In north Florida, October is a transitional month for home gardeners with the summer vegetables ebbing in both growth and production. Fall and winter crops are going in, but in most cases, they are still too underdeveloped to utilize in any volume.
It is a curious alignment of convenience that one of the last to harvest garden crops fits neatly into use during the autumn season’s sporting events. The long-used legume with a multitude of applications is a popular and handy addition to any tail-gating bash or game snack.
Peanuts, the southern cuisine staple, are popular worldwide and are easy to grow in panhandle Florida gardens with a minimum of effort.
The peanut harvest is ongoing in panhandle Florida, both for commercial acreage and home gardens. Large plantings are turned up and left to dry in the sun. The recent low humidity is a big benefit to farmers. Too much dampness in peanut pods promotes the growth of mold and renders the crop unusable.
The first peanut cultivation is thought to have occurred in northern Argentina over 7,600 years ago. There are many examples of peanuts appearing in pre-Columbian pottery and sculptures from the period.
Gradually, the popular and nutritious ground nut was determined to be useful by many of the region’s cultures until it was encountered by the Spanish conquistadores. The Spanish, along with other European traders, found the peanut easy to store and transport and spread the plant’s cultivation to even more locales across the globe.
Even today there are two peanut cultivar groups which reflect the influence of early Spanish explorers. Spanish peanuts and Valencia peanuts, named after the province in Spain, are grown commercially to this day.
For the home gardener, planting peanuts is an uncomplicated process. Planting can start as early as late April after the soil has begun to warm and the danger of frost has passed.
Well drained soils are preferred, which reduce the problems with diseases and insects. The seeds should be planted nine inches apart in rows which are 36 inches apart to get the best results.
Seeds must be handled gently before planting. Rough treatment will cause the seeds to split and destroy their ability to germinate.
Peanuts grow well in sandy soils, which are common in some north Florida locations. They are slightly drought resistant at certain growth stages, but there are critical stages of growth which require higher levels of soil moisture to assure yields and quality will not be reduced.
Depending on the cultivar and the environmental conditions, harvesting can begin 16 to 22 weeks after planting. Sampling individual plants to confirm the nuts have filled out before harvesting is recommended.
From a dietary standpoint, peanuts contain healthy fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. Vitamin E, magnesium, folate, copper, phosphorus and fiber are found to make up more than 10 percent of the nutrients in peanuts.
Protein, most often thought of as a nutrient found in animal foods like meat, eggs and dairy, is also found in certain plant-based foods such as peanuts. This protein source helps to provide needed nutrients and reduces the amount of cholesterol in the diet.
Peanuts also have the “good fat” or unsaturated fat. According to the Food and Drug Administration, “Replacing saturated fat with similar amounts of unsaturated fats may reduce the risk of heart disease.”
Preparation may be as simple as boiling, with seasoning to taste. With the peanut’s popularity the world over, many exotic recipes which contain peanuts are available to the adventurous gourmet.
Whether the home team is winning or not, peanuts in any form are a good addition to the game day menu.
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