NATIONAL CHICKEN MONTH

For over two decades, the National Chicken Council has banded together with major chicken producers in the U.S. to promote chicken sales in September. As a result, September is known as National Chicken Month! This once slow month, as the summer grilling season waned, has turned into one of the year’s best performing sales periods. September might be the month we find out which came first, the chicken or the egg.

First domesticated for cockfighting, the chicken eventually made its way to the dinner table. Many families have their own homemade spice recipes. A major part of enjoying chicken is the spicing. Food experts have debated for years about the contents of KFC. White pepper, paprika, and even Thousand-Island dressing are among the eleven herbs and spices supposedly in the Colonel’s recipe.

There are 25 billion chickens in the world, making them the most abundant bird species. Did you know all vertebrate species lay eggs? And, all hard-shelled variety eggs originated with reptiles? Chickens, like many birds, are descendants of the dinosaurs. Chickens are relatively closely related to reptiles on the evolutionary chain. In recent decades, many researchers have started describing dinosaurs as more like flightless birds than reptiles. Even though chickens are not entirely flightless, they can get airborne enough to get over a fence or into a tree.

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

Ever wonder why so many different meats like rattlesnake and alligator apparently taste like chicken? Several explanations point to why mainstream Americans tend to have limited experience with judging flavor. Our taste buds, in other words, are not finely tuned. Our meat experiences are limited mostly to beef, pork, and chicken. A gourmet with a seasoned palette has a broader experience, which makes them more apt to identify exotic meats like rattlesnake and alligator.

Chicken is full of health benefits. When eaten without the skin, chicken is very lean. It is carb-free and rich in Vitamins B3 and B6, as well as two important minerals, phosphorus, and selenium. Various parts of the chicken are considered special treats in some countries. For instance, in China, chicken feet are considered a delicacy.

HISTORY

For over two decades, the National Chicken Council has banded together all of the major chicken producers in the U.S. to promote chicken sales in September, turning a once slow month, as the summer grilling season waned, into one of the year’s best-performing sales periods.

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HOW TO OBSERVE

There are several ways to observe National Chicken Month. We recommend trying a new recipe. Whether you choose white meat, dark meat, fried, broiled, baked or warmed over, prepare your chicken the way you like it!

Try one of our family favorites…

Use #NationalChickenMonth in social media correspondence.

Emeril Lagasse Dual Zone 360 Air Fryer Oven Combo with French Door, 25 QT Extra Large Family Size Meals to Cook Two Foods in Two Different Ways at The Same Time, Up to 60% Faster from Frozen to Finish#NationalChickenMonth
Emeril Lagasse Dual Zone 360 Air Fryer Oven Combo with French Door, 25 QT Extra Large Family Size Meals to Cook Two Foods in Two Different Ways at The Same Time, Up to 60% Faster from Frozen to Finish

NATIONAL SOUR CANDY DAY

July 18th is National Sour Candy Day! Adults and children alike will enjoy lip-puckering, eye-watering flavors. Choose your favorite sour candy and celebrate!

In the candy world, sour candy is the young, energetic, and fun member of the candy family. It awakens the taste buds and adds a punch of youthful energy. Every flavor combination out there creates a dazzling taste sensation. Surprisingly, sometimes a sweet candy delivers a walloping tear-jerking zap in a bite-sized lozenge or sucker that lasts for several minutes. Other times, it delivers the punch in a chewy form. These fun sour candies come in a variety of entertaining shapes and sizes. From chewy twists and ropes to sweet bite-sized pieces and straws, each one creates a unique juicy tang, indeed.

Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers, Summer Candy, Sour Gummy Worms, 28.8 Ounce Resealable Bag
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Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers, Summer Candy, Sour Gummy Worms, 28.8 Ounce Resealable Bag

On this sweet holiday, instead of trying regular old candy, celebrate by trying sour candy. It’s like having a birthday and not getting any older!  If you’ve tasted sour candy before, try a new flavor and discover which one makes your mouth pucker the most! Will it be Cherry or Watermelon or maybe a combination of Tangerine-Lemonade? Without a doubt, July 18th is the perfect day to share any of the variety of flavors the American Licorice Company has to offer.

NATIONAL SOUR CANDY DAY HISTORY

American Licorice Company founded National Sour Candy Day in 2015 to celebrate all the tasty varieties of sour candies and to encourage everyone to give them a try. To learn more about the Sour Punch® brand, follow on Facebook and Twitter.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalSourCandyDay

Brighten up your day with some sour candy. As a matter of fact, consider visiting a sweet shop and pick up a bagful. Share with your friends or coworkers. See who makes the best pucker and share your sour combinations using #NationalSourCandyDay on social media.

National Start Seeing Monarchs Day

Each year on the first Saturday in May, National Start Seeing Monarchs Day raises awareness to preserve the Monarch butterfly and prevent it from being added to the endangered species list.

