夏の終わりに息子のあおと一緒に蒔いたニンジン。土の中でじっと寒さに耐えながら、まだまだぼくらの食卓に美味しい野菜ならではの甘さを届けてくれています。

これは「筑摩野五寸」という固定種で、毎年長野にある自然農法国際研究開発センターという自然農法の普及活動に取り組んでいる財団法人の頒布種を取り寄せて育てています。主観ですが、とても強く育ちの良い品種で、毎年素晴らしく立派なオレンジ色の根部を実らせてくれるので、おすすめです。

ひと袋の中にはとてもたくさんの種が入っていますが、次の年に余らせても南房総の湿気の多い夏を越すと、どうしても種に元気がなくなり、発芽率も極端に落ちる気がします。せっかく畑を準備して蒔くのだから、やっぱりなるべく多くを収穫したいと思い、近年は一度開けた種袋は友達とシェアするか、全部蒔き切ることにしています。秋から春にかけてのこの季節、からだを温める根菜類はさまざまな料理にとても重宝するので、たくさんできても問題なし。特に栄養価が高く多くの冬の料理にフィットするニンジンは、どれだけあってもいいくらいです。

小さいうちのひと口サイズの間引きニンジンは、小さな葉の部分も残して、カリフラワーやセロリなど他の秋冬野菜と一緒にピクルスに。野菜をあまり食べなかったあおも、このニンジンだけは他の野菜をかき分けて口に入れるようになりました。

気温が下がってくると育ちもゆっくりになるので、都度葉の状態を見ながら大きく育っていそうな個体から引き抜いて台所に運びます。そして、霜が降りるようになると、立ち上がっていた葉も温かい地面に這いつくばるようにして極力太陽を全身に浴びるような格好になります。このころになると滋味が増すような気がして、寒さで霜げた雑草の草むらをかき分けながら美味しそうな個体を収穫するのが楽しみでたまりません。

味が強くなった冬場のものは、生のまま食べるのが気に入っています。少々のオイルと塩、それに柑橘の果汁を加え、パクチーとあえたシンプルなサラダがお気に入り。

トウが立つまで、まだまだたくさん楽しめそう。

たかがニンジン。されどニンジン。

これも決して買っては味わえない、うちの食卓に必要な貴重な美食材です。

Carrots were plated with my son, AO in late summer. While withstand the still cold in the soil, we have us deliver still sweetness of delicious vegetables unique to our table.

This is brought up by obtaining a fixed species, distribution of species Foundation is working to promote the activities of natural farming that every year International Nature Farming Research and Development Center in Nagano called “Chikuma No Gosun”. Although it is subjective, a very strong good variety of grew up, so let me bear the root of wonderfully fine orange every year, it is recommended.

Some people bag contains a very large number of species, but it exceeds the summer a lot of southern Boso of moisture even if left unused in the next year, there is no vitality in absolutely seed, feel germination rate also fall extremely to you. And because great pains to sow and to prepare the field, after all it is, I would like to harvest as much as possible many, in recent years once opened species bag or to share it with friends, we have to be as possible sown all. This season from fall to spring, because the root vegetables that warm the body is very handy in a variety of dishes, even if a lot can be no problem. Especially carrot to fit the nutritious many winter dishes, is about how much good even.

Thinning carrot of small Uchinohito opening size, also left part of a small leaf, pickles in along with the other fall and winter vegetables such as cauliflower and celery. Vegetables Aomo did not eat too much of, this carrot only was now placed in the mouth by pushing aside the other vegetables.

Because when the temperature comes down and raised also become slowly, it carries to the kitchen and pulled out from the big grown up not likely individuals while watching the state of each time the leaves. Then, when the so frost, it becomes as much as possible the sun in the Tsukubaru so leaves had risen even crawl to warm the ground in dressed like bathe the body. By this time you feel like Jimi increases when it comes, it does not accumulate in looking forward to harvest a delicious individual while wade through the grass of frost clogs weed in the cold.

Those of winter taste becomes strong, I like to eat raw. A little oil and salt, And the juice of citrus addition, a simple salad tossed with coriander favorite.

Until the toe stands, it seems to enjoy still a lot.

Mere carrot. Saredo carrot.

This carrot is also not taste it bought never, it is a valuable beauty ingredients necessary to table the inner.