✅ Baby Carrots - variety description, photos, reviews, planting and care

Glazed baby carrots

All baby vegetables are specially bred. Fashion for them appeared in the 80s. As marketers have found out, baby vegetables not only look prettier than regular ones, but they are also psychologically easier to buy - they do not hint at the need for serious cooking. But it's true! Well, one more important detail - baby vegetables are brighter in taste than their larger relatives. Baby Carrot is no exception. Its taste is much more expressive than usual. It's sweeter and more tender. It is delicious to eat a la naturel and cooked. One of our favorite ways to prepare carrots like this is glazing.

To do this you will need:

500 g baby carrots
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
salt - to taste
ground nutmeg - to taste
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon chopped herbs

Boil the carrots in boiling water for 5 minutes, remove, place in cold water, and then dry with a napkin. In a frying pan, melt one or two tablespoons of butter(!), pour in a quarter glass of water, add honey, nutmeg, a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, then reduce the gas to medium, add the carrots and mix carefully so that the carrots are evenly covered icing. Warm up, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes. When serving, sprinkle the carrot side dish with lemon juice, sprinkle with herbs and sesame seeds.

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Carrot Baby F1

Among the wide variety of carrot varieties, a number of the most famous and in demand can be distinguished. These include “Baby F1” carrots of domestic selection. This hybrid has become worldwide popular due to the excellent taste and external qualities of the fruit, the beneficial microelement composition of the pulp, high yield and unpretentiousness of the plant. The variety is perfectly suited for cultivation in the central and northwestern parts of Russia. Its main characteristics and advantages are given in the article.

Description of carrots

The Baby F1 carrot hybrid was obtained by the All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Growing. According to the main external and taste characteristics, the vegetable is classified into two varieties: Nantes and Berlicum. Its shape is cylindrical, the tip is rounded. The length of the root crop is approximately 18-20 cm, the diameter in cross section is 3-5 cm. The average weight of carrots is 150-180 g. The external qualities of the root crop are classic, you can visually evaluate them in the photo below.

The taste of Baby F1 carrots is high: the flesh is dense, very juicy, and sweet. The color of the root vegetable is bright orange, its core is barely noticeable in the thickness of the pulp. The root crop of the “Baby F1” variety is used to prepare fresh vegetable salads, baby food and juices.

Baby F1 carrots contain many useful vitamins and microelements, including a huge amount of carotene. So, 100 g of vegetable contains about 28 g of this substance, which exceeds the required daily dose for an adult. At the same time, the sugar content in the pulp reaches 10% of dry matter, and the volume of the vegetable is about 16%.

Forms of seed release

Seeds of the Baby F1 variety are offered by many agricultural companies. It is worth noting that the form of seed release may be different:

classic scattering;
seeds on the tape, located at the required interval;
seeds in a gel shell (simplify sowing, accelerate seed germination, make carrots resistant to a number of diseases).

Subsequent care of crops largely depends on the choice of one or another form of seed release. So, when sowing a classic placer, two weeks after the emergence of seedlings it is necessary to thin out the crops, and after another 10 days the action should be repeated. In this case, it is necessary to remove excess plants as carefully as possible, so as not to harm the remaining root crops and not provoke their deformation.

The use of special tapes with seeds applied eliminates the appearance of dense growth and does not require subsequent thinning.

A special gel glaze increases the volume of the seed, thereby simplifying the sowing process. In this case, it is not difficult to maintain intervals between seeds in the same row, which means there will be no need to thin out the crops. At the same time, the composition of the shell allows you to completely “forget” about sowing carrots for 2-3 weeks. The glaze absorbs the required amount of moisture and creates optimal conditions for carrot growth.

Agricultural technology varieties

It is recommended to sow seeds of the “Baby F1” variety in the first half of May. It takes approximately 90-100 days for carrots to ripen, so it will be possible to harvest in early September. It is worth noting that the variety has excellent keeping quality and carrots harvested in a timely manner can be successfully stored until the next harvest.

Carrots are distinguished by their moisture- and light-loving properties. Therefore, to grow it, it is necessary to select a site on the sunny side of the site. To form a root crop, loose, drained soil, such as sandy loam, is required. Watering carrots should be done approximately once every 2-3 days. In this case, it is necessary to moisten the soil to the entire depth of root germination. Systematic, proper watering will help avoid coarsening and cracking of carrots and preserve their sweetness. More information about growing carrots can be found here:

If you follow simple cultivation rules, even a novice farmer can grow tasty, healthy carrots in a volume of up to 10 kg/m2.

The variety "Baby F1" is considered the property of domestic selection. It has received worldwide recognition and today its seeds are produced not only by Russian but also by foreign companies. Many experienced gardeners and farmers grow this particular hybrid on their plots regularly from year to year and consider it truly the best. That is why many seed sellers strongly recommend that beginning gardeners who are faced with a choice try Baby F1 carrots.

