Did You Know?

The cartoon character Popeye the Sailor Man was onto something when he touted the health benefits of spinach.

That’s because leafy green spinach packs a powerful nutritional punch. It’s a rich source of vitamins A, C and K, fiber, folic acid, iron and potassium. And there are only 7 calories and 24 milligrams of sodium per 1-cup serving.

Spring spinach is planted in the winter because it can withstand late frosts. That means it’s ready to pick by May, so now is the ideal time to buy locally grown spinach.

While spinach is not a major crop in the commonwealth, it is widely grown around the state. According to data from the most recent Census of Agriculture in 2017, 181 Virginia farms grew spinach on 33 acres. Those numbers are drastic upticks from statistics gathered for the 2012 Census of Agriculture, which reported 34 farms were growing 11 acres.

Additional statistics from 2017 revealed 97% of farmers raised the crop in small volumes, and 82% grew spinach for fresh-market sales. It’s grown in 51 Virginia counties, with Augusta, Culpeper and Floyd leading the way.