We take a lot in our lives for granted. Most of us would be confused to the point of madness if we tried to decipher the systems through which our television sets make moving pictures, our telephones connect us to people around the world, and our planet’s ecosystems work in a self-sustaining way.
But learning more about the inner workings of our daily lives is a great way to become a part of solutions to future problems.
By taking an interest in the workings of products we take for granted we can also better understand the effort that goes into their growth and manufacture and determine if, at some point in the future, we can promote their existence by ourselves.
Part of becoming a green culture is understanding how we can make things ourselves instead of purchasing them from large corporations. By doing this we can save money and nurture the environment at the same time.
And one such question that can give us one such understanding by finding its answer is: how do peanuts grow?
How Do Peanuts Grow: Where Do They Come From?
You may find this as a surprise, but peanuts actually do not grow on trees.
Unlike every other nut, peanuts grow on plants that flower above the soil, but they themselves come to fruition below the surface.
According to various reports, they probably originated in Brazil or Peru, but now they are grown virtually everywhere (and can possibly even be sprouted in your very own back yard).
A farmer will plant his or her peanuts in April or May and it takes just four to five short months for them be ripe for the picking (or digging up, as it were).
Peanuts come in many different varieties grown around the world. In the United States there are four types that are most commonly grown. These include:
- Runner
- Spanish
- Valencia
- Virginia
Almost fifty percent of the entire peanut crop grown in the United States is planted in the state of Georgia.
How Do Peanuts Grow into Peanut Butter?
So now we know a little bit about how peanuts grow, but what about the many uses for that particular nut?
One of the most popular uses for peanuts is the manufacture of peanut butter.
How do peanuts grow from a nut into peanut butter?
- The peanut is shelled, roasted, and cooled
- The unwholesome kernels are then sorted out of the group
- The good ones are ground with heat into a smooth butter
- Emulsifiers are added and the butter is cooled
- The cooling traps the peanut oil that is released by the grinding
- Other ingredients are added for taste
And that’s it! If you have the right equipment, there’s nothing stopping you from creating your own peanut butter and thus becoming a part of the self-sustaining world of culinary delights!
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