4 Fun Facts about 4th of July Favorites

Ag Education

Jun/28/2021

What foods make you think of the 4th? Do you know where they come from? Let's explore some!

1. Strawberries (a berry good imposter)

These juicy red jewels are a real summer treat! Did you know strawberries aren’t actually berries at all, but instead are accessory fruits? Can you name 3 fruits that don’t have “berry” in the name that are berries? Scroll to the bottom to see the answer!

Watch this America's Heartland Video to learn how strawberries grow.

2. Whipped Cream

What is heavy whipping cream?

Cream is that fat-enriched portion of milk that rises to the top of milk. In the United States "heavy whipping cream" is defined by the FDA as "cream which contains not less than 36 percent milk fat." The rest is mostly water, along with a few proteins, minerals, and milk sugars.*

Want to learn the science behind cream? This gal gets serious and it is awesome!

Cream is a dairy good treat! Learn more about dairy with our Dairy Ag Mag!

3. Blueberries (actual berry)

Blueberries grow on bushes. In the spring, clusters of beautiful white blossoms pop up all over the bushes and are pollinated by bees. Each blossom eventually becomes one blueberry – first hard and green, then reddish-purple, and finally blue, sweet and ready to eat!*

Watch this virtual tour of a blueberry farm and see how much science is used in the blueberry picking and packaging process!

4. Sweet Corn

What is sweet corn and how is it different from field corn? Nebraska Corn Board breaks it down for us!

Although field corn kernels start out soft like sweet corn, it’s not harvested until the kernels are dry. Field corn is used to feed livestock, make the renewable fuel ethanol and thousands of other bio-based products like carpet, make-up or aspirin. Sweet corn is harvested when the kernels are soft and sweet, making it ideal for eating. If you grab an ear of field corn and try to take a bite, you’ll probably break your teeth. It’s hard and dry (and only tastes good to cows, chickens, pigs, turkeys and some wild animals).