TheVoiceOfJoyce 100 days of 100 degree weather is perfect for Medjool dates. They’re growing in abundance in the Bard Valley, from the original plants brought here from Morocco in the 1920’s. Medjool dates are healthy, high in Potassium, magnesium and fiber. This heat is not sustainable for people, but Medjool dates thrive.

Posted on by jaslvr

www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/01/medjool-dates-arizona-heat-climate-bard-valley

In the south-westernmost corner of Arizona, just 3 miles from California and 10 miles from Mexico, the town of Yuma is one of North America’s most important agricultural hubs. Nicknamed “The Winter Salad Bowl”, the Yuma area supplies the United States and Canada with 90% of its winter, leafy vegetables – even in the coldest months of winter, temperatures don’t generally fall below 50F.

Although most of Yuma’s agricultural activity occurs in the wintertime, it’s particularly well-known for one summer crop: the Medjool date, which is also grown in neighboring parts of California and Mexico. Nearly 100 years after it first arrived in the United States, the Medjool date is weathering the extreme heat better than many other crops – largely because it was imported in the early 1900s because of its ability to thrive in a hot, dry climate.

The old adage is that Medjool dates require 100 days over 100 degrees to thrive.

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