Monday, 30 January 2012

The last of the Parsnips

The other day I wrote (here) about the fact that my parsnips were beginning to re-sprout. I subsequently decided that I should dig them up, influenced by the fact that I shall need the space soon for Spring sowings (which this year will be possible a little earlier than in previous years, since I now have some cloches). Incidentally I recently acquired a fourth one of those Parasene "Longrow" cloches, so I now have enough to cover one complete raised bed.

This was the yield from the last part of my double row of parsnips and Hamburg parsley:


Although there were 14 parsnips (weighing a total of 700g),  they were mostly very small. Only three or four were of a respectable size. You can judge their size by looking at the garden fork at the top of the first photo.


But if the Parsnips have yielded well this year, the Hamburg parsley has been disappointing. Although these last few are the biggest of the ones I grew, none of them are even as big as the smallest of the parsnips. I think I'll just save the best half dozen or so and use them for flavouring a stew or some stock. I will not be growing Hamburg parsley again.


One of the parsnips did provide a little bit of amusement....


An ice-skater who has tried an over-ambitious pirouette, maybe?
Posted by at

23 comments:

  1. Daphne Gould30 January 2012 at 17:44

    Love the last photo. Some year I'm going to finally grow parsnips. I haven't yet. I never tried at my last garden because I could barely get carrots to grow in my heavy clay soil. But here I have good soil down about 16". After that they will be stopped dead in their tracks, but 16" is pretty good.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Caro30 January 2012 at 18:09

    Your twisted parsnip reminds me of the crazy carrots I had as a late harvest last year - great fun! I hadn't heard of Hamburg Parsley and had to look it up; if it worked it would be a great space saver but I think I'll stick to normal parsley! Still, you learn something new every day!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Stacy30 January 2012 at 18:55

    I think that parsnip is busting for the toilet!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous30 January 2012 at 19:48

    We have a few parsnips still clinging on and I'll be sowing the next batch in a couple of weeks time!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Green Dragonette30 January 2012 at 20:10

    That last one did make me giggle...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous30 January 2012 at 21:09

    Ah the twizzled ice skater parsnip! I believe that you can freeze Hamburg Parsley roots and use them for flavouring soups, casseroles and gravies.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Caroline Taylor30 January 2012 at 21:17

    Jealous. I need to get mine out, I've been ignoring them! Didn't know they could resprout though! You should be very proud and even more so of your cheeky parsnip.

    ReplyDelete
  8. becky308631 January 2012 at 01:57

    Well, you are still harvesting something and that is pretty good in my book.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Unknown31 January 2012 at 05:36

    I should get around to grow some parsnips too. Yours, however small they might be, are inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jennie31 January 2012 at 06:43

    I love real produce...you have to love the fact that everyone of them is a bit different...unlike any store bought produce.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Liz31 January 2012 at 11:22

    I thought a very demure lady circa 1950 on her first date with a new beau and worried that the chaperone wasn't up to much....

    ReplyDelete
  12. Jo31 January 2012 at 11:54

    What will you do with the parsnips now that they're out of the ground? I've kept some in the fridge before, but they don't seem to last very well so I just dig them up as I need them now. Perhaps they should be kept out of the fridge?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Unknown31 January 2012 at 12:07

    i've just made the most divine Curried Parsnip Soup... so so good... will post it on the blog this week some time... I adore parsnips... and keep mine out of the fridge!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Robin31 January 2012 at 13:06

    Those parsnips definitely have some character!

    ReplyDelete
  15. kitsapFG31 January 2012 at 14:07

    I pulled the last of my parsnips this past weekend as well. Have not used them yet, but will in the next day or two. You got a good last harvest from them. The smaller ones do add up to make for some good eating.

    ReplyDelete
  16. David31 January 2012 at 14:27

    How wonderful to be pulling veg at this time! I'm going with Liz's choice.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Sue Garrett31 January 2012 at 14:53

    Or a ballet dancer , or someone urgently needed to go somewhere!

    We need to get to the plot to refresh our vegetable stocks!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Kelli1 February 2012 at 13:14

    The parsnip look good. If only they matured faster! I think i prefer carrots only because they grow faster.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Mary Hysong2 February 2012 at 21:03

    I have a few puny parsnips and carrots left, but I'm holding off until they look like they are going to grow and bolt or I need the space...

    ReplyDelete
  20. Lynns Urban Garden Diary6 February 2012 at 02:11

    How funny! Great harvest.

    Lynn

    ReplyDelete
  21. Diary of a Tomato6 February 2012 at 21:26

    I took a look at the cloches you mentioned — you have the best gardening gear over there!

    ReplyDelete
  22. wilderness6 February 2012 at 23:03

    I do love the last parsnip. I must confess that I have never eaten one much less grown on.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Michelle7 February 2012 at 03:58

    I'm with Stacy, that baby has really got to go, near to bursting! LOL

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking time to leave me a comment! Please note that Comment Moderation is enabled for older posts.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)