown and produced olive oil is the Queen Creek Olive Mill.

2.     Sugar and Spice

These cooking basics are essential to a well-stocked pantry.  Stock your shelves with standard granulated sugar, brown sugar, and confectioner’s/powdered sugar and you will be able to meet every need for sweet that comes along.  To spice things up, every pantry should have the following spices at a minimum:

• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Rosemary
• Curry Powder
• Chili Powder
• Black Pepper
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Dried Basil

 3.     Pasta and Rice

These two staples can create the foundation for a meal made with almost anything else.  There are so many options available when it comes to pasta that it really comes down to what your family likes.  Choosing several different varieties ensures you will always have just the right pasta on hand to create a quick and easy meal for your family.  Consider including spaghetti noodles, shells, rotini, and one other variety.  The same is true for rice, you have many options to choose from and the most important thing is to choose the kinds your family likes.

4.     Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds make a great healthy snack while also enhancing and enlivening salads, baked goods, and other recipes.  For your pantry, a good mix of nuts and seeds includes sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, and pecans.

5.     Oats and Flour

When it comes to staples, these are two you are likely to find in every well-stocked pantry.  Choose a variety of flours that includes unbleached white, whole wheat, and bread or cake flour and you can rest assured that no matter what kind of flour a recipe calls for, you will have what you need.  You should include two kinds of oats in your pantry, the traditional old-fashioned kind and the quick cook kind, for maximum versatility.  Oats make great thickeners in meatloaf and baked goods and can also be used for breading meats and making healthy snacks like granola.

6.     Canned Fish (Salmon, Tuna)

These shelf-stable meats can be great in a pinch and are perfect for tossing with a salad or creating a sandwich.  Keeping a couple cans of each in your pantry gives you another protein option that is precooked and ready to go right out of the can.

7.     Broths and Stocks

Stocking pre-made chicken and beef stock gives you a lot of options in the kitchen.  You can use them as the foundation for soup, to create a sauce, to add moisture to a dish, and as a replacement for oil and butter in some circumstances.

8.    Vinegars and Sauces

Vinegar is one of the most versatile liquids in your kitchen that is often overlooked in our modern day meal planning.  Keep a bottle of white, cider, and balsamic vinegar in the pantry along with a bottle of soy sauce, hot sauce, barbecue sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.

9.     Dry and Canned Beans

When it comes to versatility and multiple uses, nothing can beat the bean.  Packed with fiber and protein, beans can add texture, flavor, and volume to almost any recipe.  Pick a wide variety of beans for your pantry including black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, split peas, chick peas, and navy beans.

10.  Canned Vegetables

When you are short on time and short on energy, canned vegetables can be just what you need to complete a quick and easy meal with little effort.  Stock up on cans of your family’s favorites and use them to supplement your meals when you don’t have time to run to the farmer’s market for something fresh.  Make sure you include the most versatile of canned vegetables, tomatoes and tomato sauce.

On your visits to the Arizona Farmers Markets, look for the staples listed above, including locally grown herbs. Stocking up on staples and creating the perfect pantry for your family is a great way to stretch your food dollar while filling your plate.

Related articles

• What Ingredients the Chefs of Fill Your Plate Can’t Live Without (fillyourplate.org)
• How to Stretch Your Food Dollar and Eat Well (fillyourplate.org)
• Cook Creatively with Canned Food (fillyourplate.org)

Long relegated to ethnic dishes and often categorized as that strange thing your Grandma tried to make you eat at Sunday dinner, the beet made a comeback in 2011 and popped up on menus across the country.  While most food experts agree that the beet’s time in the spotlight has passed, it would seem the beet isn’t quite ready to let go of the limelight.  The beet may be last year’s news, but its juice is still taking center stage.

