2004-12-27
I'm Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
Carrots are grown on farms and in small family gardens throughout
the world. They are easy to raise and easy to harvest. They have a
pleasing taste. And, they contain a lot of carotene which the body
changes into Vitamin A.
When people think about carrots, they usually create a mental
picture of a long, thin, orange-colored vegetable. But, carrots come
in many different sizes and shapes. And not all carrots are orange.
For example, Paris Market carrots are about five centimeters
around. Imperator carrots are thin and about twenty-five centimeters
long. And Belgian White carrots are white.
For the best results, carrots should be grown in sandy soil that
does not hold water for a long time. The soil also should have no
rocks.
To prepare your carrot garden, dig up the soil, loosen it, and
turn it over. Then, mix some dead plant material or animal waste. Do
not add any additional chemical fertilizers.
Weather, soil condition, and age affect the way carrots taste.
Experts say warm days, cool nights, and a medium soil temperature
are the best conditions for growing great tasting carrots.
Carrots need time to develop their full sugar content. This gives
them their taste. If they are harvested too early they will not have
enough sugar. However, carrots loose their sweetness if you wait too
long to remove them from the ground.
The best way to judge if a carrot is ready to be harvested is by
its color. Usually, the brighter the color, the better the taste.
Most people do not know that carrots can be grown during the
winter months. If the winter is not cold enough to freeze the
ground, you can grow and harvest carrots the same way as you do
during the summer months.
If the ground does freeze in your part of the world, simply cover
your carrot garden with a thick layer of leaves or straw. This will
prevent the ground from freezing. You can remove the ground cover
and harvest the carrots as they are needed.
Carrots are prepared and eaten many different ways. They are cut
in thin pieces and added to other vegetables. They are cooked by
themselves or added to meat in stews. Or, they are washed, and eaten
just as they come out of the ground.
Our reports are on the Internet at WWW.testbig.com and our
e-mail address is special@voanews.com.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Bob
Bowen. I'm Gwen Outen.