We dig carrots!

1. We dig carrots! How does your carrot grow? Underground, of course! Carrots are root vegetables. Green stems and leaves sprout up from the soil; the part we eat is the root, and grows down in the earth. Photo courtesy of Mardi Solomon

2. How did we get from here…. …to here? Did you know that “baby carrots” are actually mature carrots cut up into small, regular pieces? A farmer discovered that people like buying peeled carrots without green tops or long roots. Now some people think they grow that way! Carrots grow in many colors and sizes. Somewhere along the line, people decided orange carrots looked better– so farmers began to cultivate orange carrots. Photos and facts courtesy of the carrot museum: www.carrotmuseum.co.uk

3. Carrots grow in a rainbow of colors • Eat veggies in colorful variety • Darker colored veggies are often especially rich in vitamins. • Carrots are loaded with vitamins A & C. • Purple carrots pack more beta-carotene than orange ones! Photo compliments of USDA Agricultural Research Service. Photo by Stephen Asmus Docarrots really help you see in the dark? A lack of vitamin A can lead to night blindness. Carrots are rich in vitamin A. So yes, carrots help you to see in the dark! Nutrition information available from healthymeals.nal.usda.gov

4. Learn what your food looks like. What you choose to eat matters! Photo courtesy of David Westerlund Look for a rainbow of delicious locally grown carrots! Enjoy this month’s Harvest of the Month.