Known for its rich red color, beetroot and beets have been around since pre-historic times, growing wild in Europe, Asia, and North Africa.  Although originally only eaten for their greens, the root of the beet can be eaten as well or used to create beet juice.   Beets come in several varieties including red/purple, white, and rainbow colored.  Whether eaten or used in juice, beets provide a bounty of nutrition which is one of the reasons beet juice is being touted as the health drink of the moment.

When it comes to nutritional value offered and health benefits provided, there aren’t many veggies that can compare.  One serving of beet products contributes the following toward your recommended daily allowance for only 58 calories:

• Folate – 37%
• Manganese – 22.5%
• Fiber – 15.2%
• Potassium – 12.6%
• Vitamin C – 11.1%
• Magnesium – 7.8%
• Iron – 6%

Additionally, beet juice is a great source of polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that is very beneficial. Research into the benefits of beetroot juice conducted at Barts and the London School of Medicine has shown that even a small amount each day can reduce blood pressure.  These findings also indicate that beet consumption may help prevent cardiovascular disease.

Other research completed at Wake Forest University shows that beet juice can boost blood flow to specific parts of the brain.  This finding is significant because it opens the door to potential treatment options that may slow the progression of dementia and other cognitive dysfunctions associated with the degeneration of that area of the brain.

Here in Arizona, fresh locally grown beets are easy to come by and offer many options for filling your plate while boosting your health.  Here are some of our favorite beet recipes.

• Beets with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Parsley
• Beets with Onion and Cumin
• Chilled Potato, Leek, and Beet Soup
• Golden Beet Fennel Avocado Salad
• Swiss Chard with Beets, Goat Cheese, and Raisins

If you want to get the benefits of beets every single day, just make your own beet juice.  Here are some ideas for making great tasting and heath boosting beet juice.

• Carrot/Beet Juice
• Carrot, Beet, Cabbage, and Watercress Juice
• ABC (Apple Beetroot Carrot) Juice

Whether you prefer them sweet or sour, cherries are a flavorful way to get in a serving or two of your daily fruit and vegetable requirement.  Although cherries aren’t widely grown here in Arizona, some of the sweet varieties do well with our mild weathers and dry climate.  This month is National Cherry Month, so let’s celebrate the great flavor and many uses of this wonderful fruit.  Here are fun facts, a bit of history, and some great recipes featuring cherries.

Fun Facts

• It takes about 250 cherries to make a cherry pie.
• Cherries are cousins to some other Arizona fruits like nectarines, apricots, and plums.
• If you cataloged all the different types of cherries from all over the world, you would find more than 1,000 varieties.
• The two most popular kinds of sweet cherries, Bings and Lamberts, are grown in North America.
• Cherries are low in calories and are a good source of soluble fiber.  They are also a good source of antioxidants, vitamin C, beta carotene, and potassium.
• In traditional medicine, healers used cherries for a variety of medicinal purposes including the treatment of gout.  Some alternative medical practitioners continue to use cherries today because of they contain cyanidin which can reduce inflammation and for pain relief.
• Each year more than 300 million pounds of cherries are harvested in the U.S.
• Cherry trees can grow more than 30 feet tall.
• Although there are more than 1,000 varieties of cherry, the ones most commonly grown commercially are the Bing, Rainier, Royal Ann, Montmorency, Morello, and Early Richmond.
• Cherry trees are known for more than just producing delicious fruit; they are also known for the beautiful blossoms that fill their branches in late spring.
• Cherries are enjoyed around the world and are used in a variety of ways including as filling for pies, the final touch on an ice cream sundae, to flavor tea, to add color and flavor to salad, and to make liqueur and brandy.

The History of Cherries

• Cherries, like many of their cousins in the stone fruit family, have been around since ancient times and cherry pits have been found amongst other artifacts in caves from the Stone Age.
• They are mentioned as far back as 300 BC by one of Aristotle’s protégés, Theophrastus, in his work the “History of Plants”.
• Wild cherries are native to Europe, western Asia, and some areas of North Africa.
• Cherries were often used for their healing properties and their sweet flavor made them a popular treat among rich merchants and royalty.
• George Washington and Thomas Jefferson are both credited with growing cherry trees.

