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March 1, 2010

Consumer Q’s

Submitted by the Georgia Department of Agriculture Dalton Daily Citizen

ATLANTA — Prepared by the Office of Public Affairs

Georgia Department of Agriculture

Tommy Irvin, Commissioner

www.agr.georgia.gov

 

Question:  I'm doing a research project on bee pollination in every state.  What are the crops in your state that benefit from honeybees or other bees?

Answer: In Georgia we are able to grow a wide variety of crops.  Many depend on (or benefit from) honeybees or other bees for pollination.  Here are a few: watermelon, muskmelon/cantaloupe, peach, apple, blueberry, cucumber, squash, strawberry, eggplant, pepper, tomato, cowpea/field pea, soybean, cotton and okra.

 

Q: I recently came across a recipe in a 1950s cookbook that utilizes terra cotta flowerpots for Baked Alaska. Is it safe to eat out of a regular terra cotta flowerpot from a garden center? I remember a restaurant that baked bread in terra cotta flowerpots.  At the time I thought it was clever, but now I wonder if it was safe.

A: At one time, cooking in flowerpots as you describe became so popular that you could actually find food-grade terra cotta flowerpots in kitchen sections of department stores.  Thankfully, that fad has passed.  Regular terra cotta flowerpots are perfectly safe for growing plants, but you should not cook in them due to food safety concerns.  The clay could contain contaminants or heavy metals that could leach into the food.  There are many attractive, clever and versatile food-grade terra cotta vessels at kitchen and cooking stores.  They are safe and much more useful for cooking than a flowerpot.

 

Q: Is there such a thing as a purple carrot?

A: Yes.  In fact, you can find purple carrots for sale in some grocery stores now.  Carrots may also be yellow, red or white, as well as the familiar orange.

 

Q: How soon do eggs need to be collected after my chickens lay them?

A: Ideally, eggs should be collected the same day they are laid, although waiting a day should not seriously impact the taste or freshness. However, it is better to collect them early so that they do not accidentally get damaged by the chickens or another animal. Freezing temperatures may also damage the eggs if they are not collected immediately.  Chickens may also try to hatch their eggs if they are left for too long. During the time that hens “go broody,” they may be out of production for 20 or more days.     

 

If you have questions about services or products regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, visit our website at www.agr.georgia.gov or write to us at 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Room 227, Atlanta, GA  30334; e-mail info@agr.state.ga.us or telephone 1-800-282-5852. 

 

 

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