Availability and Selection

Carrots are so common in the supermarket that we hardly think of them as having a season, but they are favorites for gardeners who sow seeds in the spring as soon as the soil is warm and enjoy them throughout the summer and fall. Farmers’ markets are the best places to find all of the fun, colorful types. Try to buy carrots with their feathery tops attached, as this assures freshness. These tend to be medium-size carrots that will be sweeter and nearly coreless. Mature carrots should have smooth, unblemished skin; avoid the very large ones, which will have a woody core. Bags of peeled, prewashed baby carrots often aren’t baby carrots at all, but rather large carrots that have been machine cut to look like baby ones.