Great Ways to Use Cherries

• Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes
• Chocolate Cherry and Almond Bread Pudding
• Cherry Blueberry Pie
• California Cherry and Walnut Salad
• Cherries Jubilee 
• Apple and Cherry Pie with Oatmeal Crumble Topping
• Cherry Cheesecake with Ganache

Related articles

• Fresh Arizona Fruit: More Than Just Desserts (fillyourplate.org)
• How to Get Your Kids to Eat More Vegetables (fillyourplate.org)
• What Kind of Pie is Your Favorite? (fillyourplate.org)

If your only exposure to American culture was television or the movies, you would likely have a skewed view of American women.  It would be easy to think that most of them spend their days climbing the corporate ladder clad in the latest Gucci suit and $500 shoes and that those who aren’t doing that, wish they were.   But contrary to this stereotype, not every American woman aspires to live like the women on Sex in the City, collect designer clothes, or sip Cosmos over sushi.  The founders of Women in Blue Jeans, a group committed to celebrating the women of rural America and providing them with educational and networking opportunities, know that some women prefer a life where blue jeans and work boots are always the appropriate attire.

Arizona farmers love talking about denim and blue jeans since we grow some of the best cotton in the nation. Arizona farmers annually contribute this cool, comfortable fiber to our constant demand for blue jeans.

This January 19^th is Women in Blue Jeans Day, a time to celebrate all the women who grow the food we eat, tend the animals we need for dairy, eggs, and wool, and those who choose to live a different kind of life far from the hustle and bustle of the city.  It is a day to acknowledge the role rural women play in keeping America running from the barn and the field rather than from the board room.

The Importance of American Agriculture

According to the American Agri-Women, a national coalition of organizations focused on women in agriculture, there are more than 2 million family run farms in America.  These farms produce 86% of the food and fiber made in the USA and are the reason families across the country spend only 10% of their income on food, the lowest in the world.  These farms produce more than just food and fiber; they also produce the necessary materials for many other things including medical supplies, cosmetics, crayons, x-ray film, ink, and toothpaste.  American agriculture only continues to grow in importance both in terms of access to safe, healthy food and from an economic perspective as shown by these facts from American Agri-Women:

• In 1940, each American farmer provided enough food and fiber for 19 others; today’s farmers provide food and fiber for 144 other people.
• The agriculture industry accounts for 20% of the American workforce and 20% of the national GDP.
• Agriculture and farms employ more than 20 million people and agriculture products are the country’s number 1 export.

Women in Agriculture

The most recent Census of Agriculture indicates that more women are working in agriculture than in previous years.  The census showed increases in the number of women operating farms, the number of acres women are farming, and the value of the products women are producing over the previous report.  More than 30% of the 3.3 million farm operators in the U.S. are women and in 2007 14% of American farms were run by women.  Information from the last two censuses show that women continue to play a central role in the farming and ranching industry:

• More and more women are choosing to operate farms.  Between 1997 and 2002, the number of women farmers increased by 13.4%. This number increased again between 2002 and 2007 by 19%.
• Although farms run by men on average are more than twice the size of those run by women, more than 85% of farms owned by women are owned outright compared to 66% of those operated by men.
• The types of farms operated by women are generally more diverse than those run by men.  Farms run by women are more likely to be classified as other animals and other crops and women outpace men in poultry, egg, and sheep/goat farms.
• The percentage of farms with female principals is highest in the Southwest and New England.  The part of the country typically considered the bread basket of the U.S. has the lowest percentage of women acting as principal operators.
• Arizona has the highest percentage of female principal farm operators at 38.5% followed by New Hampshire (29.7 %), Maine (25.1%), and Alaska (24.5%).

