Update on William of Orange and why carrots are orange
We posted an article recently saying that carrots only became orange when Dutch growers made them that way to pay tribute to the House of Orange. Ryan O’Dochartaigh who is one half of Bulrush who played at the DylanFest in August claimed that they used to be purple and it was in tribute to William of Orange that they became Orange.
We were only able to verify that they used to be purple but could only find that they were a tribute to the House of Orange in Holland rather than William in particular.
New Evidence
However, Ryan has sent me an article which states:-
“Allegedly they are orange for entirely political reasons: in the 17th century, Dutch growers are thought to have cultivated orange carrots as a tribute to William of Orange – who led the struggle for Dutch independence – and the color stuck. A thousand years of yellow, white and purple carrot history, was wiped out in a generation.”
While it just says ‘allegedly’ we are certainly closer to being able to say that carrots became orange in tribute to William of Orange.
More vegetables please?