Are Carrots Orange For Political Reasons? [“the color of sedition"]

WonkBlog Ezra Klein, WP ^ | 09:30 PM ET, 09/10/2011 Updated | by Suzy Khimm

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For centuries, almost all carrots were yellow, white or purple. But in the 17th century, most of those crunchy vegetables turned orange. Why? It may have to do with Dutch politics. Next Nature explains:

In the 17th century, Dutch growers cultivated orange carrots as a tribute to William of Orange – who led the the struggle for Dutch independence – and the color stuck. A thousand years of yellow, white and purple carrot history was wiped out in a generation.Although some scholars doubt if orange carrots even existed prior to the 16th century....

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Page 105, Patriots and liberators: revolution in the Netherlands, 1780-1813
Simon Schama

[buccaneer81]

I suppose pumpkins and squash are political vegetables, too.../face palm.

[MetaThought]

Now I want to eat white and purple carrots.

[Aliska]

I suppose pumpkins and squash are political vegetables, too.../face palm.

Those were introduced from the New World.

I can't imagine a carrot any other color, thought orange was a sign it was high in beta carotene. Well, if you thumb through some catalogs these days or the heirloom sites, you will see veggies all sorts of colors.

My gdaughter loved my pumpkin pie. Well one of her friend's parents grew some white pumpkins. I think the flesh was orange IIRC. Anyway, I'd never done it from scratch but made pumpkin pies out of it. My gdaughter wouldn't eat them. I didn't notice a whole lot of difference, just you have to cook a lot of water out of the pumpkin so it will be thick enough for decent pies.

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I grew white strawberries this year. Lacks the protein redden [Fragaria allergen A1] that makes the berries red, claims may not cause an allergic reaction to those who cannot eat the read, can’t be seen by birds (but a chipmunk liked them however]..has a more pineapple taste [sort of but nice sweet taste]..good ground cover.

[fight_truth_decay]

I was stuck on how the roots could be considered provocative?..

[Yells]"Honey are you out in the garden pulling out the carrots again???

[spetznaz]

Interesting. Thanks

[Alex Murphy]

In the 17th century, Dutch growers cultivated orange carrots as a tribute to William of Orange – who led the the struggle for Dutch independence – and the color stuck. A thousand years of yellow, white and purple carrot history was wiped out in a generation.Although some scholars doubt if orange carrots even existed prior to the 16th century....

Ping for later

[jocon307]

“Now I want to eat white and purple carrots.”

Me too!

Heirloom carrots, we want them!

[Aliska]

They sound good, have seen those offered for sale (I look lots of places online and off). I hope they come back next year for you. Chipmunks like almost anything, little buggers. I have to cover everything I don't want them in with chicken wire which keeps them out. Wouldn't do any good if the strawberries grew through it though. Usually that's what I want, the plant to poke through and hide the wire which keeps the squirrels from digging up the young plants and just plain digging to hide something and go back for it later, double diggers, little buggers. I put rocks, sharp ones the best, I've dug up in the yard on the surface too which helps and also keeps moisture in. Usually one or the other, not both.

But I can't quite figure out what would be best for a strawberry bed to keep the critters out. Don't forget the night scavengers, too.

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Its in a courtyard scenario where the plants are, so only one chipmunk who visits[been coming for years], nothing else comes to that side of the house, but a young porcupine last fall kept coming toward the door, would shoo him off finally got the hint was not going to be a pet. Saw him a couple times this spring waddle across but has since moved on. Spring will bring it around again however just to say "am back".

Gray squirrels stay out in the field or more wooded area where the acorns are. No reds which is good!

Few Deer stay up in the field with the turkey population. Nice to watch. Moms have been showing the youth where the winter “feeders” [me] are. Had a doe with triplets not long ago.

Note am not ready to use the “winter” word yet! ;(

[Aliska]

Wow, you get critters up close and personal. It was interesting to read really. I'd love to have turkeys nearby but heard they can be a nuisance. The porcupine, I don't think they can shoot their quills but have no idea how they would interact with a human if they had chance to get accustomed. My inclination would be to feed it so I could observe it.

I'd love to have deer close, too, and feed them, but they would trample my plants if visiting on a regular basis. How I love to come across them though. Another wild creature we never saw when I was growing up. They're such a "nuisance" here that they have controversial bow and arrow hints in the park nearby.

I'm with you on the winter business. We got cheated out of our summer, don't remember having so few cooling down days. Little rain and hot and humid. It's gorgeous but very dry now. I wanted to plant some stuff but had to throw buckets of water on the ground first so I could dig it's that hard (and needs more humus in it but saw an earthworm so can't be too bad there.

We had an elderly couple, think just one was killed by a buck deer north of town. They fed them, and it turned on one or both, maybe rutting season. I've not seen a buck with antlers.

Sounds like you have a wonderful place if it backs up into some woods. Wish mine did.