PeanutAgMagNEW_Layout 1 9/28/15 10:36 AM Page 1
Faces of Mississippi’s
Peanut Industry Jason Sarver
Josh Miller
Asst. Extension and Research Professor/ Peanut Specialist
Row Crop Farmer MFBF Peanut Commodity Advisory Committee Chair
Mississippi State University
Sharkey County
g a M g A PEANUTS
An agricultural newsletter for kids from
How many acres of peanuts do you grow each year and why? I grow different amounts of the runner variety each year, depending on price and rotation. This year, I am growing around 1,000 acres. Where do you market your peanuts? I market my peanuts with West Bay Peanuts (Golden Peanuts) in Wilmer, AL. I have also sold to Golden in Tchula. From there, the peanuts will be sent to Georgia and shelled. More than likely, they will end up as peanut butter or in a candy bar. What types of skills do you need to be a peanut grower? The biggest skill may be patience. Harvest is very slow. I think anyone who farms can grow peanuts. Do you enjoy what you do? I do enjoy what I do. I can make my own hours. I get to work outside. Of course, it can get very frustrating, too. Lack of rain, markets and unforeseen problems always arise. But I've worked other jobs before, and I do love to farm.
Looking Back
What is your job? I am an Extension and research professor at Mississippi State University and the state peanut specialist for Mississippi. This means that I conduct research to determine the best way to grow and manage peanuts in the field. I then take that knowledge out to farmers to help them grow peanuts the best way possible. Why did you choose to do this? I like farming, plants and helping people solve problems. I get to be outside most of the time, helping farmers grow the peanuts that will eventually go into your peanut butter cookies and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I like to work with peanuts specifically because they are such an interesting, fun crop that almost everyone loves to eat. . What type of education and skills do you need for your job? I had to go to school for a long time to be able to get a job as a professor at Mississippi State! I got my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky and my doctorate degree from the University of Georgia. It was a lot of school but also a lot of hands-on training, which was fun. Education is incredibly important, and it’s very enjoyable if you find something you are interested in studying. In this job, you have to enjoy working with people and have a desire to help them. I don’t always know the answers to their questions, but if I can do some research or talk to others who know the answer and can get it back to the farmer, I’ve done my job. You have to like science and have the ability to write and communicate clearly. You also need to enjoy being outside in the Mississippi summers! Do you enjoy your work? I love my work. It’s a lot of fun getting to go out to peanut farms all over the state. I get to help farmers, Extension agents and crop consultants solve problems in their peanut fields. Throughout the growing season, I get to be out in the field and no two days are the same; there’s always something new and exciting to learn and to teach. It’s very rewarding when I can answer questions that will help farmers grow more peanuts.
Mississippi farmers produce around 100 million pounds of peanuts each year. Special thanks to the National Peanut Board
This issue of Ag Mag is compliments of: Selling peanuts on a Saturday afternoon in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in October 1939. (Library of Congress)
Issues of Ag Mag can be ordered from the Women’s Department by contacting Pam Jones at pjones@msfb.org or 601.977.4854.
Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation ®
POWERFUL PEANUTS
You may think peanuts grow on trees like other nuts, but think again. Actually, they aren’t even nuts. A peanut is a legume. A legume is a plant that grows fruit in pods that contain one or more seeds. For example, peas are legumes. But unlike peas, peanut pods develop underground. A farmer usually plants peanuts after the last frost, usually April through May. After sprouting, the plants begin to grow into green, oval-leafed plants. About 40-45 days after planting, yellow flowers begin to appear in the lower part of the plants, above the ground. These flowers pollinate themselves and then lose their petals as the fertilized ovary begins to enlarge. The enlarged ovary, called a peg, grows down and away from the plants forming a small stem, which extends to the soil. The embryo begins to develop once underground, growing into a peanut. Peanut plants continue to grow and flower, eventually producing some 40 or more pods. From planting to harvesting, the growing cycle of a peanut takes four to five months. Watering is also very important to growing peanuts. They need about 11⁄2 to 2 inches of rain per week during development. The peanut is a nitrogen-fixing plant. This means that its roots form modules which absorb nitrogen from the air and provide enrichment and nutrition to the plant and soil. When these plants begin to decompose after harvest, they release nitrogen back into the soil. This makes peanuts a great rotational crop. Some crops, such as corn, take a lot of the nitrogen out of the soil and should only be planted in the same field every three years. Once the peanuts have matured and are ready for harvest, it is time to start digging. Farmers must make sure the soil is not too wet or too dry before digging. When conditions are right, the farmer drives a digger up and down the green rows of peanut plants. The digger has long blades that run 4-6 inches under the ground. The plant is loosened and the tap root is severed. Just behind the blade, a shaker lifts the plant from the soil, gently shakes the dirt from the peanuts, rotates the plant and lays the plant back down in what is called a “windrow”—with peanuts up and leaves down to allow for drying before harvest. Peanuts contain 25 to 50 percent moisture when first dug and must be dried to 10 percent or less so they can be stored. They are usually left in windrows for two or three days to cure, or dry, before being combined. After drying in the field for a few days, a combine separates the peanuts from the vines, placing the peanuts into a hopper on the top of the machine and depositing the vines back in the field. Freshly dug peanuts are then placed into peanut wagons for further curing with forced warm air circulating through the wagon. In this final stage, the moisture content is reduced to 10 percent for storage.
PEANUT DIGGER
PeanutAgMagNEW_Layout 1 9/28/15 10:37 AM Page 2
Activity
- Grow your own peanuts
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
• Large, clear cup
1. Use raw peanuts (usually found in the produce department or farmers market). Soak them overnight. 2. Take clear cup and make a small drainage hole in the bottom.
• Sand or sandy loam soil • 3-5 peanuts for each student
4. Place sand to within one inch of the top of your cup.
• Plastic spoons
5. Plant 3-5 peanuts about 2 inches deep in the soil. Press the soil firmly, but do not pack.
• Permanent markers
6. Hold a paper towel under your cup. Moisten soil with water, but do not soak.
• Paper towels
N V E H C O M B I N E E O P J
L G P E A N U T B U T T E R A
L H H K Y Y Y H S I N A P S Z
E R V M P W M G L V F C O P I
M D U Q V J G B A R T W D E C
C O N N T C P O D B K K G H W
H E M O N E L W W H L Y N X D
O G R B G E J Y G Z V P I H Q
I I C Z J O R V P W K A E O C
8. Create your own chart or journal to keep a record of your peanuts' growth. 9. In two to three weeks, the plants should sprout. Around two weeks after sprouting, the plants should be transplanted into a larger pot (about 12 inches in diameter) or a 10-gallon aquarium or clear container. This will allow you to see the peanuts growing underground. If you cannot drill a drainage hole in the aquarium, put a layer of rocks at the bottom to allow some drainage and be careful not to overwater.
9. Blooms should appear on the plant approximately 45 days after the plant has emerged. Mark these days on the calendar for follow-up: 14 days 45 days 90 days
Sprouts Blooms Peanuts
Note: Production of actual peanuts on a potted plant is difficult; however, it can occur if kept growing for three months. Activity was adapted from Georgia Peanut Commission Peanut Circus Club and Charlie the Peanut book.
There are four main varieties of peanuts.
Peanut Puzzle CIRCLE-A-WORD X T G H F Q I X W Q C D K I K
7. Place cup in a warm spot on windowsill with a paper towel under it.
H V A L E N C I A D C R T Q W
Americans eat three pounds of peanut butter per person every year –enough to coat the floor of the Grand Canyon!
Presidential Peanut Farmers
R W B S X T C Y X E T A O P U
T R Q G S G Z X W I N D R O W
C N A I N I G R I V O U P R K
B K Z B H R A E P C D Q Z A E
WORD LIST
Runner
peanut butter. It is the most popular peanut variety grown in Mississippi and accounts for about 80 percent of all peanuts grown in the U.S. Runner peanuts are also grown in Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Oklahoma
PEG WINDROW COMBINE
Courtesy of National Peanut Board
virginia The largest of all peanuts, the Virginia
peanut is also known as the “ballpark” peanut and is often used in gourmet snacks. Virginia peanuts account for about 15 percent of total U. S. production and are grown mainly in southeastern Virginia, northeastern North Carolina, South Carolina and West Texas.
