What's Up, Doc?

Carrots, that's what.  Gardening brings me great joy.  It amazes me every time what the outcome of a tiny seed will be.  Last summer as a part of our 'Summer Science' program, the kids helped plant carrots.  We read the book 'The Carrot Seed' by Ruth Krauss.  Kids in tow,  tall flower pots, carrot seeds, and potting soil were purchased at Home Depot.  I love the questions from strangers. "Are they all YOURS?"  My favorite question, "How do you get them to behave so well in the store?"  That is not always the case..
  The kids planted carrot seeds in pots labeled with their names.  As they grew, the pots went home with the kids to either die or be replanted.  Meanwhile, we continued to weed and water the carrots in the vegetable garden.

Our garden is not a huge space, but it is just right for what we need.  Corn, green beans, pumpkins, soybeans, beets, snap peas, zucchini and carrots were delighting the kids every day.

Soon, as the book 'The Carrot Seed' had promised, the carrots were getting taller.

Before we knew it, the garden was a forest to be reckoned with.  We were pulling carrots and green beans out of the garden to eat fresh while playing outside.  If letting the kids grow their own food will make them want to eat it, then harvest and eat away!

I learned that carrots will continue to grow and sweeten throughout the cold winter.  We have mild wet winters, so it is less likely that our carrot tops will turn black like in other parts of the country.  carrots with black tops are still good, you know.

   I harvested this carrot this morning.  It was a little soft and had some slug bites taken out of it.  I showed it to the kids and asked them, "What's up, Doc?"  Their replies?  Blank stares.  They don't know who Bugs Bunny is!

Twister and Lenny don't mind the slug bites.  These are our oldest child Stephanie's guinea pigs.