The Monarch butterfly is a milkweed butterfly.  It may be the most familiar North American butterfly because its wings feature an easily recognizable orange and black pattern.  Monarchs typically reach  3 1/2 to 4″ in size.  In the fall, they migrate south to warmer climates.  In the spring, they return further north.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #StartSeeingMonarchsDay

How can you help prevent the extinction of the Monarch butterfly? You can plant a variety of native milkweeds in your backyard, a haven for all pollinators, like the Monarch butterfly. Without milkweed, the Monarch will cease to exist, so we need people to start planting Monarch Waystations in their backyards. In these safe havens, Monarchs don’t have to worry about herbicides, pesticides, and GMOs affecting their daily meals. You can tell your friends about what you’re doing and get them to join in on the fun; the more Monarch Waystations, the better!

You can stop using those chemicals that harm so many of the small creatures we rely upon to pollinate our fruits and vegetables; think about using organic alternatives that are much more environmentally friendly. Last but not least, you can visit startseeingmonarchs.org and Monarchwatch.org to educate yourself on everything that is Monarch! It’s time to take action! Be a part of the solution for this beautiful winged creature.

Mark your calendar and help us to start seeing monarchs on the first Saturday in May! Use #StartSeeingMararchsDay to share on social media.

NATIONAL LEARN ABOUT BUTTERFLIES DAY

On March 14th, National Learn About Butterflies Day encourages us to look for a blur of color as butterflies begin migrating across the country. Each year the celebration brings with it an awareness of the varieties of butterflies and their importance to our survival. Spring and summer are just right around the corner, so it is an excellent time to take a few minutes and learn something new about butterflies and appreciate their beauty.

Like bees, bats and other pollinators, butterflies make the difference between valuable fruits and vegetables on our tables. While we’re planting native flowers and trees, we’re also providing for our future. Pollinators such as the monarch butterfly and the honey bee have been in decline. All the reasons have not been identified. However, increasing the available habitat does help! 

Butterflies need our help to survive as they rely on flowers and other natural sources for survival.  We can help them by planting more flowers.

  • There are more than 20,000 types of butterflies worldwide.
  • Their wingspans can range from 1/2 inch to 11 inches.
  • Butterflies in their adult stage can live from a week to nearly a year, depending on the species.
  • Many butterflies migrate over long distances. Particularly famous migrations are those of the Monarch butterfly from Mexico to the northern USA and southern Canada, a distance of about 2500 to 3000 miles.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #LearnAboutButterfliesDay

Read up on butterflies or find a good sunny spot to watch some. Plant a wildflower garden to provide habitat for them. You won’t regret it. You’ll have butterflies to enjoy all summer long! To learn more about pollinator gardens visit Million Garden Challenge. Spend the day learning more about butterflies and creating an environment that is friendly to them.

  • Watch a documentary about butterflies like Wings of Life directed by Louis Schwartzberg and narrated by Meryl Streep. 
  • Plant a variety of native flowers and plants. 
  • Provide a water source. When you water your plants, the butterflies will drink from the damp soil and leaves. 
  • In the spring, don’t clean up dead leaves and brush too early. Wait until the temperature is consistently above 50°F. This will allow time for the species that overwinter in a chrysalis to emerge safely and without the threat of frost.

Butterflies symbolize transformation and renewal, embodying the remarkable journey of metamorphosis from caterpillar to winged beauty. Across various cultures, these delicate creatures are often associated with the soul’s evolution, representing spiritual growth and the cycles of life. Their vibrant colors and graceful flight also evoke feelings of joy and lightness, emphasizing the fleeting nature of beauty and the importance of embracing change. In folklore, butterflies are seen as messengers of hope and inspiration, carrying messages from the spiritual realm. The ephemeral beauty of butterflies serves as a poignant reminder of the impermanence of life, encouraging us to appreciate moments of transformation and embrace the beauty within our own metamorphoses.

Use #LearnAboutButterfliesDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL PEANUT CLUSTER DAY

March 8th is National Peanut Cluster Day!  Melted chocolate mixed with peanuts makes a perfect combination for sweet and salty deliciousness!

Two things had to happen for peanut clusters to even exist. First, a method had to be invented for the cocoa bean to be processed and transformed into what we know as chocolate. That process wasn’t widely used until about the late 1890s and just about the same time the second extraordinary thing happened; agriculture found a way to grow the peanut and bring it to the public with steel tools and steam power.  

It didn’t take long for confectioneries to add the now readily available peanuts to melted chocolate. The sheer simplicity of the salty peanuts added to sweetened chocolate is a mouthwatering temptation few can resist, even today. Candy makers find them to be a popular addition to cookie tins or other holiday baskets. Their simplicity allows bakers to easily round out any cookie or bar tray. They also quickly satisfy a snack craving without much effort at all. 

More Candy….

HOW TO OBSERVE #PeanutClusterDay

Peanut clusters are an easy to make snack that can be ready in just minutes.  Melt the chocolate. Add the peanuts and stir them together. Drop them by spoonfuls into a “cluster” on waxed paper or foil. Let them harden and then ENJOY!!

Remember to share! Use #PeanutClusterDay to post on social media.