FARMER MIKE YUROSEK, INVENTOR OF 'BABY' CARROTS, DIES OF CANCER.Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer NEWHALL - Agricultural pioneer Mike Yurosek Mike Yurosek is a California farmer who is known as the "father of the baby carrot". Many people are surprised to learn that the "baby carrot" that is popular in the US is not a separate breed but a way of processing regular full sized carrots to increase utilization and decrease , who invented the peeled ``baby'' carrots enjoyed as a snack food around the world, died this week of cancer and was laid to rest Thursday. Yurosek, who died Sunday at 82, followed his father into the farming business in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. , where they grew cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, lima beans and carrots. In the 1960s, Yurosek fields covered 400 acres in Valencia and Saugus. He specialized in carrots, making his ``Bunny Luv'' brand a household name, with packages emblazoned with a rabbit cartoon drawn by his wife, Sue Yurosek. In 1986, he was harvesting 2,500 tons of carrots a day and throwing away 400 tons because they were misshapen mis·shape tr.v. mis·shaped, mis·shaped or mis·shap·en , mis·shap·ing, mis·shapes To shape badly; deform. mis·shap , bent or broken. He set about to find a way to use the discarded carrots and perfected a way to shave 2-inch segments into ``baby'' carrots, an innovation credited with changing the entire industry and boosting sales of carrots by 35 percent. The Yuroseks were active volunteers and supporters of local charities, a trait noted during Thursday's funeral Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church Our Lady of Perpetual Help, also known as St. Mary's Catholic Church was built in 1902 and is located atop St. Mary's Mountain in Altus, Arkansas. The church is on the National Register of Historic Places and has over five hundred members. in Newhall. Monsignor Paul Montoya reminded the crowd that Yurosek helped build the church and frequently assisted with ushering and collection. Yurosek was preceded in death by his daughter, Michelle. He is survived by his wife; daughters Johnsie and Lynn; son David; six grandchildren GRANDCHILDREN, domestic relations. The children of one's children. Sometimes these may claim bequests given in a will to children, though in general they can make no such claim. 6 Co. 16. and 14 great-grandchildren. After the services, Yurosek was laid to rest at San Fernando Mission Cemetery The San Fernando Mission Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery operated by the Los Angeles Archdiocese since 1800, and is located at 11160 Stranwood Avenue in the Mission Hills community of northern Los Angeles, California, near the Mission San Fernando Rey de España. . Carol Rock, (661) 257-5252 carol.rock(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Agricultural pioneer Mike Yurosek shows off some of his ``baby'' carrots in August 2004. Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer |
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