User:Yharrington

The carrot is a root vegetable that belongs to the Parsley family. They can be orange, reddish yellow or sometimes white in color, with a woody texture. On top of carrots are leaves with long stems. The part of the carrot that is edible is called a taproot.

The Taproot is a straight narrow root that grows straight down. It has a center that other roots can grow from. Other plants that are taproots are very difficult to transport. Taproot is hard to uproot, because the long taproot stays in the ground, and regrows.

Carrots orginally came from Afghanistan. Some carrots which are called a wild flower or wild carrot was better known as "Queen Anne's Lace" which is a relative to the garden carrot. If garden carrots seeds develop to soon they will revert back to their wild protype, and will have a carroty smell, and will become woody and bitter to eat. The carrot is a edible root, that is also a relative to the Parsnip. Parsnip reseblems a carrot except that it's paler in color and has a stronger flavor.

There are two varieties of plant species that carrots have, Eastern and Western. Eastern carrots derived from Central Asia, in the early days of the 10th century in Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, carrots are the center for diversity. There are different varieties of Eastern carrots that are still around today they are purple or yellow in color, and have branched roots. The purple colored carrot came from Anthocyanin pigment.

The Western carrots derived from the Netherlands back in the 15th and 16th century. They are orange in color which was popular in those countries, and are a symbol of the " House of Orange" and also represents the struggle for Dutch Independence. High levels of Beta Carotene is whaat gives Western carrots their color. Although orange carrots are present in the West, there are also other colors that Western carrots come in, white, yellow, red, and purple. These colored carrots are raised primarily as novelty crops. Western carrots are classified by their root shapes:
 * Imperator- are sold mostly in your U.S. grocery store. They are long and narrow and have a point at the tip.
 * Nantes- Are cylindrical in shape., and have a dull edge and are curved at both the top and bottom. They are sweeter than other carrots.
 * Danvers- They have a cone shaped, and well defined shoulders, that are narrow to a point at the tip. Danvers carrots are finely grinded as baby food.
 * Chantenay- Are shorter than most carrots, but have a greater circumference. They grow up to 3 inches in diameter. They also have broad shoulders, they are narrow towards a blunt curved tip. Chantenay are mostly diced and canned.

Humans or animals can eat carrots whole, raw or shaved and can be put in salads. People use carrots in soups and stews. Carrots are also used to make carrot cake and carrot pudding. The leaves and stems are also edible and can be used to spinkle on meat to improve the flavor, but most people don't eat them. Carrots are the main vegetable used in various broths, more so than onions and celery. In the 1980's, carrot growers made mini carrots or baby carrots which they chopped and peeled into 2 inch cylinders, which today are a healthy snack food. Carrots are a source of Vitamin A and are rich in fiber, minerals, antioxidants, and they are a alkaline food. Carrots also contain Vitamin B1, and small amounts of Vitamin B2 and Vitamin C. Carrots are sweet and rich in sugar and contain iron to make you strong.

Carrots can survive winter weather that is not to cold, and can tolerate the hot summer heat. Carrots that are grown in the winter time come from California and Texas. In the Northern part of the U.S., growers can raise a crop of carrots in a 100 days. Growers also grow a crop in the fall.

Carrots develop from tiny little seeds. About 24,000 carrot seeds weigh about an ounce. Many growers plant seeds in rows of about 1 to 2 ft apart. Carrot seeds grow best in rich soil that contain sand or muck.

Carrots like most vegetable plants are attacked by several insects. Leafhoppers, carrot rustflies, caterpillars, plant lice and nematodes. Growers use a chemical called, Parathlon.

Carrots have been around for many centuries, from Afghanistan to many other regions of the world. Carrots are one of the most popular vegetables in the world, whether they be Eastern,Western, from the grocery store or one's you've grown in your own back yard. Carrots are also a healthy source of food for humans and animals. There color orange is unique and stands out above all the other vegetables.