Carrots? Pheasants? Sound A Little Bird-Brained?

Most kids have no idea where their food comes from. Much to my surprise a second grader I know was completely appalled to learn that carrots grew underground and came out all dirty. With the kind of horror only a second grade girl can muster she exclaimed, "I will never eat a carrot again!" Well we take this learning adventure a step further by introducing kids and adults to ecosystems, what they are, why they're important, and the jobs each member of that community holds. As bird-brained as it may sound, join in the fun and learn all about why there's a pheasant on the packet of the purple carrots.

The Purple Cosmic Carrot was created in the USA by Dr. Phillip Simon in Madison, Wisconsin in 2005 and are descendants of the original purple carrot varieties native to Central Asia that were woody with an un-enticing flavor. They are becoming increasingly popular due to their bright purple color with an orange interior. They're mostly grown as a specialty item, in private gardens,  and sold in farmer's markets. Queen Anne's Lace is a form of wild carrot, but isn't very tasty.

A Pheasant?

It may seem a bit bird-brained to have a pheasant on this carrot seed packet but we aren’t as flighty as it seems. The wild form of carrot in this country is Queen Anne's Lace. It's an extremely prolific plant and also considered invasive in some areas. However, wild birds, including the pheasant, utilize the seeds from this tall and widespread plant as food and shelter during the fall and winter months. Leaving weeds and plants with stalks and seeds intact helps wildlife survive tough winter months. Stems and stalks provide shelter for insects as well. Pheasants also spread the seeds when they eat them and poop them out, which is how so many plants propagate and survive in the ecosystem. Pheasants, being mainly land birds, also scratch the ground and help those seeds get to places where they can germinate more easily. So rather than cleaning up the garden when winter is on the way, leave some to feed the wildlife!

Also, those cosmic purple carrots sort of matched the pheasant so there's that. LOL