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FUN FACTS
Even if you don't live on or near a farm, there are plenty of ways you and your family can bring the farm experience into your lives.
Carrot:
 What color are carrots? That's an easy one, right? Orange. But did you know that carrots can also be white, purple, red, yellow, green, or black? Some farms grow these different types of carrots, so see if you can find them at your local market.
Carrots are a root vegetable that tastes good both raw and cooked. They are also a good source of vitamin A, which helps our bodies develop keen eyesight and strong bones. Try dipping carrots in hummus, salsa, or guacamole as a healthy alternative to chips.
Blueberries:
 Native to North America, blueberries are now grown throughout the world in countries as far away as Chile, New Zealand, and Australia. Most of the berries we eat in the United States are grown in farms in Maine, Michigan, and New Jersey, but they also grow wild throughout the country. (Wild blueberries tend to be smaller than cultivated ones.) Over 200 million pounds of blueberries are grown every year in North America. How many pounds did you eat this year?
Did you know that blueberries are one of the only fruits and vegetables that are naturally colored blue? (Bet you've never seen blue tomatoes, blue lettuce, or blue lemons!)
Craving something sweet? Blueberries are a great snack to take when you're on the go. Skip the candy and nibble on some local berries instead.
Corn:
 Did you know that there are about 800 kernels in an ear of corn? If there are 5 people in your family and each person ate one ear, how many corn kernels did you all eat? What if everyone ate two ears each? The next time your family has corn for dinner, try to figure out how many kernels everyone ate!
Corn traces its history back about 7,000 years to the Americas, where it was called maize.* Today, corn is grown all over the world on every continent except Antarctica! Corn tastes best right after it's picked, because it loses its sweetness as the sugar in the kernels changes quickly to starch. So eat fresh, local corn. It tastes better and is better for you!
*Ever heard of a maize maze! Many farms and even a few towns host giant corn mazes in the fall that you can walk through with your family.
Pumpkins:
 What do you think of when you think of pumpkins? Halloween and jack-o'-lanterns, right? Next October 31st, imagine carving the largest pumpkin on record. That giant squash, which weighed in at over 1,500 pounds, would have taken a whole team of carvers to get it ready for trick-or-treating!
In addition to showing their scary faces, pumpkins can be made into tasty pies, breads, and soups, and their seeds can be roasted in the oven for a healthy snack. Pumpkins are high in vitamin A and potassium.
Peapods:
 What do peapods have to do with eye color anyway? About 150 years ago, a scientist named Gregor Mendl studied peapods to learn why and how we inherit some traits-like eye color-from our parents and not others. You can study peapods too, or better yet, eat them up!
Peas are high in vitamin K for strong bones and increased energy. Snow peas and sugar snap peas are eaten whole-pod and all. They taste great raw or in stir-fries and salads. Shelling peas (peas that are removed from the pod) taste great in soups or as snacks and can be added to almost any vegetable recipe.
Pears:
 "A rose by any other name..." could be called a pear! Did you know that pears are actually part of the rose family? Originally from Europe, most of the pears we eat today are grown closer to home in Washington, Oregon, and California, as well as in parts of New England and New York.
You've probably heard of Bartlett and Anjou pears, but these are just two of the most popular of the 3,000 varieties of pears grown in the United States. See what other types you can find at your local store or farmers' market.
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From Seed to Flower: Eating Different Parts of the Plant
When we eat fruits and vegetable we are eating all sorts of plant parts. Fruits and vegetables can be classified as flowers, fruits, leaves, roots and tubers, stems, and seeds.
Think flowers are only for decoration? Think again. Some of the vegetables that we eat are actually flowers or buds, like broccoli, cauliflower, and artichokes.
When you think of leaves do you think about fall foliage? Think again. Some healthy and tasty veggies are actually the leaf of the plant, like spinach, parsley, lettuce, mint, and Swiss chard.
You wouldn't eat something right out of the dirt, right? Think again. the vegetables we enjoy are the root part of the plant and grow underground, like beets, radishes, turnips, potatoes, and carrots.
Did you think that all fruits are sweet and juicy? Think again. Many of the vegetables that we know and love are technically fruits, like tomatoes, red peppers, cucumbers, and zucchini.
You wouldn't want to eat a plant stem, would you? Think again. Some of the tastiest (and crunchiest) vegetables we eat, like celery, asparagus, and rhubarb, are actually the stem of the plant.
Seeds are only good for growing fruits and vegetables, right? Think again. Many of your favorite ingredients are actually seeds, like corn, beans, peas, and nuts.
Remember: To get a balance of the nutrients your body needs, it's important to eat fruits and vegetables from different parts of plants-dark green leaves like spinach, bright fruits like tomatoes, and roots like carrots and beets!
more fun! >>
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