Sunday 9 February 2014

Small But Perfectly Formed

Picked these carrots today.  

Paris Market

I wouldn't normally leave carrots in the ground over winter, but these were sown late in August - too late - so they weren't worth digging up in the autumn.  Then we had this peculiarly wet, but warmer than usual, winter. So when I was at the plot to pick kale and dig up Jerusalem artechokes (and weed the onion patch)  I thought I would see what there was under the ground beneath the net.

To give a sense of scale:

They taste really sweet.

And here for the record are the unwashed Jerusalem artechokes. A great boon at this time of year when soup is the order of the day.




7 comments:

  1. Ours stay in all through winter every year and they even survive the really bad winter a couple of years ago. It's good to have things to harvest at this time of year.

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    1. Interesting, Sue. Our later harvested carrots can be devastated by underground pests. We eat lot's of carrots so we've got through all ours a week or two ago - aside from these. We really can't grow enough!

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  2. Great carrots Mal...I really should check to see what has happened with the roots I didn't manage to get dug out of my plot last year....but the weather is just so awful and wet that i have no inclination to visit the plot...maybe the weekend will be a little better and I will find come time and motivation to get my 'butt' into gear!!

    I have never grown or even tried Jerusalem artichokes. I think I should maybe try some and see what they're all about!!

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    1. Jerusalem artichokes make a gourmet soup. You must try them. Watch out though the tops grow 6 foot high or more!

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  3. It's great your getting carrots this time of year. As the weather gets milder this could be a new winter staple. I found one carrot in the garden I'd missed a few weeks ago and it has no pest damage.

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    1. Nice to get a surprise like that - but as to future winters, how does it go(?) "past performance is not a guarantee of future performance" - expect the unexpected!

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  4. Hi Ruth - I am a firm believer in growing what you like to eat - I just can't grow enough carrots!

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