Keep carrots in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. To store green top carrots, remove the tops and store separately from the roots. The greens will continue to draw moisture from the roots and you will end up with a limp carrot. If your carrots do go a bit limp before you are able to use them, soak them in ice water for at least 30 minutes to crisp them up again. Avoid storing carrots near fruit. As fruits ripen they release ethylene gas that can give carrots a bitter taste and decrease the storage life. Carrots do not need to be peeled. In fact, most of the mineral content lies close to the surface and removing the skins strips them of their healthful goodness. Just give them a rinse and light scrub to remove any dirt.
Carrots are versatile in their uses and can be eaten raw, roasted, boiled, baked, and even fried! They can be added to soups, stews, braised meats, root mashes, pancakes, bread, cookies and a whole host of other uses. Since they are such a common vegetable, I think sometimes they get overlooked and we forget that there are so many more things you can do with a carrot aside from the traditional carrot sticks in dip. You can make a very simple, quick, and easy salad with just a few ingredients. Soup is another great way to use carrots—either as the main ingredient or as part of a mélange of vegetables in say, chicken soup. Carrots are also delicious in baked goods such as carrot cake, carrot cookies, apple-carrot muffins, and carrot pancakes. Carrots pair well with a variety of herbs and spices as well as fruits such as apples and citrus.
The carrot tops are often removed and discarded. However, the green tops of the carrots are edible as well, allowing you to maximize the entire plant. Carrot tops have an earthy “green” flavor with hints of carrot and are actually quite versatile in their uses as well. They add breadth of flavor to soups or stocks, can be incorporated into stir-fries, and are excellent when sautéed with beet greens along with garlic, onions and a splash of lemon juice or vinegar. You can also blanch the carrot tops and then blend them along with oil, salt and pepper to make a simple sauce for fish, roasted meats or other vegetables. You can also consider dipping the carrot tops into tempura batter for a lacey, tasty fried alternative…..one of Farmer Richard’s favorite uses for carrot tops. Finally, as with many other greens they can also be incorporated into pesto.
Health & Nutrition: Carrots are packed with important nutrients, specifically beta carotene which is an important antioxidant and vitamin for our bodies. It’s important for vision, immunity and a whole host of other health benefits. Carrot tops are high in potassium and Vitamin K and are an outstanding source of chlorophyll, which contains cleansing properties that purify the blood, lymph nodes, and adrenal glands. Tea made from carrot tops boasts detoxifying and diuretic qualities that aid in kidney heath…and it’s tasty!
Cultural & Historical Background: The majority of carrots found grown in the US are a variety called Imperator. These carrots are bred to be hard so that they can handle mechanical harvesting and handling.
Growing Information: Carrots aren’t always an easy crop to grow. The varieties selected for winter storage are planted in the summer when growing conditions can be hot and dry. It takes an observant farmer to get enough moisture to the seed so it can germinate. Once they are up, it’s a battle against weeds to keep the crop clean and make sure they have enough nutrients to produce a healthy plant and a tasty carrot!
Additional Fun Facts: Because they are a staple vegetable, we try to include carrots in as many summer and fall boxes as possible.