The American Farm Bureau’s National Women’s Leadership Committee addresses the increased role of women in American agriculture. They know that as the number of women increases as the principal operators on farms and ranches, so will the leadership role of women in agriculture.  So, they are providing tools and resources to train and equip these women farmers with leadership skills as they take on more responsibilities.

Here in Arizona, where women farmers are prevalent, the Arizona Farm Bureau’s Women’s Leadership Committee exists to develop women’s individual talents as leaders through involvement in a variety of programs on the local level. These programs are directed toward leadership development, political influence, and promotion of Arizona Agriculture through education in the classroom and in the community.

This January 19^th, take a moment to thank a woman farmer or rancher you know for tending the land, caring for the animals, and keeping food on your table.  Connect with Arizona women farmers and ranchers on Fill Your Plate (https://fillyourplate.org/) and the Friends of the Arizona Farm Bureau’s Facebook page. (http://www.facebook.com/ArizonaFarmBureau?ref=ts)

Related Articles:

• Do Denim (juliesfreshair.com)

• Arizona Food Prices Up 1% from Last Quarter, Contrary to the National Path (fillyourplate.org)
• My American Farm Games: Farm Fun and Learning Wrapped into One (fillyourplate.org)
• 5 Simple New Year Resolutions for a Healthier Diet (fillyourplate.org)

Whether you pop it in your microwave, buy it at the movie theatre, or use it to decorate your Christmas tree, America loves popcorn.  To help celebrate National Popcorn Day on January 19^th, here is everything you ever wanted to know about popcorn.

History

• Although there are many references to corn mentioned throughout the historical record, the corn of Egypt and the corn of England were not the same thing.  Corn was originally a term used for the most common grain in a specific place.  Egyptian corn was likely barley, English corn was likely wheat, Irish corn was actually oats, and American corn was maize – which is what we consider corn today.
• From the start, wild corn was primarily used for popping and popped corn was prominent in early Indian cultures.
• Corn was popped by our ancient ancestors by using a fire to heat sand and then stirring the kernels in the sand until they reached the temperature necessary to pop.
• Throughout early Central American cultures, popcorn was used for nutrition, decoration, and ceremony.
• The introduction of the plow used for cultivating corn in the mid-1800’s led to the widespread introduction of corn as a farm crop.
• The first mobile popcorn machine was introduced at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.  The inventor, Charles Cretors, designed the 500 pound machine so that it could be transported to locations where there was business like picnics and parks instead of trying to get business to come to a shop.
• Popcorn was popular through the Great Depression when it was still inexpensive enough to be a luxury many people could still afford.
• Popcorn sales soared during World War II as the lack of sugar made candy unavailable for most Americans who turned to popcorn to soothe their snack cravings.  This increased consumption threefold.
• Popcorn’s tight relationship with movie theatres caused a big dip in sales with the introduction of the television. That persisted until microwave popcorn came along and brought people and popcorn back together.

Fun Facts

• On average, each American eats 68 quarts of popcorn a year which equates to more than 17 billion quarts annually.
• Popcorn was a key factor in the development of microwave technology.
• Most bags of popcorn will contain one white kernel for every 9 yellow kernels.
• A kernel of popcorn can pop as high as 3 feet in the air.
• Kernels that don’t pop are called “old maids”.
• In 2009, the world’s largest popcorn ball was constructed in Sac City, Iowa.  It was 8 feet tall and weighed 5,000 pounds.
• It would take more than 350 million pieces of popcorn laid end to end to go from New York City to Los Angeles.
• The oldest popcorn ears on record, from around 2000 B.C.E., were found in a cave in Mexico in 1948.

Nutrition

• Popcorn is a whole grain and much healthier than many other snack foods.  One cup of air-popped popcorn contains 31 calories and three cups provides one serving of whole grains.
• Popcorn is high in fiber, sugar-free, contains no salt, and very little fat.