POD RUNNER
spanish Known for its red skins, the Spanish peanut has smaller-sized kernels and is used predominantly for peanut candy,
VALENCIA
salted peanuts and peanut butter. Its reputation of having the “nuttiest” flavor when roasted is due to its higher oil content. Spanish peanuts are typically grown in the states of Oklahoma and Texas and account for four percent of U.S. production.
SPANISH
Having three or more kernels per shell, the Valencia has a sweet flavor and is commonly used for all-natural peanut butter. Also, they are excellent for use as boiled peanuts. Valencia peanuts are grown mainly in New Mexico and account for less than one percent of U.S. production. Source: www.soyatech.com/peanut_facts.htm
valencia
VIRGINIA PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN
This is the most common peanut used in
Parts of the Peanut Plant The Father of Peanuts
George Washington Carver:
Although peanuts were first grown by South American Indians, it is believed they were introduced to North America by Africans in the 1700s. Around 200 years later, George Washington Carver was head of the Agricultural Department at Tuskegee University and one of the researchers best known for studying peanuts. His research yielded over 300 uses for the peanut. His work in studying how to separate the oil from the protein created new uses and helped boost popularity. He also studied crop rotation as a way to put nitrogen back into the soil. For almost 50 years, Carver conducted experiments on peanuts and other plants at Tuskegee University. After the boll weevil devastated cotton crops in the early 1900s, he promoted the peanut to other farmers through his book, How to Grow Peanuts and 105 Uses for Human Consumption. This helped peanuts grow in popularity. In 1920, he successfully testified before Congress on the need for a peanut tariff. Carver contributed a lot to the field of agriculture in many other areas as well. The inscription on his gravestone reads: "He could have added fortune to fame, but caring for neither, he found happiness and honor in being helpful to the world."
Two former U.S. presidents were peanut farmers. Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter. In 1794, Thomas Jefferson recorded a yield of 65 peanut hills at Monticello in Virginia. President Carter took over his family peanut farm in Georgia after his father died in 1953 and ran it until he got involved in politics.
Not only are peanuts delicious, they are also nutritious. Peanuts are an excellent source of protein. One ounce of peanuts contains about 8 grams of protein. One of America’s favorite ways to eat peanuts is in peanut butter. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says that it must contain 90 percent peanuts to be called peanut butter. All other ingredients must equal less than 10 percent. In addition to protein, peanuts and peanut butter offer good fats, fiber and more than 30 essential vitamins and nutrients. Peanuts were even used to prevent malnutrition during the Civil War when food became scarce. So fuel up on peanuts morning, noon or night to build muscle and give you energy.
Courtesy of National Peanut Board
Delicious & Nutritious
PeanutAgMagNEW_Layout 1 9/28/15 10:36 AM Page 1
Faces of Mississippi’s
Peanut Industry Jason Sarver
Josh Miller
Asst. Extension and Research Professor/ Peanut Specialist
Row Crop Farmer MFBF Peanut Commodity Advisory Committee Chair
Mississippi State University
Sharkey County
g a M g A PEANUTS
An agricultural newsletter for kids from
How many acres of peanuts do you grow each year and why? I grow different amounts of the runner variety each year, depending on price and rotation. This year, I am growing around 1,000 acres. Where do you market your peanuts? I market my peanuts with West Bay Peanuts (Golden Peanuts) in Wilmer, AL. I have also sold to Golden in Tchula. From there, the peanuts will be sent to Georgia and shelled. More than likely, they will end up as peanut butter or in a candy bar. What types of skills do you need to be a peanut grower? The biggest skill may be patience. Harvest is very slow. I think anyone who farms can grow peanuts. Do you enjoy what you do? I do enjoy what I do. I can make my own hours. I get to work outside. Of course, it can get very frustrating, too. Lack of rain, markets and unforeseen problems always arise. But I've worked other jobs before, and I do love to farm.
