Harvesting Carrots...in March!

The backyard is finally clear of snow again and so we took the opportunity to check on our overwintering carrots this past weekend. Some of my family was visiting--including my niece, Keleigh, who always like to help in the garden--and it was great to get some fresh air and sunshine after being cooped up for so much of the winter.

Even with a winter of record-breaking winds, snows, and cold the carrots were still amazing. Covered with black plastic garbage bags filled with leaves and a sheet of plastic they stored perfectly. They were crisp and oh so sweet and tasty. Even sweeter than the ones from the fall--which I'd heard could happen when they're exposed to cold temperatures. If they could withstand this winter its seems like it would be a good technique for us every winter.

This means we've been keeping ourselves supplied with carrots since August 5, 2013--and we eat a lot of carrots! Carrots and onions go in just about everything at our house. We harvested just under eight pounds on Saturday. In addition, there is easily thirty more pounds of carrots in the ground, probably more. So we've got fresh carrots for a while yet.

Matt and I are are absolutely tickled pink that this experiment worked so well. We now know how we can grow more, and more importantly, keep it good until we can eat it all. Its totally fabulous. We planted these carrots on March 30, 2013. Here it is almost a year later and we're still eating them. How cool is that?! And what a bargain!!

Keleigh--who like so many youngsters can be finicky about eating her vegetables--was clearly pleased with the whole project. She selected a huge carrot to be specially washed--and she helped with the washing--for her to eat. She then gnawed on it for a half and hour until her face was stained with orange. It made my heart so happy to share the experience with her.

We also were able to move the garden sink out of the garage and into its permanent location. It looks great and we're so happy about it. We also dug some squishy scallions that we failed to harvest before they got ruined and tossed them in the compost heap. Afterwards it seemed like a stroll though the neighborhood and kicking off the shoes for swing in the hammocks was in order.

Matt and I both remarked later that evening as we were getting ready for bed how enjoyable working the soil had been. I guess we're really ready for spring.