Related articles:

• Amazing Maize: The Science, History, and Culture of Corn (fillyourplate.org)
• Corn Belt (fillyourplate.org)
• Unusual Place to Find Sweet Corn (fillyourplate.org)

Tomatoes may be the most complex vegetable in our refrigerator.  For starters, they aren’t really a vegetable at all, at least botanically.  But as members of the nightshade family, they are considered vegetables for cooking purposes and in the eyes of the law.  Next, there is the love/hate relationship many people have for them.  Some people love them; some people hate them, but even those who hate them often like them in other things like tomato sauce, ketchup, and salsa.

Here in Arizona, December is the best time to start your tomato seedlings indoors in order to ensure they are ready for planting in February.  To get you in the mood for planting or simply to inspire you to pick some up with your next grocery purchase, here are some fun facts, health benefits, and recipes that will tempt even the most ardent anti-tomato palette.  And in case you aren’t up for growing your own, we included some local sources where you can purchase them.

Little Known Facts

Originating in South America, tomatoes were introduced to the rest of the world by the Spanish explorers returning from the New World.  They get their name from the Aztec word “xitomatl” which means “plump thing with a navel” and are perennial plants when grown in their native habitat.

Once you learn that botanically, tomatoes are fruits, it is easier to understand why the French originally called them the “apple of love” and why their scientific name lycopersicon lycopersicum  means “wolf peach.”

Although tomatoes are the most common plant grown in U.S. gardens, China is actually the largest producer and provides more than a quarter of the tomatoes grown in the world.

Although there are more than 7,000 varieties of tomato, the most common categories are beefsteak, plum, cherry, and grape.

Health Benefits

Tomatoes are high in antioxidants, specifically lycopene, which aid in protecting against cell damage, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.  A 3.5 oz red tomato only contains about 18 calories but it also provides dietary fiber, protein, vitamins A, C, and E, and potassium.

At different points in history, tomatoes where thought to be poisonous but this was likely a result of people ingesting the vines, leaves, and stems of the plant which contain atropine and tomatine, both of which are harmful to humans and dogs.

Creative Recipes

Armenian Cucumber — Tomato Salad from Kelly Saxer of Desert Roots Farm

Corn and Black Bean Salsa from Mark and LeeAnn Freeman of Freeman’s Corn Patch

Greek Shrimp with Feta Cheese from Black Mesa Ranch in Snowflake, AZ

Mexican Summer Squash from Arlene Flake, Northern Arizona Rancher.

Spanish Rice with Bacon from Nancy Brierley, former California and Arizona farmer.

Looking for local Arizona farmers that provide fresh local tomatoes?  Go to Fill Your Plate’s homepage, click on “Find a Farm Product,” and select “tomatoes” from the list to get a list of local farms that offer tomatoes.  To find a farmer’s market near you that is open for the winter, check out this recent post on Winter Farmer’s Markets.

Related Articles:

• AZ Local Ingredients Come Together to Create a Delicious Healthy Hamburger (fillyourplate.org)
• How to Grow Tomatoes in Arizona (fillyourplate.org)
• Tomato Gravy Recipe (fillyourplate.org)

My American Farm is a cooperative project that aims to increase agricultural knowledge by using interactive, educational computer games.  Most of the current games are aimed at students in the 3^rd thru 5^th grades, but recent additions have introduced new games perfect for students in K-2.

If you are looking for a fun way to mix science, math, and reading with fun facts about the farm, check out the My American Farm games listed below.

AG Across America 

This game helps players learn about geography by asking them to pick a state with a specific attribute, like a state with a desert and then providing them with a fun fact about the agriculture in that state.  Fun facts include things like the number of farms in the selected state and the top three products the state produces.  Good for grades 3-5 with a playing time under 10 minutes.

Amazing Grains

The objective of this game is to learn about the different types of grains grown on farms while also practicing math skills.   Players race against the clock to answer word problems using information about the different grains to formulate the questions.  Answering questions right gets players a fun fact about the grains. Good for grades 3-5 with a playing time under 10 minutes.

