Abby Ketchum
Virginia, Spanish, Valencia, and most commonly- Runner. If you’re from the “Peanut Capital of the World,” you probably know what these four names are referring to; if not, these are the four basic varieties of peanuts produced in the United States. Dothan, commonly referred to as the “Peanut Capital of the World,” is home to the nation’s largest peanut festival- which was created in 1938 to honor local peanut farmers and to celebrate the harvest season.
According to the Alabama Peanut Producers Association,approximately half of the peanuts grown in the United States are grown within a 100-mile radius of Dothan. Alabama is the proud home of over 900 peanut farmers and is also the second largest peanut producer in the US, behind Georgia who comes in first.
Who knew that peanuts were called so many different things though? Goobers, goober peas, pindars, ground nuts, earth nuts, monkey nuts, and grass nuts are all nicknames for this pea- yes, peanuts are members of the pea family. Unlike peas though, a peanut flowers above ground but fruits below ground. The peanut is a nutrient-rich powerhouse. In fact, based on a mountain of research, this mighty legume deserves superfood status. According to The Peanut Institute, numerous studies have found that the consumption of small amounts of peanuts or peanut butter has been associated with a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. The average American actually consumes 3.3 pounds of peanut butter a year. While peanuts are consumed in a variety of ways, the shells can also be found in things such as fireplace logs, paper, wallboard, animal feed and sometimes as fuel for power plants.
As summer comes to an end and farmers prepare for harvest, young ladies across the Wiregrass prepare to compete for the title of Miss National Peanut Festival. Yes, that’s right- a pageant! Back in 1938 the 3-day event included a pageant, a parade, historical play, and a grand ball. They had a guest speaker, Dr. George Washington Carver, a man from the Tuskegee Institute who gained international fame with his development of over 300 products from the peanut. Today, the 10-day event brings in 200,000 fair goers with amusement rides, animal attractions, agricultural displays, concerts, livestock shows and a parade. The Miss and Little Miss pageants are held several weeks before the festival actually begins.
In October, you can head to Brundidge, AL to Alabama’s only Peanut Butter Festival. Brundidge had two of the earliest peanut butter mills in the Southeast, the Johnston Peanut Butter Mill in the downtown area and the Louis-Anne Peanut Butter Company on the south edge of town.
As a longtime resident of the Wiregrass, I challenge you- next time you visit the “Circle City,” Dothan, see how many peanuts you can spot! All across town, you’ll spot over 30 fiberglass peanut statues decorating Dothan businesses. Pick up a map at the Visit Dothan Headquarters or download one at VisitDothan.com. Happy Peanut Hunting!
Here's just a few of my favorites!
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