A quadruple carrot found at the food hub (Photo courtesy Healthy Lincoln County)
Have you ever gotten home from the grocery store and realized the carrot you just bought is shaped like a heart? Or does the beet in your fridge resemble a smiley face?
I’m sure we’ve all come across a strange misshapen vegetable from time to time. One of my favorite parts about working with local farms in Lincoln County is finding those interesting pieces of produce. It also brings up the question – can vegetables be photogenic?
I, of course, believe the answer is yes. At our food hub, we always take the time to appreciate those odd little veggies. We even have a scrap book full of the weirdest vegetables we have found.
Just today we found a carrot that looked more like four carrots smushed together. I had never seen a carrot quite like it before! Lately we’ve also been finding plenty of squash the size of my head. There was one strange Monday where I found six heart-shaped beets. We had plenty to add to our scrapbook that day!
Sometimes when people come across these strange vegetables, they might worry it isn’t quite ready for eating. But I think sometimes Mother Nature just likes to have a little fun with our produce. We have had so much fun putting together our scrapbook of vegetables that I’ve even started taking pictures of the weird food I find at home.
Do you have a hard time getting your kids to eat their veggies? Maybe try making a scrapbook of your own with the help of your little ones. It’s an easy and cost-efficient way to get your kids excited to eat their vegetables! You could even make a calendar out of all your favorite seasonal veggies at the end of the year. And you’ll be surprised by how many cool veggies you find once you’re keeping your eyes open for them.
Next time you visit one of the local share tables, I urge you to take the time to look for the oddly shaped veggies we put out. This week you might even be the one to find the quadruple carrot!
Our farm partners put lots of time and love into their produce, and I’m sure it would put a smile on their faces to see people enjoying their fun fruits. And maybe take the time to decide for yourself if vegetables can truly be photogenic.