Equipment Engineer

Helps kids learn about the different kinds of equipment used to work the land and for farming activities.  By looking through the equipment shed for specific pieces needed to assemble the right equipment to complete a specific job, players complete challenges and earn points.  Good for grades 3-5 with a playing time under 10 minutes.

Fact or Fairytale

This game offers a fun version of true or false.  Each round contains statements about food, fiber, or fuel and players help Justin Justthefacts by deciding if the statement is a fact or a fairytale.  Good for grades 3-5 with a playing time under 10 minutes.

Farmer’s Market Challenge

Similar to Amazing Grains, this game uses math word problems to help players learn about farmer’s markets.  Players race against the clock to answer word problems using information about the different grains to formulate the questions.  Answering questions correctly gets players a fun fact about the grains. Good for grades 3-5 with a playing time under 10 minutes.

Finders Keepers

This game helps reinforce the different food groups by having players find enough of the right kind of foods before time runs out.  Finding 4 foods in each of the 6 food groups without running out of time gets players another reward to put in their sustainability passport.  Good for grades 3-5 with a playing time under 10 minutes.

Harvest This!

Players complete math problems so that they know how many farm products to load into the various transport vehicles.  This is a fun game that reinforces math skills and teaches players about how food is transported from the farm on its way to their table.  Good for grades 3-5 with a playing time under 10 minutes.

Keys to Stewardship

In this game, players complete tangrams to learn more about how farmers and ranchers are stewards of the land.  Interesting tips on things like crop rotation are given as awards for completing each puzzle.  Good for grades 3-5 with a playing time under 10 minutes.

Let’s Make Something Tasty

By combining recipes with a word search, this game helps build language arts skills while teaching players how many different things it takes to make some of their favorite recipes like apple pie and apple sauce.  Good for grades 3-5 with a playing time under 10 minutes.

Memory Match

Just like the memory card played with face-down cards, this matching game requires players to match the picture of an animal or crop with the card showing its name.  Each name card provides a button to have the card read aloud which makes this game suitable for players who are still learning to read.  Good for grades K-2 with a playing time under 10 minutes.

My Little Ag Me

This game helps players learn about the different careers involved in farming and ranching.  Players can select from a variety of careers and learn about what people in that career are interested in, what tools they use, and who they work with by answering questions about that job.  Good for grades 3-5 with a playing time of 10-15 minutes.

Spin n Solve

Spin the wheel and try to solve the puzzle in this fun game that mixes language arts and science skills to help players learn about farms and ranches.  Good for grades 3-5 with a playing time of 10-15 minutes.

That’s Life

This game enhances science skills by having players determine the lifecycle of a plant by putting images of that plant in the right order from seed to harvest.  Correct lifecycles offer an educational tip about that plant or farm product. Good for grades 3-5 with a playing time of under 10 minutes.

Where in the World?

Using clues and images, players figure out which country is the right answer and then select that country on a map of the world.  This game helps reinforce geography knowledge while teaching players about agriculture around the world.  Good for grades 3-5 with a playing time of 10-15 minutes.

Wild Water Adventures

This game has players answer questions about water and water conservation to move their piece on the game board.  Get enough questions right and they win the game.  Mixes reading and science skills while teaching about water as an agricultural resource. Good for grades 3-5 with a playing time of 10-15 minutes.

If you’d like to have Ag in your child’s classroom, be sure to check out Arizona Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program.

My American Farm is provided by the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture with the support of Pioneer Hi-Bred.   For access to the free resources on the My American Farm site including the games listed here, family activities, and other educational resources, visit www.myamericanfarm.org.

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Editorial by Mace Thornton, American Farm Bureau

Producing a bounty of U.S.-grown food to sell and share beyond our borders remains a matter of deep pride to America’s farmers and ranchers. A growing body of evidence suggests, however, that Americans who do not farm or ranch really don’t give a rip that America’s farmers and ranchers are striving to feed the world.

