Orbits, Oxhearts & Little Finger Carrots
Submitted by High Altitude Gardening Blog
In spite of gloves and a warm sweater, I shivered as I harvested the last of the carrots. It’s been near freezing at night for over a month, now, though a deep layer of mulch keeps my little, round carrots toasty warm.
In spring, I planted heirloom Oxhearts. (They look like golf balls.) In July, I planted Orbits (smaller, like gum balls.) The Orbits ~ which mature in about 60 days ~ are really fun to grow. This winter, I’m planting Little Fingers: super sweet mini carrots for sunny window containers.
My audience is not fiercely opinionated on what makes the perfect carrot, though they think you’re nuts if you chop the tops off.
I hate carrots. Strange, but true. I’ve tried them raw, baked, broiled, steamed, buried under a mountain of brown sugar. Nothing snapped my socks.
Daughter, L, recently demanded to know how she could have sat at our dinner table for 18 long years and never been served a carrot. As an adult she’s tasted carrots in all sorts of delightful dishes and she loves ‘em. (Which has got me wondering if a switcheroo did, indeed, happen at the hospital way back when.)
* The smaller the tastier when it comes to carrots.
* They’ll keep forever in the fridge with adequate moisture.
* If you, like me, are being forced to eat carrots, ask for a pony for your birthday.
