Easy-to-love Carrots

Freshly harvested carrot Photo: Tree Amigos Growers

Winter is carrot season in South Florida. These colorful roots and greens show up in farmers markets and CSAs. Don’t worry if they don’t look like those perfectly shaped carrots in supermarkets – fresh-from-the-farm carrots might be gnarly, but they’re delicious.

Slightly sweet and crunchy, carrots are nutritious, rich in beta-carotene and vitamins K and B6. This root vegetable, Daucus carota subsp. sativus, is typically orange but can be purple, maroon, red, white and yellow.

In South Florida, carrots grow in our winter. They do best in deep, well-drained, fertile soil free from rocks or roots, and thrive with regular moisture. Carrots need between 70 and 120 days after planting before they’re ready to harvest.

The “baby carrots” you see in supermarkets are just regular carrots peeled and whittled down to size. True young carrots, often in rainbow colors with green tops, are sometimes available in farmers markets. The greens can be used in pesto or making soup or broth; use root ends and tips in broth. Young carrots may not need to be peeled – just scrub to remove dirt and enjoy.  

Raw carrots make a delicious snack. Grate them into salads, make into quick pickles, add to slaws and ferments. They can be roasted with olive oil or butter; steamed; boiled; grilled and smoked. Pureed cooked carrots are often a baby’s first food. Use in soups and stews; roast or fry to make carrot fries; throw chopped-off root ends and greens into the stock pot.