In this age of engagement-based communication, it is vital that each precious minute farmers and ranchers have to connect with other American eaters is appealing and meaningful. Frankly, farmers talking about American agriculture’s ability to feed the world no longer fits that category.

The first challenge to the wisdom of feed-the-world talk came last year from the Center for Food Integrity. Influential consumers were asked to rank 17 specific issues related to our nation and food. The item ranking last in importance, by far, was the United States having enough food to feed people in developing countries.

While that result cracks open a door of skepticism, it does not stand alone. Work by the Illinois Farm Families coalition found that of a list of 10 compelling facts about farmers, facts related to productivity and feeding the world ranked near the bottom in terms of making people feel more positive about farmers.

There is additional evidence that chatter about feeding the world is simply not what consumers want to hear. To make matters worse, hard-core food activists like to hold up the feed-the-world message to ridicule today’s agriculture as disconnected.

The time has come for farmers and ranchers to reframe their conversations with consumers. Keep it real. There must be a focus on issues vital to consumers, such as their desire to choose nutritious, safe food produced in a responsible manner.

There is no doubt; we are facing an urgent new reality related to how farmers engage with eaters. What makes it so hard to swallow is the knowledge that many farmers and ranchers consider it their professional, moral obligation to produce food for all people who need it. In fact, it borders on a divine mission.

Because farmers and ranchers grow up, raise their families and live where they work, each and every day, perhaps no other profession holds the same kind of enduring and unbreakable bond between professional duty and personal identity as does farming. In that environment, discovering that a belief you treasure rings hollow to those you are dedicated to serving, cuts like a two-edged sword. But the bottom line is, when it comes to communicating with consumers, personal feelings cannot be allowed to stand in the way of having an impact.

Another reason it is so hard to accept the urgent need to change the conversation is that the U.S. really is helping feed the world. We exported a heck of a lot more food and fiber than we imported in 2010, resulting in a positive agricultural trade balance of nearly $34 billion.

While that fact is worthy of pride, beyond the farm gate it is likely to resonate with less appeal than an empty lunchbox. Consumers hunger for real, compelling dialogue with farmers about how they are working conscientiously to produce high-quality food. Give them what they crave.

Mace Thornton is the deputy director of public relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation.

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Editor’s Note: A while back we ran this editorial from rancher, Troy Hadrick, in our Choices publication. He’s active in American Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer & Rancher program. He loves American agriculture and has a passion for spreading the truth about today’s modern and efficient agriculture industry. Because the word “sustainable” gets overused, we felt it would be valuable to run Troy’s editorial again on our blogs reminding readers of who the original sustainers of the land truly are.

By Troy Hadrick, South Dakota Rancher

It’s hard to get through the day anymore without hearing the word “sustainable.” In fact, I was recently asked if I was a factory farmer or if I raised cattle sustainably. Who judges what’s sustainable and what isn’t? It seems that the word has been hijacked and is being used by people who are opposed to modern agriculture.

Sometimes you just have to shake your head when you hear the term. When I hear about sustainable wood, it always puzzles me. It’s a renewable resource.

But in food production, we hear more and more that modern agriculture can’t continue down the same path it’s currently on. What exactly led to that false notion, and how would anyone possess the kind of knowledge needed to back up that sweeping statement?

Skeptics say we should go back to how we used to raise crops and livestock. But how far back should we go? To the 1950s? Or how about the 1870s?  Maybe we could go back to when everyone raised just their own food?

Broadly, it is frequently true that so-called sustainable practices are those techniques used before the combustion engine was invented. Every industry has adapted and used technology to improve production methods and output. That includes agriculture.

From a farmer’s perspective, there are two questions that should have to be answered before any agricultural practice can truly be considered sustainable. First, will the farm and ranch families implementing the practice be able to generate enough income to continue farming or ranching? Will those families be sustainable? And second, will the practice help producers increase food production to keep up with a growing population?  If the answer to either of these questions is no, then, from my perspective, it should not be considered sustainable.

