The names summer and winter squash are misleading because they have no relationship to harvest time. North American explorers took this native American vegetable to Europe, where it was completely unknown. Sweet Corn , part of summer's delicious harvest for centuries, is popular on the cob or used in a variety of recipes. Georgia corn is picked from June through mid-September. Corn is a member of the grass family, which includes wheat, oats, barley, sorghum and rice.
Tomatoes are one of the state's top cash crops.
Available throughout much of the year, tomatoes are grown in southwest Georgia. Native to the Andes Mountains, tomatoes were introduced into Central America by prehistoric Indian migrations. On New Year's day, greens are served with black-eyed peas and hog jowls, a Southern tradition for good luck. Eggplant thrives in Georgia's long growing season and is harvested from June through October. A cousin of the potato, tomato and tobacco, eggplant grows wild in India.