Revolution

It was not until the late 1500's, however, that carrots finally got their distinctive orange color. That happened in the Netherlands, at the time of their war of independence from Spain.

Dutch growers crossbred red carrots and yellow carrots, to honor William of Orange, the leader of that revolution, the father of his country, the George Washington of the Netherlands.

To this day, orange remains the Netherlands' national color.

Carrots' rapid spread

From the Netherlands, the new orange carrots spread rapidly around the rest of the world.

For a period, they became a fad in England, where fashionable ladies sometimes wore carrot tops in their bonnets.

Carrots came to America with the earliest colonists.

Thomas Jefferson, author of our own Declaration of Independence, was a great fan of carrots and what they stood for. He grew as many as 18 bushels a year for use at Monticello.

Over time, carrots became one of the world's most favorite vegetables, right at the top of the list along with potatoes and onions, grown in many countries around the world.

 

What about here in Arlington?
What about Robbins Farm Park?

At the turn of the previous century, carrots were one of Farmer Robbins' steady cash crops. He grew them up behind where the ball field is now.

He was also known to share an occasional carrot or two with visitors to the farm.