CELEBRATING "MR. PEANUT!"

        FRIDAY, JULY 12, 2024

   CELEBRATING "MR. PEANUT!"

    A lot of people around these parts have fond
memories of Mr. Peanut, proudly representing
the Planter's Peanut Company, walking around
Public Square and South Main Street in downtown
Wilkes-Barre.
    But today, July 12th., is a day set aside to
honor the real "Mr. Peanut." George Washington
Carver!
   Born into slavery, Carver became a scientist,
botanist, educator, and inventor. And his
specialty was peanuts!
   Carver came up with 105 food recipes using
peanuts!
    I'll wager he was the guy who came up with
my favorite. The peanut butter and jelly
sandwich! I have them often....now that I've
learned it's better to spread the peanut butter
first! I used to have trouble getting it on top of
the jelly!
    Anyway, Carver didn't stop with using peanuts
for food. This guy developed and promoted about
100 products made from peanuts!
    They included cosmetics, dyes, paints, plastics
and even gasoline! Why aren't we still using that
today! We could fill up for, literally, peanuts!!!!
     Peanuts are powerful! If you doubt it consider
the fact that another of Carver's "Peanut based
inventions" was nitroglycerin!!!!!
     You can't buy that in a bag at the Old Ball
game!
      A crowd of about a thousand people will
descend on the George Washington Carver
National Monument in Diamond, Mo. today
for the annual Carver Day ceremonies.
     Since it's a little late for you to get there
you might want to break out a jar of Skippy
and have your own celebration!
     I'd stay clear of the Nitro though!
     Hope you've got some "Chunky" on hand
and that your sandwich....and all your NEWS
is good!