South Carolina Agriculture
Teaching Kids Where Food Comes From
E N R I C H M E N T
South Carolina
Asparagus
Most asparagus grown in South Carolina is planted in February or March.
Asparagus is grown on 4,900 farms across the U.S. Michigan, California & Washington are the largest asparagus producing states.
Watch asparagus grow!
Asparagus can be green, purple or white!
South Carolina
Blueberries
4
The rabbiteye species of blueberry is native to South Carolina.
Types of Blueberries:
1. Highbush 2. Lowbush
3. Hybrid Half-High 4. Rabbiteye
Highbush blueberries are the most common.
14 states
U.S. produce blueberries.
Only half of blueberries produced in the U.S. are fresh.
JULY is National Blueberry Month!
1 blueberry bush can produce 6,000 blueberries/year.
Lowbush blueberries are commonly used to make jam.
The waxy coating on blueberries is called “bloom. ” Blueberries the ONLY food that are naturally blue in color.
South Carolina
Collard Greens
Collard greens are the official state vegetable of South Carolina.
Collard greens are tastier & nutritious in the colder January – April.
Collard greens are a member of the cabbage family.
Popular Varieties of Collard Greens:
1. Blue Max
2. Georgia
3. Vates
4. Champion
5. Flash
6. Heavy
take 6 8 weeks to go from seed to ready for harvest. The stem can be 24 - 48 inches long.
“The Wild Cabbage Plant”
Collard greens are biennials, which means they have a life cycle.
Collard greens produces small, yellow flowers.
These yellow flowers attract insects which is responsible for the pollination
Collard greens are a type of cruciferous vegetable
South Carolina
Corn
South Carolina harvests around 350,000 acres of corn each year.
The U.S. is the LARGEST producer, consumer & exporter of corn in the world.
Humans only eat sweet corn
Corn is one of South Caronia's top commodities.
Corn is considered a vegetable, fruit AND a grain!
An ear of corn ALWAYS There are around 800 kernels on each ear of corn. field crop.
In many other countries, corn is called “maize
1 corn stalk produces 1 - 3 ears of corn
Corn stalks can grow between 7 – 10 feet tall.
Cucumbers
South Carolina is home to over 3,900 acres of cucumbers.
South Carolina grows more slicing cucumbers than pickling cucumbers.
The U.S. is the 4th largest cucumber producing country in the world.
Cucumbers take 12 to produce fruit after being planted. cucumbers are grown worldwide each year.
Cucumbers are 90% water.
Bees are essential for the pollination of cucumbers.
Cucumbers can grow 2 feet
Cucumbers are a
The large leaves on the cucumber plant provides shade for the developing fruit.
South Carolina
South Carolina produces around 161 MILLION pounds of milk per year.
South Carolina is home to around 9,000 dairy cows.
Nearly 98% of U.S. dairy farms are family owned & operated.
Breeds of Dairy Cows:
1. Ayrshire
2. Brown Swiss
3. Guernsey
4. Holstein
5. Jersey
6. Milking Shorthorn
A cows black and white spots are like a fingerprint - no two cows are the same!
The average Holstein cow
1 cow produces around 6 gallons of milk per day. Milk is the source of ALL dairy products!
Cows can SEE almost 360 degrees and SMELL up to 6 miles away!
South Carolina
Clemson Spineless is the most common type of okra grown in South Carolina.
Types of Okra:
1. Clemson Spineless 2. Jambalaya 3. Star of David 4. Burgundy
“Lady
fingers”
Okra is ready to harvest 60 - 70 days after being planted.
Okra is a warmseason crop.
In South Carolina, okra is planted in the spring & summer.
Okra is water.
Okra plants can grow to be over 6 ft tall!
South Carolina
Peaches
Peaches are the official state fruit of South Carolina.
Peaches are a type of stone fruit.
Peaches come in two main categories – clingstone & freestone.
There are over 300 varieties of peaches.
Freestone peaches are the most common.
Once pollinated, peaches take 35 months to reach harvesting point.
1 peach tree can produce up to 66 pounds of fruit each year.
Peaches are in peak season from June - the end of August.
Peach trees can produce fruit for 12 years. Peach trees usually grow to be around 25 feet tall.
South Carolina Soybeans
South Carolina plants 395,000 acres of soybeans each year.
75 MILLION acres of farmland are used for growing soybeans in the U.S.
There are soybean farmers in South Carolina.
1 acre of soybeans can produce 82,368 crayons!
soybean production.
“Miracle Bean”
Each soybean plant produces around 100 pods. Soybean pods usually contains 3 seeds each. Soybeans were first grown in the U.S. cattle feed.
Soybean plants average 3 - 5 feet tall.
South Carolina
Strawberries
South Carolina is home to 40+ strawberry farms
One acre of land can produce 50,000 pounds of strawberries.
strawberry harvesting June.
fruit to ripen in the spring.
Spartanburg County grows the most strawberries in South Carolina.
1. June-bearing 2. Ever-bearing 3. Day-neutral
Main Types of Strawberries: 3 strawberry has 200 seeds.
Strawberries are the ONLY fruit with seeds on the outside.
Strawberries are a part of the rose family.
South Carolina
Sweet Potatoes
Around 2,000 acres of sweet potatoes are harvested each year in South Carolina.
There are 400+ varieties of sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes are grown underground!
Sweet potato roots are harvested 90120 days after planting.
Sweet potatoes are a popular Thanksgiving side dish.
Jewel most popular sweet potato.
Sweet potatoes and yams are NOT the same thing!
Sweet potatoes can be orange, yellow, red, white or purple.
Orange sweet potatoes are the sweetes t.
South Carolina
Tomatoes
South Carolina harvests around 2,800 acres of tomatoes each year.
3
Popular Types
1. Cherry
2. Grape
3. Roma
MANY Americans grow tomatoes in their own garden.
Tomatoes take 60 - 100 days to grow from seed to fruit.
season crop that LOVE the sun.
South Carolina
Watermelon
South Carolina commercially grows watermelon on nearly 10,000 acre of land.
South Carolina grows mostly Crimson Sweet & Royal Sweet varieties of watermelon.
Watermelons
Watermelons are 92% water.
The world's heaviest watermelon
JULY
National Watermelon Month!
Watermelons are grown in over
Seedless watermelon are the most popular type of watermelon.
Watermelons take 90 days to grow from seed to fruit.
The L E A R N M O R E
I B R A R Y