Peanut Butter Day! Recipes, History, and Virginia Agriculture

In the 1700s, George Washington grew peanuts on his Alexandria, Virginia farm, Mount Vernon. Two other presidents were also peanut farmers - Thomas Jefferson (Charlottesville, VA) and Jimmy Carter. Of course, we would be remiss if we didn't mention the contributions of agriculturist and scientist George Washington Carver, who published "How to Grow the Peanut: And 105 Ways to Prepare it for Human Consumption" in 1917.  

As Virginia's population expanded and grew, peanuts became a part of the colonists' diets - and one of the most important crops grown in the state. When food shortages in the colonies began to occur, it was the peanut crop that saved many from hunger. In the 19th century, peanuts became a major cash crop across the south. In the 1920s, scientists at Virginia's agricultural experiment station began researching for disease-resistant varieties. 

As legumes that grow beneath underneath the soil, creating a sustainable crop that adds nitrogen to soil and they require significantly less water and fertilizer than other nuts. In 2015, farmers were able to about 4,000 peanuts per acre. If you're doing a home garden, a quarter of an acre can yield a thousand pounds! Peanut vines can also be used to create livestock hay, which has similar properties to alfalfa at a reduced cost. 

To harvest on a large scale (we know you want to buy new ag equipment), a farmer drives a machine called an excavator along the peanut rows. The excavator pulls up the peanut plant, flips it upside down and sets it back down on the row. The peanuts then dry for a few days then the farmer uses another machine called a shaker or a picker, which separates the peanut pods from the rest of the plant. And yes, we rent excavators as well as sell them! 

From an economic standpoint, peanuts are one of Virginia’s top 20 commodities, with nearly $25 million in cash receipts. While we are at it, we will remind you that Virginia also contributes to amazing jellies and honey - and that Winchester is the apple capital of VA (we were founded by orchardists!). 

You can check out Carver's 105 peanut recipes here. 

Happy Peanut Butter Day!