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Food is delicious. Food is beautiful. Food is nutritious. But did you know it’s also pretty interesting? Here are a few fun facts and interesting information about three foods you can find at your local Farmers’ Market!

1. A LEGAL CONUNDRUM: You’ve probably been asked this question A LOT: Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? Since a fruit is a seed-bearing structure of a plant, a tomato is technically a fruit – but in the United States, it’s legally a vegetable! In the early 1890’s and previous, only vegetables were taxed when imported into the U.S.A. When a company imported tomatoes and had to pay the tax, they protested and the case went to the Supreme Court. There it was decided that tomatoes, since usually eaten and prepared as a vegetable, should be classified as such and be taxed! To make things even more complicated, in 2001, the European Union issued a directive related to preserves, and classified tomatoes as a fruit, along with the edible parts of rhubarb stalks, carrots, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, melons and water-melons. So, we really have no answers here. Ask your farmers this Saturday: are tomatoes a fruit or a vegetable?
2. A GLOBAL FOOD: I think most of us can agree that potatoes are an extremely versatile and handy vegetable. And they have been for years! The humble potato was first domesticated about 8000 years ago in the South American Andes, and was only brought to Europe in the 1500’s following the Spanish invasion of the Andes. From there, it spread northward and eastward and eventually back to the Americas. Now, the potato is grown almost everywhere on the globe – and OFF the globe! The potato was the first food to ever be grown in space when it was taken up in the space ship Columbia in 1995! The potato is a staple food crop, and is proudly part of many food cultures, but why is it so popular? Well, the potato produces a lot of food per acre, doesn’t require as much cultivation as other vegetables, stores easily for long periods of time, and it contains almost every important vitamin and nutrient. It has an interesting and complicated history that is intermingled with the wider history of many countries. You can read more about the potato’s history here! Share what you learned when you pick up some local potatoes for yourself this Saturday at the Farmers’ Market!
3. VERSATILITY IS KEY: Are you scared of garlic? If you are, you have what is called alliumphobia, the psychological term for the fear of garlic! If you don’t have alliumphobia, here’s just a few of MANY interesting facts about garlic!
   • If you have a problem with mosquitoes, or that vampire that’s lingering around your house, try warding them off by keeping some garlic around! Garlic is said to ward off evil spirits and keep vampires at bay.
   • Some species of fish are attracted to the scent of garlic, so it has also been used as fish bait.
   • Garlic is said to enhance endurance and strength, and was given to the slaves who built the Egyptian pyramids and was eaten by Greek and Roman soldiers before they went to war!
   • There are over 300 varieties of garlic grown world-wide, and is celebrated on April 19, National Garlic Day!
   • You can try removing the scent of garlic from your hands under cold water while rubbing with a stainless-steel object.

This is the list, folks! See who you can find at the Farmers’ Market this Saturday, July 25th! Click on their names to find information on pre-orders and to learn more about their farms and businesses!