Carrot Baby F1 (dragée) Search 300 pcs

Detailed description

A mid-season carrot variety with a ripening period of about 90-100 days. The yield is 10 kg per square meter.

Root crops of the Nantes type, medium length, have a cylindrical shape with a blunt end. They reach a weight of 90 to 180 grams, medium length, orange color. The core is also orange, small and round. The pulp is juicy and tender, with a high content of carotene. The taste is excellent. The variety is ideal for making juices, baby food and for consumption fresh or processed.

They are planted in the first half of May, and the harvest is harvested in September. It is moisture-loving, requires watering every 2-3 days. Weeding, loosening the soil, and feeding with mineral fertilizers are required.

Specifications

Common parameters

Dimensions and weight (gross)

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What are baby carrots and why are they so wet?

Contrary to their name, the peeled and smooth mini-carrots, the bags of which fill supermarket windows and movie theater cafes, are not the “baby” version of our favorite vegetable. What is this, a special mini-variety?

Peeled mini carrots are nicknamed “baby carrots” due to their small size and cheerful appearance. But it is made from ordinary fully grown carrots. Peeled, cut into pieces and polished on both sides - this is how you get these small vegetable “cylinders” that are cute to the eye and easy to eat.

Baby carrots are a clear example of bringing a marketing idea to life. Surprisingly, but true: many people sincerely believe that there are skilled farmers who grow such smooth and clean mini-carrots. And she was born out of necessity.

baby carrot

Baby carrots are essentially unripe carrots grown to a certain size, usually 4-5 centimeters.
But in fact, not all mini carrots are actually mini. In most cases, standard large carrots cut into portions are sold under the guise of “baby”. Immature carrot roots are harvested either as a result of a poor harvest or by deliberately growing them as a specialty crop. There are a number of varieties bred specifically to produce a mini-carrot harvest. One of these varieties is “baby”, as well as many other proprietary varieties. It is noted that such carrots are much sweeter and more tender than standard ones and are very popular in modern crop production.

Is it mini?

The first person to decide to sell small carrots was Californian carrot farmer Mike Yurosek in 1986. Yurosek was frustrated by the prospect of closing his carrot business due to the large number of rotten and diseased carrots and was looking for a way to maintain profits. The solution was to buy an industrial cutter, through which he passed the root vegetable and cut it into two small pieces. By placing these pieces in a potato peeler, he obtained two small carrots with a pointed tip. Now he did not have the need to destroy substandard and partially rotten carrots - after cutting and peeling, he got a baby carrot.

As a rule, consumers can independently determine whether baby carrots are artificially made or specially grown only due to the inscriptions on the packaging or in the case of the sale of a tuber with tops and tendrils.

Production

To make baby carrots, large carrots are cut by machine into 5cm pieces and then sheared (scratched) to the required diameter and their ends rounded off using the same principle.

In the field, carrot harvesters use long metal tines to open up the soil, and rubber belts grab the tops and pull. The carrots travel up conveyors to the top of the picker, where the tops are automatically separated from the tubers.
The carrots are transported to a processing plant, where the roots are placed in ice water - reducing the temperature to 3 degrees Celsius - to prevent spoilage.
Tubers are sorted by thickness. Large, healthy carrots are sold as standard large carrots, while thin carrots continue their movement along the conveyor to the next section. At this stage, substandard carrots and foreign objects are also removed.
The carrots are cut into 5cm pieces using automatic cutters. The optical sorter cuts off any parts that are green.
The pieces are pumped through pipes into cleaning tanks. The peelers rotate to clean the skin of the carrots. There are two stages: an initial rough cleaning and then a final "polishing"
To reduce bacteria, baby carrots can be treated with a small amount of chlorine. After being rinsed with drinking water to remove excess chlorine, the mini carrots are ready for packaging.

The history of baby carrots

In the early 1980s, the carrot business in California was sluggish and unprofitable. More than half of what local farmers grew was unsightly. Uneven, knobby carrots covered with clods of earth were not very attractive to buyers. But in 1986, farmer Mike Jurosek, tired of throwing away tons of vegetables every year, created something new. Instead of throwing away the ugly vegetables, he cut out the most beautiful and delicious ones.

The farmer and his son decided to upgrade the carrots. At first, Yurosek only used a potato peeler to cut carrots, but the process was too labor-intensive. Then Mike bought an industrial machine for cutting green beans. She cut the carrots into uniform 2-inch (5.08 cm) pieces, the standard size for baby carrots that remains today. And then I sent the resulting pieces to the potato peeler, and it produced peeled, smooth baby carrots of the same size.

Oh baby! Carrot Baby f1.

