Winter Roots, Spring Roots

I began my time at Red Dog on a frigid, misty February morning and was amazed to learn my first task would be harvesting carrots. Coming here after a few seasons of farming in Vermont, I’m still not used to the abundance that comes out of our fields even in the colder months. This particular winter harvest was a huge one and the whole crew spent two days dragging muddy crates out of the field. Afterwards, I got to experience the joys of barrel washing and watched as glowing orange carrots appeared as the layers of dirt were sprayed down the drain. In the end we had over a hundred 25-pound bags of large, hardy carrots. These were a staple for my meals in the following months and I was surprised at how well they retained their crispness even after being taken out of the field. I learned that storage crops in the cooler are still alive, but exist in a sort of dormancy as they patiently wait for their turn to be eaten. While in storage, these carrots begin to grow tops once again, still knowing which way is up even in the dark.

Every week we pulled a few carrot bags out of the cooler to share with our customers and I watched as the number on our storage clipboard slowly went down, until a few weeks ago I emptied our last bag. Just as I began to mourn their presence in my diet, I learned that our first succession of spring carrots was popping up in the greenhouse! Though these carrots are a fraction of the size of our storage crop, these little guys are tender and sweet, providing a whole different experience. I never cease to be amazed by how perfectly the changing seasons align with my veggie cravings. Spring is my favorite time to be on a farm because every time we say goodbye to one crop, there are two new ones waiting to take its place.  I’m grateful to the storage carrots, radishes, beets, and parsnips that nourished me though the winter, but so happy to be snacking on fresh roots right out of the field!

~Viv