10/21/2024
Great article about N.C. Sweet Potatoes. We still have a few #1 left, we also have petite size perfect for meals and boxes of pick outs ( jumbos and second quality of #1) give us a call if you need any. Karen can be reached at 252-562-2067.
📜🏡History from Home: NC Sweet Potatoes to Take Center Stage at Holiday Meals
It is that time of year when family meals for the upcoming holiday season start to take front and center. One item on the menu will more than likely be sweet potato-related. More than likely, the sweet potato that is purchased will be grown in North Carolina.
Did you know that in 2023, North Carolina was the top producer of sweet potatoes? Did you know that the sweet potato is the State Vegetable of North Carolina? Did you know that sweet potato dates are grown by Native Americans? Did you know the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission, Inc. comprises over 400 sweet potato growers, packers, processors, and business associates? Maybe that is why North Carolina is a top producer of sweet potatoes.
The Technician, an online student newspaper at North Carolina State University, reported, “In 2023, North Carolina produced approximately 1.69 billion pounds of sweet potatoes across 78,000 acres of land, making North Carolina the top producer of the crop. Over 400 family farms and the rich and fertile soil contribute to this mass production.” According to the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission, the state has held the title of top producer since 1971. North Carolina has a hot and moist climate conducive to growing the product, not to mention the rich, fertile soil in the state's coastal region.
The sweet potato became the Official State Vegetable in 1995 because fourth-grade students from Elvie Street School in Wilson, North Carolina, started a letter-writing campaign with encouragement from their local congressmen. The students also encouraged parents, family, friends, teachers, and the people of the community to write letters, making the sweet potato the Official State Vegetable. Wilson is one of the leading counties in North Carolina that grows sweet potatoes. It is believed that the sweet potatoes were grown by Native Americans.
Today, the North Carolian Sweet Potato Commission is working to increase the awareness of sweet potatoes to increase consumption of the healthy food. Sweet potatoes are a great way to eat healthy; they are fat and cholesterol-free and have essential vitamins.
When sitting down at the table with family and friends this holiday season, make sure to include a North Carolina sweet potato. Numerous sites offer recipes, but if you take a moment, you can visit the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission online. The site has recipes that add sweet potatoes to all three meals.
For teachers looking for extra fun in the classroom, the site allows you to cover history and science through education guides from kindergarten through high school. All activities collaborate with the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission and North Carolina Ag in the classroom.
By Lori Meads, Education Chief at Museum of the Albemarle.
📸Photo courtesy UNC-Chapel Hill
