Farmers, chefs and nutritionists are coming together this Autumn to celebrate one of the UK’s most heroic vegetables. Friday 3rd October is the second British Carrot Day, created by a group of passionate UK farmers who want the nation to rediscover the versatility, nutritious benefits and local food story of British-grown carrots.
From breakfast bowls to winter roast dinners, and even your skincare routine, carrots can brighten every part of your day.
“Carrots are harvested 12 months of the year in the UK so they are one of the freshest and most versatile vegetables we can all enjoy, from field to shelf within a couple of days and from an environmental point of view, they have low food miles too,” says Harry Strawson, Joint Managing Director of Strawson Ltd.
Not only were carrots the heroes of a rouse by the Air Ministry during the war to convince the enemy that British pilots’ night vision was down to eating carrots – not a new piece of radar equipment – but they are a stalwart of the British food story.
Each year 22 billion carrot seeds are sown in Britain, producing over 700,000 tonnes of carrots in the UK. This is approximately 100 per person living here, and laid out end to end, would stretch 1.4 million miles – two and a half trips to the moon.
“Carrots are worth £290 million to the UK economy but are one of the cheapest vegetables available at approximately 6p per carrot, and have plenty of nutritional benefits,” says nutritionist Dr Laura Wyness, an author, podcaster and who has featured on BBC Food Detectives.
“The stand-out nutrient in carrots is beta-carotene which gives them their bright colour,” she explains. “Our bodies convert beta-carotene into retinol, which is the active form of Vitamin A that helps support vision, skin health and our immune system. Carrots also have beneficial fibre; something 96 per cent of adults in the UK don’t eat enough of.”
As British growers provide 97% of the carrots consumers buy in the UK, there is almost no need to buy imported carrots. On Friday 3rd October, British carrots will be celebrated on farm and across social media with stories, recipes and inspiration.
“As farmers, we are very proud of what we grow and we want to show the skill and care that goes into growing something as ‘simple’ as a carrot, about the soil, the technology, the innovation and looking after the land,” says fourth-generation farmer, Will Hunter, who started full-time work on the farm in Lancashire the day he left school. “This October we are asking people across the nation pick up an extra bag of carrots and be inspired to try something new. If every household ate just a few more carrots each year, it would make a huge difference to British farming and help keep home-grown produce on our shelves for future generations.”
