Carrots are one of Sweden’s most popular staple vegetables and a staple in many homes thanks to their shelf life, flavor, and versatility. Achieving the best possible results requires meticulous work throughout the entire supply chain—from the soil to the final inspection. The very first summer carrots are often especially eagerly anticipated, particularly after a period when the market has been dominated by imports.
At Steglinge , this year’s planting Steglinge as early as March. Despite a long and chilly spring, the warm weather has now set in, and the first Swedish summer carrots are ready to be harvested. To get a sense of the situation, we headed out to the field and took the opportunity to chat for a while with Göran Gibrand, the owner and farmer, about how the year has started.
How's the harvest looking so far?
“We got started back in March, and now the harvest is underway. We’re a little ahead of schedule this year—both the carrots and the market were ready. Everything’s looking good so far, and soon our freshly harvested summer carrots will be on their way to stores and restaurants.”
Have there been any challenges?
“There are always challenges—many factors have to come together. Everything from seed selection and planting methods to how we warm up the soil in the early stages. This was a bit of a challenge at first, since spring was cold for a long time, but once the warmth arrived, we got back on track.”
What makes early carrots special?
“Our carrots should be high-quality, attractive, and taste good all year round, whether they’re freshly harvested or stored. But the early carrots are always a little crisper. Keep that in mind when you eat them.”
What's next?
“Now it’s a matter of distributing them safely and responsibly. After a period of imported carrots on the market in recent weeks, it’s always good news and a wonderful sign of summer when the local carrots are back. After that, the harvest will continue gradually until the first frost arrives.”
Once the first carrots leave the fields, the work continues in the packing house, where they are sorted, chilled, and packed to maintain their quality all the way to the store. Thanks to this year’s early start, Swedish summer carrots will now gradually make their way back onto the shelves—and be available to consumers throughout the season.
Eventually, even the larger carrots are harvested for processing. Here at Steglinge , we Steglinge everything from washing and packing to processing them into various cuts and forms. It’s all done under one roof—but I’m sure you already knew that.
