Illustration: Carrots under the chamber's light

Illustrations: the crop under the chamber’s light, and how it arrives (packaging render).

Packaging render

Carrots 2018

Créances · Cotentin coast, Normandy · France

Sand, sea air, and a long warm autumn.

Our selection: ranked first of 35 seasons here, 1990–2024, on the recorded weather.

$38per 3 kg bunch box · $52 after harvest

0% reserved · 240 of 240 leftPlants at 70% · closes 7 December 2026

Nothing is owed unless this lot reaches 70% reserved by 7 December 2026. If it doesn't, your reservation is released.

Créances carrots grow in the coastal sand of the Cotentin, traditionally dressed with seaweed. 2018 gave them a warm, bright summer and a long, mild autumn to sweeten in — one of three seasons — with 1999 and 2007 — that share the top score of thirty-five on our carrot profile, and the warmest of them.

153
days replayed

1 Jun – 31 Oct

16.6°
mean temperature

5° to 29°

1922
degree-days of heat

warmth accumulated

290 mm
rain

67 mm in the final weeks

10.5 h
sun a day

estimated from the reanalysis

6.2°
day–night swing

in the final weeks

37
mol/m² of light a day

calculated

What this weather does to the carrots.

Five readings from the recorded season, each against the band the crop does best in (painted green on the dial). The meanings are what growers and agronomists expect of weather like this, not a tasting note.

Heat over the season · in balance

Heat in the range the crop does best in.

Day–night swing while ripening · ideal

Cold nights convert starch to sugar in the root.

Rain in the last 30 days · moderate

Some late rain, within what the crop tolerates.

Sunlight · brilliant

Plenty of light for colour and sweetness.

Days above 29° · none

No heat stress: the plant never shut down to protect itself.

The season, as it happened.

1 June 2018 to 31 October 2018, recorded daily at 49.20°, -1.57° (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo historical archive). Choose a chapter to mark it on the paper.

Point at the paper to read any day. Arrow keys step a day.

Air temperature, day high to night low · °C3–31
Rain, given as water at the roots · mm0–27
Daily light · mol/m² · calculated0–73
Peak UV · index · calculated0–9
Humidity · %53–97
Soil temperature, top 7 cm · °C7–24
Soil water · m³/m³0.13–0.44
JunJulAugSeptOct

Burgundy ink: the recorded day. Blue: rain. The dashed line is where the chamber is today. Light and UV are calculated from the recorded sunshine.

The ground, and what stands in for it.

