69 Georgia counties grow peanuts. The average peanut farmer grows 98 acres of peanuts. The most famous Georgia peanut farmer probably is Jimmy Carter, who ran the family peanut farm and businesses before being elected Georgia's governor in 1970 and U.S. president in 1976. He still lives in Plains, Ga., the heart of the peanut belt, with his wife Rosalynn. Georgia has 6,000 farm families growing peanuts and another 37,000 Georgians working on peanut farms, in peanut-related agribusiness services, in shelling plants and in factories that roast peanuts or make candy or peanut butter.
Peanuts are unusual plants because they flower above ground but fruit underground.
The shelled peanut is the seed, which is planted in April or May and grows into an oval-leafed plant about 18 inches tall. Peanuts are harvested in September or October. The peanut is actually not a nut at all. It is a legume. Like Carter, many Georgians have left their agricultural roots for other pursuits, but about 10,000 of them travel to Sylvester, Ga., each year for the Georgia Peanut Festival, with its parade, entertainment, arts, crafts and food.