What’s in Season

Some products at the Cambridge Farmers' Market are only available during certain seasons because different crops grow at different times of the year. Below is a list of what's in season each month. Please note these are approximate dates and may vary according to local weather. 

Be sure to check out our feature item each month for food tips and recipes.

January: Carrots 

The carrot is a root vegetable, usually orange in colour, though purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist. Carrots are a domesticated form of the wild carrot. There are 4 main categories of carrot based on shape but multiple varieties od carrot in each category.  Smaller carrots tend to be more  tender, while carrots that are harvested in the winter months are sweeter due to the cold causing a natural reaction in them.

What to look for when buying/picking: Look for firm carrots with bright color and smooth skin. A fresh carrot will be firm and have not white on it.  To ensure carrots are fresh, look for carrots that still contain their greens, they should be green and crisp.

What to Avoid: Avoid carrots if they are limp or black near the tops.  Whiteness is a sign that the carrot has begin to dry out. Do not consume slimy carrots, this is a sign of decomposition.

Other Facts:

Carrots do not actually help you see in the dark however they do provide a large amount of Vitamin A that your body needs to maintain a healthy immune system.

The urban legend that 'eating large quantities of carrots helps us to see in the dark' was developed from stories started in World War II. British gunners were shooting down German planes at night and to cover up the fact that it was the effective use of radar technologies that was achieving this, the RAF circulated a story about their pilots' high level of carrot consumption.

It is true that eating massive amounts of carrots can sometimes cause a person's skin to turn yellowish orange. This is most noticeable on the palms or soles of feet and is called carotenemia. But don't worry it requires a high amount of carrot consumption and is completely fixable just by reducing carrot intake.

How is it Grown?

Carrots are a root vegetable that grow under ground. Tall green stems and leaves grow above the ground to collect nutrients from the sun while the roots collect nutrients from the soil. Most
varieties of carrot take 70 to 80 days to mature.

Learn about the benefits of buying local.