In Créances
Coastal sand between the dunes and the marsh, traditionally dressed with seaweed.
In the chamber
A deep, loose sand-like substrate for straight roots, with a seaweed-derived trace-element supplement.
The ledger: every day and the chamber’s settings for it (153 days)
DayDateHigh °CLow °CRH %Rain mmSun hLight hDLIPPFDUVSoil °CSoil water→ Water L/m²→ Mist min
11 Jun18.013.6870.18.115.735.46255.717.332%2.6—
22 Jun20.011.8820.214.315.854.09527.417.331%4.2—
33 Jun24.013.4730.314.415.853.79457.418.329%4.9—
44 Jun17.714.4841.15.115.830.65375.217.228%3.42
55 Jun16.212.69211.50.015.821.93854.315.536%1323
66 Jun15.712.19314.10.815.922.94024.414.538%15.728
77 Jun20.112.5902.39.315.934.46035.715.937%4.95
88 Jun22.013.0870.011.615.952.89237.317.935%3.9—
99 Jun21.114.3894.66.715.936.06285.817.336%7.29
1010 Jun20.414.1912.27.415.934.96095.717.240%4.64
1111 Jun19.213.9830.011.615.943.57586.517.438%3.2—
1212 Jun18.813.6800.215.116.060.410518.017.537%4.3—
1313 Jun18.911.3810.314.516.053.29257.417.235%4.1—
1414 Jun17.013.8832.68.016.031.05385.316.535%4.95
1515 Jun16.312.8800.013.916.051.99017.316.234%3.5—
1616 Jun17.511.6811.19.516.040.06956.215.834%42
1717 Jun17.013.5822.12.616.024.54254.615.833%4.34
1818 Jun16.914.5871.39.616.046.07976.816.834%4.33
1919 Jun19.014.8880.310.216.037.06436.017.733%3—
2020 Jun21.512.4900.014.016.059.410307.918.332%4.1—
2121 Jun17.112.8700.015.416.061.410658.117.631%4.3—
2222 Jun19.39.2700.015.916.061.910748.116.230%4.5—
2323 Jun21.510.6630.012.616.061.410648.116.929%5.1—
2424 Jun22.711.4650.015.416.061.410648.117.928%5.1—
2525 Jun22.512.9690.015.816.064.011108.318.627%5.1—
2626 Jun23.813.8650.015.816.066.011458.419.425%5.7—
2727 Jun23.213.9720.015.816.065.211338.419.724%5.3—
2828 Jun23.414.3740.015.616.064.611238.319.823%5.2—
2929 Jun23.115.3710.015.616.063.411038.220.223%5.4—
3030 Jun23.515.9740.315.316.055.19587.520.322%5.1—
311 Jul26.717.9771.68.215.936.36325.921.322%5.23
322 Jul26.816.8690.612.715.954.09417.422.022%5.8—
333 Jul23.816.4807.010.815.937.86606.020.725%10.314
344 Jul22.717.5810.415.115.951.79047.221.025%4.4—
355 Jul21.815.8840.314.115.953.49357.420.625%4.3—
366 Jul21.314.4860.015.415.963.111058.120.424%4.5—
377 Jul26.414.3750.015.415.859.610457.921.324%5.1—
388 Jul27.315.4670.015.515.863.311118.122.023%5.8—
399 Jul26.616.9630.015.515.863.211128.122.421%5.8—
4010 Jul22.615.7690.014.615.854.29567.421.221%4.5—
4111 Jul22.513.6710.015.215.755.19737.519.720%4.5—
4212 Jul22.614.0730.015.215.754.79677.419.820%4.5—
4313 Jul23.514.2760.715.315.754.89717.420.319%5.2—
4414 Jul24.214.4750.015.315.662.111038.020.919%5.1—
4515 Jul25.214.3690.015.315.663.211248.021.319%5.3—
4616 Jul23.513.7730.014.615.656.210027.520.818%4.6—
4717 Jul20.315.5770.815.015.551.29157.120.518%4.7—
4818 Jul23.214.6720.013.015.550.69067.020.018%4.3—
4919 Jul24.615.7700.012.515.552.49407.120.917%4.7—
5020 Jul19.616.4770.012.915.442.77696.320.417%3.3—
5121 Jul22.515.5770.014.715.446.98456.620.318%3.8—
5222 Jul22.614.1770.014.915.457.910477.520.518%4.5—
5323 Jul24.815.0780.014.815.359.410767.621.317%4.7—
5424 Jul25.317.1740.012.815.348.18746.722.117%4.3—
5525 Jul26.016.9710.014.515.254.910017.222.216%4.8—
5626 Jul25.617.1680.013.015.252.79637.022.816%4.8—
5727 Jul24.116.9765.411.015.142.47776.222.017%9.111
5828 Jul20.316.3713.112.615.154.19957.120.721%7.76
5929 Jul20.517.08416.60.015.114.72723.218.629%18.433
6030 Jul22.417.5802.711.515.041.77716.020.334%6.35
6131 Jul21.116.3763.714.315.055.310267.120.232%7.97
621 Aug20.815.0780.014.014.952.89846.919.429%4—
632 Aug24.713.1740.014.314.957.310717.219.827%4.8—
643 Aug27.715.4700.014.214.856.410577.121.625%5.2—
654 Aug26.317.0750.014.014.851.39656.722.523%4.5—
665 Aug25.617.1710.014.314.757.410847.122.222%5.1—
676 Aug28.716.2750.013.714.754.610346.922.421%5—
687 Aug24.216.18019.411.114.642.58085.921.424%22.939
698 Aug20.116.5710.012.914.646.68886.219.930%4—
709 Aug18.114.77917.66.014.526.55084.417.836%19.935
7110 Aug19.114.4753.311.014.528.25424.617.034%6.17
7211 Aug21.815.5802.710.914.429.65714.718.034%5.55
7312 Aug19.516.7828.31.714.416.83253.318.034%10.217
