Tired of Halloween pumpkins and Thanksgiving squash – try carrots at this bed and breakfast

Tied of hearing about pumpkin carving, pumpkin cookies and pumpkin candy this Halloween?  I declare a pumpkin free Halloween, and I’m sure Ramona Zawarti, co-owner of the Armistead Cottage and founder of the Carrot Museum will agree.

I’ve heard of Carrot Soup and Carrot Cake, but a Carrot Museum? When touring B&Bs in Newport, RI, recently, I was delighted to discover the Carrot Museum at Armistead Cottage B&B. It’s three parts hobby and one part zany, but the Carrot Museum is reputed to be the largest collection of carrot memorabilia in the world. From carrot lighters to my favorite - a three carrot ring! - Armistead Cottage co-owner Ramona Zawarti’s carrot collection is about to exceed available space in its one-room showplace. Known as The Carrot Queen by the local media and her guests, Ramona says “I’m a purist, I won’t mix my vegetables.” Root around all you want, but you’ll only find carrot items here… thousands of them!

It all started in 1992 when Ramona went on a trip to Maine and brought home two little carrot collectible souvenirs. Her collection now houses 2057 carrot collectibles (probably even more by now!) housed in her one-room Carrot Museum at Armistead Cottage B&B. And the collection is growing, soon to expand available room in her famous one room “root cellar”. Carrots are collected each place Ramona travels and then each item is numbered and catalogued in the museum. Ramona’s “carrot crowd” includes a large posse of guests and friends who send carrot items so they too can have a number and a place in the Carrot Museum.

What will you find in the Carrot Museum? One thing you won’t find is Halloween pumpkins.  It’s more a question of what you won’t find! Carrot clothing ranges from socks, shoes, ties underwear and shirts. There is one section reserved for carrot pet and children’s toys and another section exclusively for carrot jewelry. There are squeaky carrots, carrots that wind up, and even a carrot that vibrates for the more risqué. Carrot pens, carrot lights, carrot cookbooks and carrot dry mixes, carrot tea, plus a wide range of carrot buttons and more. You’ll even find the carrot costume from the movie Daddy Day Care here. There’s a carrot lighter from Japan, carrot bowls and even carrot salt-and-pepper shakers. The list goes on and on.

You won’t find a sign for the Carrot Museum anywhere in Newport. It’s actually quite unassuming. When you enter the Armistead Cottage B&B, you have no idea what carrot treasures await inside until you walk through the parlor or dining room into Ramona’s carrot kingdom. When asked why she loves carrots, she tells guests that carrots are her thing. Like any collector, it started as a hobby and grew to a passion for the cute roots. No pumpkins allowed. Even at Halloween.

For More Information:

Armistead Cottage, 55 Hunter Avenue, Newport, RI 02840, (401) 848-7123, armisteadcottage.com/

If you enjoyed this story, read more about Newport B&Bs here:
Six Newport Inns offer a glimpse into NIBBS

Marti Mayne is the B&B Editor for Wandering Educators.