Kevin & The Giant Parsnip!


I went out to the allotment yesterday for my first visit in over a week, Kathryn had been up a few times to keep things in order and continue harvesting.I noticed a clump of large leaves and decided to pull a parsnip.
Pulling made no impact so I loosened some of the surrounding earth with my fingers, thought this is more like a turnip size than a parsnip and got a small hand trowel. This proved as useless but I did see that this was no ordinary parsnip!
The large digging fork was brought into loosen more earth and finally the spade, by this time I had a fairly large hole excavated but there was no move from the parsnip!Short of bringing in a mechanical digger and disturbing the remainder of the plants,I pulled and tugged and eventually it broke off leaving I would think a fairly sizable chunk in the hole. The parsnip won the tussle as I ended up on my bum on the ground.
I did take some photos of the parsnip in the hole but I must have inadvertently moved the settings on my camera and they were very over exposed.
I weighed the monster minus the leaves and it is 4 1/2 lbs weight!it remains to be seen if it is edible.
The only good photo in the camera since yesterday is of the entrance to our allotments,nasturtiums cascading over a plot.
I cleared all of the sweetcorn, another 12 cobs which makes nearly 30 in all so it was one of the success stories this year.
I had about 6 more quite large strawberries eaten in situ.
More tomatoes were ripe,there was about 4 lbs and there are still some on the vines. I did clear the grow bag of 3 plants and will put in some winter salad instead rather than discarding it completely.
Carrots and a few normal sized parsnips, plus some cooking apples from Zwena and I had a nice haul coming home!
I finally put the Goji Berry bushes in place beside the shed and did some other general clearing and tidying for the winter.

Comments

Ann said…
That is one huge parsnip Peggy!!! Well done with the sweet corn, a good crop in the end. Good idea with the grow bag, I was just going to empty mine onto one of the beds.

I've had to resort to buying beetroot, mine haven't done very well at all, they are tiny. Did you grow beetroot?
Jo said…
My goodness Peggy, what a monster parsnip. This is not a common vegetable in South Africa. What do you use it for? Is this one edible/cookable? Your nasturtiums make a pretty show. What a disappointment when the camera settings ruin our photos. Have a wonderful week, tussling with more vegetables, I wonder? (((Hugs))) Jo. PS is that a record size parsnip or do they grow big anyway?
OneStonedCrow said…
Wow! ... what a monster ... it must have been like pulling an wisdom-tooth
Matron said…
That reminds me of a Roald Dahl book, are you sure he didn't write one called 'Kevin and the Giant Parsnip'? - amazing!
Kathleen said…
You should contact that celebrity chef that did the allottment programmes last year,Corrigan,and see what he says about it,he may make ye an offer for it to display it in his restuarant!
Peggy said…
Hi Ann, we have had a very good year overall, win some and lose some.I just grew one small row of beetroot as we have not been avid eaters of it over the years but next year I will put in more.

Jo, I don't know yet if it is edible! It is usually the same as a good sized carrot,cooked andused the same. It has a sweeter taste and carrot & parsnip cooked and mashed together is good old comfort food!

OneStonedCrow, you have given the best definition of pulling the parsnip!

Matron, it does sound like it, maybe if he was around to read the blog he would have come up with a story.

Kathleen,I don't know if it is edible, but there are enough of us to eat it here!
Anonymous said…
Hi Peggy...the giant parsnip is fantastic...your garden is as healthy and full of veggies as ever...Theanne (formerly Annie's 25x25 Garden)...the Dachshund among your "followers" is my Baron!
Peggy said…
Theanne and Baron, Hi Annie it is good to see you back again!I've caught up on your posts and you are packed up and relocated.Best wishes and I am sure you will settle in and make a new life. Baron is a sprightly looking dog.
Anonymous said…
Baron is my absolute companion...I am thankful for him everyday...thank you for visiting my site...sometimes I miss Don so much and it gets written there...an outlet to let the emotion go...your garden is still as wonderful as ever and I'm always so impressed with how your whole family helps out...
wowsers, that's a whopper!
Any creative uses for it? a bit of wood carving perhaps {wink}

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