7413 Aug19.516.0842.911.614.342.68295.818.537%66
7514 Aug19.916.5850.811.514.235.76965.118.735%3.5—
7615 Aug20.517.0840.210.514.235.76995.119.434%3—
7716 Aug20.215.4884.87.414.126.85274.318.734%6.810
7817 Aug18.414.3770.413.814.142.88455.617.535%3.7—
7918 Aug18.915.9791.311.614.031.86294.717.734%3.93
8019 Aug20.315.9880.37.514.030.96154.618.133%2.6—
8120 Aug20.517.7930.41.513.920.74133.619.233%2.1—
8221 Aug20.816.0890.411.013.837.87585.119.732%3.2—
8322 Aug19.914.9890.08.113.830.46134.418.832%2.3—
8423 Aug20.115.5871.18.213.728.55764.218.632%3.32
8524 Aug16.713.9713.87.513.728.65814.217.132%6.78
8625 Aug17.111.6680.713.313.647.69715.716.632%4.3—
8726 Aug18.510.9828.60.013.511.12282.414.633%1017
8827 Aug18.115.3781.910.913.531.16404.316.937%4.54
8928 Aug21.711.4790.412.613.445.69435.417.134%3.9—
9029 Aug18.014.3849.18.813.432.76794.417.237%11.518
9130 Aug16.813.7800.01.113.318.83933.116.336%1.6—
9231 Aug20.010.5840.212.413.238.48064.816.035%3—
931 Sept22.913.1720.08.913.233.37004.317.434%3.1—
942 Sept22.914.4570.011.913.145.49605.218.733%4.3—
953 Sept21.613.9790.012.613.143.99345.017.831%3.4—
964 Sept21.212.0770.012.213.039.08334.717.031%3.1—
975 Sept18.715.2840.06.812.921.74663.217.430%1.9—
986 Sept18.914.7780.211.012.940.18654.617.530%3.2—
997 Sept17.813.5770.911.612.835.77734.317.230%3.7—
1008 Sept19.412.6790.510.412.832.67114.016.230%3—
1019 Sept19.312.8830.010.812.737.28134.316.829%2.7—
10210 Sept19.814.9820.211.112.633.57354.017.528%2.7—
10311 Sept20.416.1840.012.012.633.77454.017.828%2.5—
10412 Sept19.315.2903.82.212.513.12912.217.228%58
10513 Sept18.012.9760.411.412.531.87093.816.632%2.9—
10614 Sept17.310.9770.311.012.429.26543.514.830%2.6—
10715 Sept18.213.5790.312.012.331.06983.616.030%2.7—
10816 Sept20.312.4740.012.012.332.87423.715.929%2.7—
10917 Sept25.413.0660.012.012.238.78804.017.028%3.8—
11018 Sept22.217.4780.011.212.129.96843.418.927%2.9—
11119 Sept21.917.0800.611.812.129.66823.419.027%3.4—
11220 Sept21.517.6790.010.912.027.66373.219.226%2.9—
11321 Sept18.313.86912.711.012.028.96723.217.235%15.825
11422 Sept19.213.37713.70.011.96.41491.315.436%15.227
11523 Sept18.712.98312.72.111.811.32651.816.340%14.125
11624 Sept15.69.5690.011.911.828.16643.113.737%2.3—
11725 Sept16.27.2700.011.511.735.08313.412.736%2.6—
11826 Sept19.87.0670.011.811.635.78523.413.135%2.9—
11927 Sept23.48.8720.011.711.633.88103.314.734%2.7—
12028 Sept18.213.6780.011.611.527.46612.915.633%2.3—
12129 Sept16.59.2690.011.511.533.78173.214.233%2.7—
12230 Sept15.77.1770.17.411.421.55242.412.332%2—
1231 Oct14.210.1670.010.911.325.46222.613.132%2.4—
1242 Oct16.812.1821.20.011.39.12251.413.734%2.52
1253 Oct17.511.8870.110.511.221.95432.315.335%1.7—
1264 Oct20.510.1860.09.911.129.57362.714.833%2.1—
1275 Oct20.311.6760.011.011.130.87722.815.132%2.4—
1286 Oct15.510.09220.00.011.06.41611.112.835%20.740
1297 Oct14.310.08111.95.711.015.43901.812.541%13.424
1308 Oct15.17.0800.010.410.927.26942.511.539%1.8—
1319 Oct21.38.1790.010.510.828.77362.512.837%2.2—
13210 Oct24.314.8710.79.510.825.86652.315.836%3.6—
13311 Oct18.913.7833.62.410.711.52981.415.437%5.27
13412 Oct21.813.4711.49.110.723.66152.115.938%4.63
13513 Oct23.718.3690.010.010.625.36632.218.536%3.4—
13614 Oct18.414.49324.10.010.56.51720.916.440%24.748
13715 Oct17.914.4890.35.210.514.63861.515.641%1.4—
13816 Oct16.913.5870.19.110.418.64961.714.839%1.4—
13917 Oct16.512.1860.08.810.420.05371.814.138%1.5—
14018 Oct17.913.3840.010.010.320.25451.715.037%1.7—
14119 Oct16.911.4850.010.010.222.76171.814.237%1.6—
14220 Oct16.79.9830.010.010.224.16571.913.236%1.6—
14321 Oct17.47.9840.010.010.123.06301.812.735%1.6—
14422 Oct13.89.0800.08.010.120.05521.613.035%1.6—
14523 Oct15.16.8840.09.910.022.26151.711.335%1.4—
14624 Oct17.09.8900.09.910.018.25071.512.934%1.2—
14725 Oct14.17.8910.07.59.917.74961.411.334%1.1—
14826 Oct13.98.5730.45.39.810.32901.011.434%1.8—
14927 Oct8.55.6740.89.89.818.25171.48.934%2.2—
15028 Oct10.35.9761.89.59.717.75051.48.435%3.44
15129 Oct10.55.4660.78.59.715.24361.28.636%2.5—
15230 Oct10.06.0670.09.59.617.45011.38.635%1.6—
15331 Oct13.15.2750.04.89.611.63381.08.134%1.2—
Download the chamber recipe (CSV)