If farmers and ranchers can’t make a living, they obviously won’t be around very long. That’s not what I would call a sustainable practice. Or if America’s farmers and ranchers are forced to use production methods that do not yield enough food for everyone would you consider that sustainable? I wouldn’t.

At the end of the day, agriculture has a single, yet vital, responsibility ─ to provide food, fiber, fuel and other basics of life for an ever-growing world. The agriculture industry that some folks like to envision is better described as nostalgic rather than sustainable or even realistic. Our society wouldn’t have developed into what it is today if 25 percent or more of our workforce was still required to grow food. For the past century, we have continually produced more food with less farm inputs. With the technologies available today, that trend will continue.

American agriculture has a longer track record than any other industry in this country.  Many families are producing food on the same land their ancestors did. In Arizona, you have third, fourth and fifth generation farming and ranch families. One couple I know, ─ Andy and Stefanie Smallhouse ─ are 5^th-generation ranchers farming and ranching the same land that’s been in the family for the past 125 years. That’s proof of sustainability.

Farmers and ranchers know a thing or two about being sustainable since our livelihood depends on it.  Ask Andy and Stefanie Smallhouse.

Troy Hadrick, a South Dakota rancher, is a member of the American Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee. To learn more about the fifth-generation Smallhouse ranch family go to www.fillyourplate.org and look for the video clip called “5^th-generation rancher Stefanie Smallhouse Shares Conservation Practices.”

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1. In a Class All its Own

The asparagus plant was originally part of the lily family, the Liliaceae, like onions and leeks but was recently moved to the Asparagales classification.

2. It’s All Greek to Me

Asparagus, whose name comes from asparagos, the Greek word for shoot, has been used since ancient times.  Thought to cure everything from heart problems to toothaches, early records from Greece and Rome outline its many medicinal uses.

3. Grows like a Weed

Grown from a crown planted in sandy soil, asparagus spears can grow as much as 10” in 24 hours.  Spears are sent up from the crown in late spring and early summer and can be harvested for about 6-8 weeks.  Toward the end of the picking season, spears may require daily harvesting to keep up with growth.

4. Perennial and Pretty

Once the picking season ends in mid-summer, the spears change over to ferns that produce red berries for the remainder of the season.  This allows the crown to gather the nutrients required to support the initial growth next season.  With proper care and conditions, an asparagus plant can produce a harvestable crop for 15-20 years.

5. In this Case, Bigger is Better

Diameter is a key indicator of quality.  When choosing spears, you should select those with the largest diameter and the most vibrant color (the greenest if it is green asparagus and the whitest, if it is white).

6. Naturally Nutritious

Asparagus is a nutritional powerhouse that provides a big bang for the buck.  Loaded with folic acid, potassium, vitamins A, C and B6, rutin, thiamin and fiber with no fat or cholesterol and very little sodium, the vegetable is only 20 calories for 5 ounces.

7. USA favorite

Even though the U.S. consumes more than 4 times as much asparagus as other countries, Peru is the leading asparagus exporter followed by Mexico and Canada.  In the U.S., the majority of the asparagus is grown in California with Michigan and Washington lagging behind.

8. The Life Cycle of Asparagus

Beginning as a small black seed, Asparagus develops into long tube like roots and called a crown.   Developed crowns, which take more than a year to establish, will send up spears in the second or third year of growth that can be harvested over a 6-8 week period. Once the picking season ends, the spears transition to a fern for the remainder of the summer gathering resources for next year.

9. Variety

There are more than 50 different types of asparagus to choose from including Mary and Martha Washington varieties and the three most popular colors; green, white and purple.

10. Bugs

The asparagus has two natural predators besides people.  The first, is asparagus beetles, which eat the plant down to the roots.  The second is asparagus rust, a fungus that grows on the spears.

Grab asparagus at the local farmers market and enjoy!

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