I'm wary of products with strange names. But the characteristics of the variety overcame my doubts, and the seeds were purchased. Baby carrots are declared as mid-season (we'll have time to eat them in the summer) and very sweet. But to be happy in the summer I don’t need much.

Carrot Baby f1

Surprisingly, despite the name, this is a Russian variety. Berlicum/Nantes variety. The root crop is cylindrical, 18-20 cm long, with a blunt tip. Weight 90-180 g. Color orange. The variety is universal, recommended for fresh use and suitable for winter storage.

I want to tell you about this variety, because for me today it is the best of the classic orange carrot varieties! We grew many different varieties, but mostly the old fashioned way. The new Baby variety is a hybrid. It turned out to be the most delicious, smooth, big and beautiful!

So what about the moisture content of baby carrots?

Yes, baby carrots are more expensive than their original “native” version, but from the very beginning customers liked that they could be eaten on the go, at the movies, at work. That's why we love her too. Plus, mini carrots are not chips, and when you buy this product, you understand that you are contributing to your health.

But size and shape are not the only thing that distinguishes the mini-model from real – natural – carrots. Anyone who has tried the baby version knows that reducing the size of carrots has the unintended consequence of making the vegetable unusually moist. This is because carrots are prone to dehydration, so water is added during the processing and packaging stages. How it's done? Manufacturers first cut the carrots into equal pieces, then remove the excess, giving the pieces a cylindrical, even shape, and send everything to a polishing drum for polishing. Water added to the drum gives the vegetables a smooth and shiny appearance.

This stage of production is what causes baby carrots to become moist. Plus the package it comes in contains extra water to keep the miniature veggies from drying out. Full-size carrots have skins to retain moisture, but baby carrots do not. A small portion of sprayed water added to each bag of carrots gives them a fresh appearance, which is why customers love this product.

What is the trick of the sellers

Previously, it was the most ordinary carrot, often large and medium in size, ugly and shapeless, which was cut into pieces. Now a special long variety is being grown; it is convenient to divide it into four parts. The root crop is peeled, cut, washed and processed into a rounded shape.

This way to increase carrot sales was invented by an American farmer in the eighties. The vegetable in the form of cute rounded cylinders has won a lot of attention from buyers and other farmers. They also took up the production of baby carrots. First, it filled the vegetable shelves of Americans, and then all over the world.

Fans of the orange root vegetable may have noticed that the baby carrots are quite moist in the package. This is due to the fact that water is added to it during processing.

After the vegetables have been cut into equal pieces and given the desired rounded shape, they are sent to a drum of water for polishing and polishing. Water gives carrots a smooth appearance. This processing step makes the baby carrots appear moist and juicy. There is also a little liquid in the package so that the product does not dry out and has a fresh look.

What kind of white coating can appear on baby carrots?

If a baby carrot sits for some time in an open package or just on a plate, it is not immune to drying out. The white film that forms on carrots is called "carrot blush" and is a normal sign of dehydration. The rumor that the white coating is something chemical and harmful is just a rumor. Yes, some manufacturers treat carrots with a minimal chlorine solution (or an alternative organic solution) during quick cleaning, but this uses a safe amount of the chemical for humans. And it does not protrude on the surface of the baby carrot.

How to use baby carrots?

Baby carrots are good because they require minimal effort from the buyer: buy, open the package and eat fresh vegetables. In addition to its original purpose - a quick healthy snack, mini carrots can be used when there is no time for long preparations, and guests are about to appear on the doorstep:

Baby carrots can decorate a cheese, meat and vegetable plate.
Mini carrots can be served with thick dips such as blue cheese or cream cheese.
Carrots go great with fried chicken wings. This cheerful company would also benefit from some celery stalks and pieces of colored pepper.
Since a baby carrot is a cylinder, if you cut it, you will get circles of the same size. This is a decor for any dish, from aspic to liver pies.
It’s also great to give these carrots to children. They will definitely appreciate the attractiveness of the baby carrot and its name.

Recipe for curd dip for baby carrots and other vegetables

This curd dip can be served with almost any vegetables - fresh or baked. It goes perfectly with baked red fish. And a very simple but tasty snack option: dip fresh, crispy village bread into curd sauce.

Curd dip for serving baby carrots and other vegetables

To prepare 4-5 servings you need:

1 small bunch of green onions, optional
50 g non-acidic sour cream or thick yogurt
150 g fatty non-acidic cottage cheese
zest and juice of half a small lemon
350-400 g baby carrots for serving
salt and freshly ground black pepper

If using onion, chop it very finely.
Set aside some onion for garnish, if desired.
Place the remaining onion (most of it) into a blender. Add sour cream, cottage cheese, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper. Grind until smooth and puree.
Place the dip in a bowl and sprinkle with the remaining onion. Serve with baby carrots and other vegetables.

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