I pulled up the rest of the carrots that were in the backyard over the weekend. They seem to have survived nicely, despite being snowed on and frozen. The greens were a little bedraggled, but the carrots themselves are short and reasonably fat, and cleaned up to a brilliant orange. The only thing left out there now is the kale, some of which is destined for a kale and yam something later this week. Quiche? Or with orzo and black beans?
If I can get a similar number of carrots successfully germinated next summer, it’s possible we will be able to do next winter’s carrot supply entirely in this way. I have jars of blanched and frozen farmers’ market carrots in the freezer, and we’ve not touched them. If the carrots spend the winter in the garden, that frees up freezer space for broccoli, the one thing I wish I had in there now.
The best part (besides the fresh carrots, of course) was feeding the carrot tops and the occasional itty-bitty carrot to the neighbors’ rabbits. They are fluffy with winter fur (the rabbits, not the neighbors), and they come when you call them. It could have been the box of greens appearing at their fence, but they ran across the yard when my neighbor tutted at them. So cute! Of course, they mostly eat the “lawn” in their yard, which must mean the pickings are slim this time of year; maybe they don’t come when you call so much as come when you offer food. I wonder if the rabbits will be enough to keep the lawn “mowed” during the summer…