We’ve been slow to post videos, and part of the reason is that farming is hard work. We spent hours preparing the beds, invested a lot of money to fix them up, and then had to plant the carrots, which took considerable time and effort to cover properly. Unfortunately, just a day later, we received over four inches of heavy rain. While the carrot seeds survived, our careful planting strategy—spacing them evenly in specific areas—was compromised as the heavy rain washed the seeds together.
Finding the right variety of carrots to grow in my area has also been a challenge. From our experience planting and growing carrots in these raised beds, we learned several lessons. For one, we messed up the soil. The bottom of the carrot bed was filled with wood mulch that we believed was sufficiently decomposed. We then added compost and potting soil to the last of the container, but our carrots didn’t thrive in this soil.
Additionally, the bitterness in carrots is caused by an excess of organic compounds called terpenoids. While all carrots contain these compounds, they can taste bitter or “soapy” when their levels exceed the sugar content. Several factors can increase terpenoid levels:
- High temperatures: Carrots are a cool-season vegetable, and growing them in temperatures consistently above 80°F can stress the plants and lead to higher terpenoid production.
- Overcrowding: When carrots are planted too close together, they compete for resources, which can stress the plants and result in bitterness.
We faced multiple issues this growing season. Carrots take a long time to mature, and during that period, we went from daily rains to no rain at all. We did our best to keep them watered, but the taste of the carrots reflected the stress they experienced. As a result, the entire carrot crop has been fed to the cows and added to the compost pile.
We’ve faced significant losses, over $2,000 on seeds, bed soil, and containers, not including our time and the cost of fertilizers. These beds had the potential to generate around $6,000 in sales, which highlights the challenges local farmers face. When shopping at large box stores for produce, I encourage you to think about the hard work and dedication that goes into small family farms in your community.
Farmers often grapple with difficult decisions about what to grow and how to market their crops. The farming journey can be both mentally and physically demanding, and sometimes even a good crop doesn’t sell well at farmers’ markets. It’s important to recognize that small farms struggle to compete with larger retailers and resellers.
By choosing to support local farmers, especially when purchasing items like carrots this season, you play a crucial role in strengthening your community. Your support helps foster local agriculture and promotes the benefits of fresh, locally grown food over products that travel thousands of miles. Let’s work together to uplift our local farmers!
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