Carrots

I picked the rest of our carrots this weekend. I have read that you can keep carrots in the ground, even through freezing temperatures, by mulching over them, but I have found that if they are not harvested by early November, something else will eat them. As it was, by this weekend, all of the tops were gone, a few had been pulled out of the ground, and several had been eaten from below the ground and looked like this: 

This is the first year I have experienced this type of damage. Even though I saw no signs of burrowing, I suspect it was a gopher. If anyone has another explanation, I would curious to know. I am grateful that in spite of these few being destroyed, the majority of the crop was left intact. If I had waited another week, this might not have been the case. 

This year we planted two varieties - Napoli and Minicore. I was most impressed with the Minicore. They matured early, are packed with flavor, and don't grow too long which makes them easier to dig up. 

Minicore carrots picked November 2, 2014

Napoli Carrots Picked November 8, 2014

The Napoli's took longer to mature and were slightly misshapen. However, they still have an excellent flavor and I am certain will be appreciated both raw and cooked this winter. This brings me to the topic of storage. One of the benefits of growing root vegetables such as carrots, is their ability, when stored properly, to stay fresh for an extended period of time. Recently the UMASS Extension Vegetable Program completed a study on long-term storage of carrots. Four farms with varying preparation and storage methods were evaluated. If you are interested, a summary of results can be accessed at http://www.newenglandvfc.org/2013_conference/powerpoints2013/Hazzard%20Postharvest%20for%20carrots.pdf. As a backyard gardener, with no large cooler or storage cellar, my options our limited. The following steps have proved adequate. After digging up the carrots I cut off the tops and any long bottom roots with scissors; I soak them briefly in a tub of cold water and then scrub them individually with a vegetable brush. I then let them dry completely and then place them in ziplock bags before being stored in the refrigerator. The bags are checked regularly throughout the winter and any rotting or discolored ones are discarded immediately. I have found that with this method, the carrots last until they are gone, usually some time in February.