Did you Know That NJ Has an Official State Fruit?

Let it never be said that our state legislature doesn't work hard to address the things that mean the most to us.  For instance, there's the reusable bag law.  I remember when a big deal was made about switching from paper bags to plastic.  We were told that it was better for the environment.

I have no doubt there will come a time in our life, when we'll be hearing about the reusable bag crisis.  They'll say that people have too many stuffed into their closets, and we need to find a way to dispose of them.

But I digress.  Did you know that New Jersey has a state fruit?  Seriously, this is an official declaration by our state legislature.  In 2004, a group of students from Veterans Memorial School in Brick Township, petitioned the legislature to declare the High Brush Blueberry, the official state fruit.

New Jersey is one of the nation's top producers of blueberries.  We produce nearly 57 million pounds of blueberries each year.  The only states that produce more blueberries are, Washington, Georgia, Michigan, and Oregon.

Blueberries are said to be beneficial for people with diabetes, they help lower blood pressure and help with digestion and weight loss.

While the state fruit may be blueberries, the Jersey tomato is considered the state vegetable.

While we take pride in our delicious Jersey tomatoes, we're actually the 9th highest producer of tomatoes in the country.  The top producer of tomatoes in the country is California.