Danvers Carrot

One of the best home garden carrots. The magic of carrots is in the unknown. Somewhere within the darkness of the soil, teeming with invisible life, nutrients seek a vessel to be passed from earth, to plant, to bodies. Carrots make gardeners feel like magicians: the orange flash when pulled from the earth, draws gasps & applause, if only in our minds. But the true magic is revealed in the eating, when the vivid color gives way to the crunch that somehow makes us feel as bright and strong and well anchored as the freshly picked root. This tried and true American heirloom is one of the best home garden carrots. The traceable history of the carrot spans 5000 years. Evidence has been dug up that this relative of Queen Anne’s Lace originated in Afghanistan. The modern carrot came into being thanks to the efforts of the French & Dutch. The Danvers carrot was developed in 1871 in Massachusetts. These carrots are deep orange & often on the short side- about 6-8in long- though they can get up to about 10in long in deep, loose, rock free soil. The roots are broad at the top & tapered. Certified organic. Non-GMO, open pollinated seeds. Seed count: 500. Artwork by: Rebecca Ringquist
_{Growing: Direct sow from mid April to early august in loose, fertile, deeply worked soil. Choose your least weedy soil for carrots, as they are tricky to cultivate when you; carrots can take 10 days to germinate, and can be quickly choked by weeds. Thin young carrot seedlings to 2in apart, then thin baby carrots by pulling out every other carrot, allowing the remaining carrots to grow full size. While good carrots can be grown in any soil, they only grow to supermarketsize in loose, deep soil without too many rocks. Fall carrots can be stored in plastic bags in the refrigerator or in the root cellar for months. Do not store fresh carrots with the tops on; they draw water & nutrients from the roots. Rather, remove the tops after harvesting & use to flavor soup stock.}