| My favorite arborvitae is the Green Giant. Here is | | | | capital. This is where there's a "confluence" with |
| why... | | | | the even cloudier and muddier Mississippi River |
| The original Green Giant got its name not from | | | | giving the whole area, including the surrounding |
| ancient lore, but from unusually extra large, hence | | | | towns like LeSueur, the title of "the Minnesota |
| "giant," green peas. These "Green Giant Peas" | | | | Valley." Lesueur is the name of the original |
| were introduced by the Minnesota Valley Canning | | | | explorer of the area, a Frenchmen of the early |
| Company in 1925, in contrast to their previously | | | | 1700's. By 1950, the "Jolly Green Giant" was so |
| marketed LeSueur baby peas, early-picked in | | | | popular, such an "icon" as we say today, with a |
| June. Founded in 1903, this pea company was | | | | cartoon character created, etc., he became the |
| located in the valley of the Minnesota River, the | | | | basis of the company's new name. So that is |
| Dakota Sioux name for "cloudy water," just | | | | where Green Giant comes from, modern |
| southwest of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the state | | | | marketing, not ancient lore... |