GEORGE’S BROOK-MILTON, N.L. — Fred Bittner and his son-in-law Norman Ellis made an odd discovery in the carrot patch in their George’s Brook-Milton garden on Saturday, Nov. 16.
The 83 year-old Bittner told The Packet he’s never seen anything like it in his 60 years of tending his vegetable garden. It’s inspiring him to experiment with his planting.
Two pairs of the carrots came out fused together, an organic double-double so to speak.
Bittner wonders if he can make it happen again.
He wants to try to replicate the double carrots by growing them from the seed of these carrots.
He expects it may take five consecutive years of replanting the carrots from these specimens, as long as he’s able.
“I’ll let them grow now next summer to make the seed,” explained Bittner with a smile. “Then I’ll harvest the seed in the fall and the next spring I’ll plant them off.”
He says, maybe he’ll only get two again, or maybe he’ll get 10.
Bittner thinks the odd shaped carrots could double the appeal for vegetable lovers.
“We’ve got a chef in the family too!” adding the presentation of such a carrot make an attractive addition to the dinner plate.
If Bittner's seed of an idea turns out the way he hopes, it could also mean half the work of planting for double the carrot crop.
Twitter: @jejparsons
