Thursday 27 March 2014

Anyone For Parsnips?

I'm still harvesting parsnips from the allotment, though it's a bit of a race against time as they'll be starting to regrow any time now, they'll turn woody and then they won't be much good. I'm preparing them, par boiling them and then freezing them for future use. It's quite handy having ready prepared parsnips just to pop in a roasting dish. I've also given bag fulls away to neighbours, but there's still a row left in the ground.


Some of the parsnips have canker, I've had a few which are quite bad and others with only a slight touch of the disease, but once the affected part has been cut away, the rest of the root is perfectly fine.


I've come across some odd shapes, you'd never see parsnips like these in the supermarket. It can sometimes be a bit of a struggle to peel them when they've forked and the roots are entwined, but it's definitely worth the effort as they're delicious. Some are rather small, but most of them have been quite large, they all get used.


On the whole, I'm really pleased with the blemish free, straight roots that have been harvested.


These parsnips were growing on my new plot when I took it on at the end of last year, it's been lovely to have such a great crop without putting in any effort of growing them myself. I'll have to see if I can do as well with the ones I sow this year.

38 comments:

  1. What a great gift from the old plot owners. Having a few oddly shaped veggies is part of the joy of growing you own I always think - certainly won't find them in Tesco!

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    1. I was thrilled to find so many parsnips left behind in the ground. They were a very good size at that stage, I'd have been tempted to take them with me if I were them. We often find oddly shaped veggies which give us a chuckle, you definitely don't find them in Tesco.

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  2. A good reminder Jo as we need to lift our parsnips that are left in the ground too. Ours get some canker too.

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    1. I'm going to have to make an effort to get this last row dug up very soon, I really don't want any at all to go to waste, not when both Eleanor and I love them so much.

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  3. Yes, it certainly was a good year for parsnips here in France. I grew lots of them - still some in freezer, but dug up the last few to make room for spring stuff. Discovered 3 or 4 voluteers this morning, so might just leave them. Parsnips are expensive here in France - our supermarket has them for about £3 a kilo, and at one time, we couldn't find them at all - the French round here regard them as animal food and not for humans, although I have converted several friends!

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    1. Two out of four of us here love parsnips, I don't think they're to everyone's tastes though. It's a shame they're not very popular over there, people don't know what they're missing, glad to hear that you've converted some friends.

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  4. My youngest son would be green with envy as he adores parsnips. Even now, when he is ill he rings up for some of Mum's parsnip soup to help him get well!!! Shame you are so far away, I could help you out with using them up xxx

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    1. You'd be very welcome to some, there's just so many of them, but I'll make sure that none go to waste. Eleanor loves parsnips, as do I, we could both eat platefuls of them.

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  5. I have never grown parsnip before. It's unusual vegetable here. I've never seen it's sold here.

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    1. Perhaps they wouldn't grow so well in your climate, it would be fun to give them a go though. They're a winter veg here, traditionally eaten with Christmas dinner.

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  6. Sounds great to me. I can never afford enough space to grow as many Parsnips as I would like.

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    1. I'm certainly not complaining, It's wonderful to have such a huge supply of parsnips this year. I should imagine that the number I've got frozen will see me through to harvest time again.

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  7. We still have some in the ground that need checking. Isn't it a waste that supermarkets etc only sell perfectly shaped specimens

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    1. Don't let them go to waste, it won't be long until they start growing again. I'm going to have to make an effort to get them all dug up, it's just all the par boiling I'm going to have to do that puts me off. It's a real shame that supermarkets only sell perfect specimens, they don't usually taste anywhere near as good either.

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    2. I'm afraid I don't blanch anything.Just chop up and freeze. I'm sure the won;t lose as much nutritional value as buying them having been dug up ages ago.

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    3. I don't always blanch vegetables which I'm going to freeze, but I always blanch parsnips before roasting, even when I'm not freezing them. It helps to keep them from drying out too much when they're being roasted, they keep nice and moist.

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  8. Wow, the previous people who had your plot must have really loved parsnips, you have been picking them for ages and ages now!!! You are certainly set for all of your parsnip needs for some time to come... xx

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    1. I know, I thought the same. I'm not complaining though because I love them too. The freezer should be well stocked for quite some time.

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  9. They've obviously been a welcome bonus. I was given a couple recently, and I am going to grow some of my own this year. Flighty xx

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    1. I've never grown such a bountiful crop of parsnips myself. Let's hope we both do as well with them this year.

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  10. Great harvest - I've sown mine for this year. I hope I get as good a crop.
    Love from Mum
    xx

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    1. I haven't sown any yet, I must get my skates on if I want to replicate this harvest.

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  11. Even with a bit of canker they look very good!

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    1. I don't mind the canker, I just cut it away and the rest of the parsnip is still good. Waste not want not.

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  12. That's such a stroke of good fortune isn't it, and my goodness...the SIZE of them...now pop some in a basket for me....roasted and ready to eat please!xxx

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    1. You'd be most welcome to some. There's some real whoppers, I just hope I manage to grow some as good this year.

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  13. I haven't had a parsnip in ages now I have to try them again !

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    1. Parsnips are a staple on our roast dinners, both Eleanor and I love them.

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  14. We love our parsnips and potato roasties. You enjoyed a good crop for free! We're just clearing our shared allotment before the end of the month as we've decided to give it up for various reasons. That won't stop us from growing lots of vegetables in a plot at home.

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    1. I was so lucky taking on a plot with such a great harvest waiting for me on it. It's a shame you're having to give up the allotment, but I'm sure you'll be able to grow plenty of things in your garden, and it'll be more convenient there too.

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  15. Some real weird and wonderfuls there Jo. Hope that you have a good crop this year. I love roast parsnips and quite often incorporate them into mashed potatoes along with a bit of mustard. If only you were nearer ...

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    1. I don't think you ever get two the same when you grow your own. I've never eaten parsnip the way you prepare it, I'll have to remember that.

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  16. What a great crop, I think it's fun seeing mishapen ones, so much is wasted by the supermarkets, although here they don't seem to be so bothered. How about making parsnip chips, we love these so easy to do just pop them in the oven and they never hang around. Wonderful snacks. I do a tray whilst using the oven for something else

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    1. I don't think supermarkets in other countries are as particular as they are here about the shape of vegetables, it's such a shame that so many don't pass the test for them to be sold. I'll have to remember parsnip chips, they'd be a lovely snack for Eleanor and I.

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  17. I didn't have any parsnips at all germinate last year and I have really missed them. I am hoping for a crop this year though. Yours look great and I hope you manage to grow some good ones yourself this year.

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    1. At least I know it can be done. I'm hoping to grow as good a crop myself, I just hope I succeed.

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  18. Hi Jo,

    I read this after eating the last of our parsnips for tea tonight! This was a disastrous parsnip growing year for us because we experimented with the growing medium and transplanted seedlings. Never again: They grew with tendrils instead of a tapering roots and we had none for Christmas dinner. (Ssshhh but we had to buy some from the supermarket). However the new growth gave away the location of a few I had overlooked/ignored so this weekend I dug them up and we had parsnip chips with our roast potatoes! There was a lot of wastage and, boy, if you wanted to see canker, we had it with a capital K ! You live and learn.

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    1. I've transplanted seedlings in the past, I got a few with tendrils but more commonly, they grew with large shoulders and not much root. It's always a bonus finding things you've overlooked, I bet the parsnips you ate yesterday were all the nicer because they were a bonus.

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