Possumblog

Fruits and Nuts

Well, here we go again.

House votes to make peach official state tree fruit

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama House voted Tuesday to make the peach the official state tree fruit.

If approved by the Senate, the measure would give the state two official state fruits. The Legislature voted last year to make the blackberry the state fruit.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Jimmy Martin, D-Clanton, who is from Chilton County, which is famous for its peaches.

Several lawmakers came to the microphone to praise the taste of Chilton County peaches.

"Georgia calls itself the peach state, but our peaches are actually a lot better," said Speaker Pro Tem Demetrius Newton, D-Birmingham.

Rep. James Buskey, D-Mobile suggested that maybe the satsuma, an orange-like fruit grown in south Alabama, would be a better choice.

"We've actually got a town called Satsuma," Buskey said.

The bill comes during a session when the House has already passed bills naming the black bear the official state mammal and the queen honey bee the state insect.

"Is there anything else in Alabama we can name?" Rep. Ken Guin, D-Carbon Hill, asked.

"I think that just about takes care of it," Speaker Seth Hammett answered as the bill passed 91-0. It now goes to the Senate.

Oh, come now Speaker Hammett--surely the Legislature hasn't begun to exhaust the potential for naming official Alabama things. And anyway, it's always much easier to do this kind of crap than actual work.

Tar and feathers, I'm telling you.

Posted by Terry Oglesby at April 6, 2005 09:27 AM