Looking Back
What is your job? I am an Extension and research professor at Mississippi State University and the state peanut specialist for Mississippi. This means that I conduct research to determine the best way to grow and manage peanuts in the field. I then take that knowledge out to farmers to help them grow peanuts the best way possible. Why did you choose to do this? I like farming, plants and helping people solve problems. I get to be outside most of the time, helping farmers grow the peanuts that will eventually go into your peanut butter cookies and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I like to work with peanuts specifically because they are such an interesting, fun crop that almost everyone loves to eat. . What type of education and skills do you need for your job? I had to go to school for a long time to be able to get a job as a professor at Mississippi State! I got my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky and my doctorate degree from the University of Georgia. It was a lot of school but also a lot of hands-on training, which was fun. Education is incredibly important, and it’s very enjoyable if you find something you are interested in studying. In this job, you have to enjoy working with people and have a desire to help them. I don’t always know the answers to their questions, but if I can do some research or talk to others who know the answer and can get it back to the farmer, I’ve done my job. You have to like science and have the ability to write and communicate clearly. You also need to enjoy being outside in the Mississippi summers! Do you enjoy your work? I love my work. It’s a lot of fun getting to go out to peanut farms all over the state. I get to help farmers, Extension agents and crop consultants solve problems in their peanut fields. Throughout the growing season, I get to be out in the field and no two days are the same; there’s always something new and exciting to learn and to teach. It’s very rewarding when I can answer questions that will help farmers grow more peanuts.
Mississippi farmers produce around 100 million pounds of peanuts each year. Special thanks to the National Peanut Board
This issue of Ag Mag is compliments of: Selling peanuts on a Saturday afternoon in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in October 1939. (Library of Congress)
Issues of Ag Mag can be ordered from the Women’s Department by contacting Pam Jones at pjones@msfb.org or 601.977.4854.
Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation ®
POWERFUL PEANUTS
You may think peanuts grow on trees like other nuts, but think again. Actually, they aren’t even nuts. A peanut is a legume. A legume is a plant that grows fruit in pods that contain one or more seeds. For example, peas are legumes. But unlike peas, peanut pods develop underground. A farmer usually plants peanuts after the last frost, usually April through May. After sprouting, the plants begin to grow into green, oval-leafed plants. About 40-45 days after planting, yellow flowers begin to appear in the lower part of the plants, above the ground. These flowers pollinate themselves and then lose their petals as the fertilized ovary begins to enlarge. The enlarged ovary, called a peg, grows down and away from the plants forming a small stem, which extends to the soil. The embryo begins to develop once underground, growing into a peanut. Peanut plants continue to grow and flower, eventually producing some 40 or more pods. From planting to harvesting, the growing cycle of a peanut takes four to five months. Watering is also very important to growing peanuts. They need about 11⁄2 to 2 inches of rain per week during development. The peanut is a nitrogen-fixing plant. This means that its roots form modules which absorb nitrogen from the air and provide enrichment and nutrition to the plant and soil. When these plants begin to decompose after harvest, they release nitrogen back into the soil. This makes peanuts a great rotational crop. Some crops, such as corn, take a lot of the nitrogen out of the soil and should only be planted in the same field every three years. Once the peanuts have matured and are ready for harvest, it is time to start digging. Farmers must make sure the soil is not too wet or too dry before digging. When conditions are right, the farmer drives a digger up and down the green rows of peanut plants. The digger has long blades that run 4-6 inches under the ground. The plant is loosened and the tap root is severed. Just behind the blade, a shaker lifts the plant from the soil, gently shakes the dirt from the peanuts, rotates the plant and lays the plant back down in what is called a “windrow”—with peanuts up and leaves down to allow for drying before harvest. Peanuts contain 25 to 50 percent moisture when first dug and must be dried to 10 percent or less so they can be stored. They are usually left in windrows for two or three days to cure, or dry, before being combined. After drying in the field for a few days, a combine separates the peanuts from the vines, placing the peanuts into a hopper on the top of the machine and depositing the vines back in the field. Freshly dug peanuts are then placed into peanut wagons for further curing with forced warm air circulating through the wagon. In this final stage, the moisture content is reduced to 10 percent for storage.
PEANUT DIGGER