Carrots began to be cultivated around 3,000 BC. in Persia, and they were purple on the inside and orange on the outside. The first all-orange carrots appeared in the 17th century in the Netherlands in honor of the Dutch Royal House of Orange. Today there are orange, purple, red, white, yellow, black varieties…
Its use to prepare desserts such as carrot cake became popular during World War II, when the price of food was excessive and very few people could afford to buy sugar as a sweetener. It is said that carrot cake was the favorite dessert of US President George Washington and it is not surprising, because its high water content (over 80%) makes it a hydrating and low-calorie food, which also provides fiber. Its high carotene content allows our body to have vitamin A, transforming them, while preventing premature aging, protecting our retina and preventing the appearance of cataracts. During the summer, it helps repair cells damaged by the harmful effects of the Sun, and strengthens our nails and hair.
Do you want to introduce this “orange treasure” to your students? Growing carrots is an excellent example of sustainable agricultural production as it requires few resources and can be done in a variety of environments, making the school garden or classroom ideal. In the latter case, you can use liter and a half or two liter plastic bottles, filling them with soil and making holes in the bottom for water drainage. They are sown directly into the ground and need constant but moderate watering and sunlight. Between 60 and 80 days after sowing you can collect them by gently tearing off their leaves. In the school garden, carrot is a crop that promotes biodiversity and can be integrated into regenerative agricultural practices, such as crop rotation or association with plants such as onions or lettuce, which helps control pests naturally.
Additionally, you can introduce your students to Gigi, the little goat who discovers that there is no carrot jam for sale and embarks on a journey of food discovery. In this fold-out magazine of FoodEducators which is titled “From Soil to Toast” the steps and professions associated with making delicious carrot jam are explored and includes games and the carrot jam recipe. Dare to celebrate, not only on February 3rd, but every day, the importance and presence of carrots in our lives!
