The last of the veggies slowly but surely are finding their way inside, to be munched raw, steamed or roasted, depending on the whims of the cook. Some are still lying in wait for next year though. Today I planted some very nice plump cloves of garlic, and am already visualizing them emerging next year…
I have to admit I still have a soft spot for the carrots I grow. |
Eat any homegrown carrot, and the supermarket variety will forever be relegated to the choice of emergency eating only. Nevertheless, we have to be grateful for the bags of supermarket carrots until once again we can taste our own next year.
Don’t know about you, but certainly, I grew up with parents who embedded the belief in me that I’d be able to see in the dark if I just ate enough carrots.
The roots of this fantasy story began in World War Two, when the British government had a secret onboard radar system for their Royal Air Force. This enabled the pilots to become night predators, as they sought out enemy planes and shot them down. To keep their advantage secret the government put out the word their pilots were eating a steady diet of carrots, which gave them extraordinary night-time vision!
So I spent years moving on, although possibly mildly traumatized from the discovery that my parents were capable of lying to me. Carrots occupied a relatively minor part in my life.
Now, in the midst of all kinds of technology, some new but old facts about carrots are emerging. Would you believe it, Mom was right! they are good for your eyes! Specifically, studies show they can be helpful in preventing macular degeneration.
There’s all of a sudden much more interest in the health of those of us who are beyond our “best before” date in life. Just today I heard on the news that a multivitamin a day causes a 60% reduction in the brain fog and memory that afflicts so many seniors. No, it doesn’t have to be a super brand--just one that is for your age and gender. Guess our pharmacy will be seeing me later on today, especially as I’m still somewhat in Covid recovery mode.
At this time of year the garden is a struggle. No watering allowed outside, using municipal water. Going on ten years since we’ve been here, water meters are already attached to the house, but unfortunately still not connected as they have to be, before they can be used. Meanwhile, it doesn’t seem to be a very fair way to distribute our water supply. Scary too, to realize the air b&b’s are gobbling up water to wash linens for their short-term guests, as the rest of us try every means we can think of to conserve our precious water.
The weather is cooler, and the days getting shorter. Squash are still trying to develop to their mature size. Carrots are always available, thank goodness, and now the roots of turnips, otherwise known as rutabagas or swedes ( depending on your country) are becoming more plentiful. Always something exciting to look forward to, if you’re a gardener and a cook.
Cautionary note here, eat too many carrots and you can actually develop an orange skin tone. It’s harmless, but can take a while to disperse the “tan.”
The treatment? Huge self-discipline, resisting the urge to eat carrots for however long it takes!
Veronica Pectinata
It is neat and never encroaches on other plants!