The poor carrot. It’s a root vegetable that has been cultivated and eaten by humans for over 3,000 years. It has been used as traditional medicine in Asia, was used as a tribute to William of Orange during the Dutch fight for independence, and has accompanied a variety of main courses on dinner plates all across Europe and North America.

Yet it rarely has received the respect it deserves. However, that is now beginning to change thanks to the introduction of a holiday dedicated to them. This holiday is known as International Carrot Day, and it’s a day that shows the humble carrot a little bit of respect. Now, people who want to honor this vegetable can do so on the 4th day of April.

The History Of International Carrot Day

In Asia, carrots were used for over 3,000 years as medicine. Of course, these original carrots weren’t the ones we’re familiar with today. No, they were yellow or purple. About 1,100 years ago, carrots began to be grown by people in Afghanistan for food.

These purple and yellow carrots would eventually make their way to Europe, but not until the 14th century. Once they were introduced, they became an important root crop, especially for the poor. The orange carrot was reportedly cultivated by the Dutch as a tribute to William of Orange, as we stated in the introductory paragraph of this article.

The best thing about these carrots wasn’t their orange color, however. What was really great about them was that they were a lot less bitter than the yellow and purple varieties of carrots. When carrots were brought to North America, they were brought by the Pilgrims.

They would then share the seeds with Native Americans, who helped to plant carrots from coast to coast all across the continent. It’s for this reason that orange carrots are still the most popular variety of carrots sold in the United States to this day. As far as the history of International Carrot Day goes, we know that it was invented sometime in 2003.

We’re unsure who invented it, but we know that it was invented in the United States. We also know that a few years after its creation, it began to be observed in other countries. Now, it’s a holiday that people all over the world can enjoy.

Observing International Carrot Day

International Carrot Day is a holiday that just begs people to add some carrots to their diet. These root vegetables are extremely versatile and can be used in a variety of different dishes.

Roasted carrots, honey-glazed carrots, and carrot-mustard slaw are just some of the dishes that can be enjoyed. As can carrot cake, carrot-ginger soup, and carrot fries. No matter what a person decides to make for this holiday, we encourage them to use the hashtag #InternationalCarrotDay to tell everyone about it.