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Pick your own - Carrots

Carrots (daucus carota supsp. sativus)

When available to pick: June – September.

Carrots are a widely grown crop throughout the world. The modern cultivated carrot is derived from the wild carrot which has whitish roots, similar in colour to parsnips.

AVAILABILITY

Jun - Sep

Growing method

Carrots are biennial plants (they have a life cycle of 2 years). At first the carrot grows a rosette of leaves while building up the enlarged root. All of our carrots are outdoor field grown without the use of polytunnels.

How to pick

  • You should only pick good sized carrots with a healthy leaf attached.
  • Please do not pick smaller under developed plants.
  • Carrots can be quite easily picked by grasping the leaves firmly and pulling the root out of the ground.
  • If you prefer to use a gardening fork, we recommend bringing your own as there are only a limited amount available to borrow from the farm.

Carrot facts

Wild carrots are thought to originate from central Asia with purple and yellow carrots spreading to the Mediterranean region and western Europe between the 11th and 14th century.

Carrots are a good source of beta carotenes, vitamin A, antioxidants and minerals. Cooking or juicing carrots significantly increases the amount beta carotene gained from eating them.

The orange colour we associate with carrots is the result of a historical mutation. It is believed Dutch growers further developed the denser orange carrot we know today through gradual selection of yellow carrots.

The urban legend that carrots help us see better in the dark was started in WW2. British gunners were shooting down German planes at night and to cover up the fact that it was the effective use of radar technologies that was achieving this, the RAF circulated a story about their pilots' high level of carrot consumption.

Carrot and red cabbage slaw

This easy slaw recipe makes a fantastic addition to BBQ meats in the summer. A touch of Mayo can be added for those wanting a creamier texture.

  • 4 large carrots
  • 1 small red cabbage
  • 4 salad onions
  • 1tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic glove
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2tbp fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • pinch chilli powder (optional)
  • chopped parsley to garnish

Method

  1. Place the shredded cabbage, carrots and spring onions together in a bowl.
  2. Whisk all of the other ingredients except the parsley together in a mixing bowl (tip: a food processor makes this job a lot easier)
  3. Pour the dressing over the carrot and cabbage, mix thoroughly and chill for at least 20 minutes before serving. Garnish with the parsley when ready to serve.