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Farming

Where did you think tomato paste came from? A harvester in California’s Sacramento Valley gathers tons of Roma-type tomatoes for Morning Star, the world’s largest tomato-processing company.

A Passion for Tomatoes

Whatever the variety—commercial hybrid or precious heirloom—the plump juicy “vegetable” has a place in our hearts

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Hill of Beans

For author Julia Alvarez and her husband, starting an organic coffee plantation was a wake-up call

Swartz (holding some of his experimental hybrid moschata strawberries) says his "holy grail" is a hybrid with the breed's exotic musky flavor and aroma that is also hardy enough for U.S. markets. He predicts it's no more than a few years away.

Berried Treasure

Why is horticulturalist Harry Jan Swartz so determined to grow an exotic strawberry beloved by Jane Austen?

The family of Cesar Chavez donated this jacket to the National Museum of American History shortly after the labor leader's death.

When Union Leader Cesar Chavez Organized the Nation’s Farmworkers, He Changed History

Cesar Chavez’ black nylon satin jacket with the eagle emblem of the United Farm Workers is held in the Smithsonian collections

A farmers' market in Lansing, Michigan

Farmers’ Markets

Americans love them, and that means big business for small farmers—and a mouth-watering harvest for customers

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Steaming into the Future

An ungainly monster, the steam traction engine helped turn the buffalo’s pasture into America’s breadbasket

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Three Cheers for King Pumpkin—Orange and Lovable

This is the time of year when his admirers salute the monarch of vegetable gardens with contests, comestibles and corny jokes

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