We used to grow parsnips on an allotment and one year, (after several years of mediocre results), the crop came in a staggering size, such that one of the brutes was nearly two feet long, and weighed several pounds.
The idea is that you plant the seed in ground which has not got any manure, compost, etc, and the growing tip has to burrow down to get what there is remaining in the soil from last year. It's the same with carrots too.
This year, we decided to buy just a few plants and give them a chance on the patch at home, where we knew the soil was kept poor from last year. In fact, it turned out that it wasn't that poor...
Now I know how John Hurt felt...
MMMMM Parsnips! That octopus will make a delicious soup instead though, so don't despair!
ReplyDeleteNerr niew, mern Ol' Gramps Titus Chaffey meern uzed say, terput a pair o'er ladies pannies in top o'er your leff sock, tharraway it makes neern own 'parsnip' grow dewn larng. Izzwozzie zed eny enurff. Jussa tip loik. Titus he wood niew azza ewaz allas keen on young girlies.
ReplyDeleteHow are you peeling that?
ReplyDeleteMmm roast parsnips. I wish I had enough room to have a veg patch. I suppose if I had the money and strength I could change the little gargen I have but I'd rather move! I used to live in a cottage with about half an acre. We had fruit trees and goosgogs and rhubarb. And we planted Kale and carrots, potatoes and garlic. At dinner time we just wandered down the garden to get something to cook. I liked that. It always testes better when you grow it yourself, don't you think?
ReplyDelete'It always testes better when you grow it yourself, don't you think?'
ReplyDeleteDunno, P., being a girl.
Oh crikey, thanks HG.
ReplyDeleteTypo folks - of course testes only taste good when cooked properly in cream and galic. As for growing them yourself it's a bit like any livestock except that after harvesting the animal can still be good around the house.
Lils, it did actually - and they're all like it!
ReplyDeleteMrs S let me carve off the 'tendrils', and they are great roasted!
Dear Willcott,
ReplyDeleteHow nice to see that you have visited Senator Ricardo O'Blene's humble missive machine!
While 'pannies', are not actually mentioned anywhere in our 'Chambers', I'm sure you mean pansies, as they like anything in socks don't they! Or do you mean something more violent?
I'll order Kinnock to visit the ironmongers and see if they can order us some!
Mannerings says could you return the angle-grinder next time you're passing, and could you stop that awful farting noise you make when you bend down to rake up the leaves!
Yours uncontrollably,
Doris W-B
Hats,
ReplyDeleteMrs S said it would be a good idea to trim the arms, and then she'd use the 'body' for soup as Lils suggested.
In fact, they really taste pretty good, and we've also discovered that if you liquidise curly kale in with them, the soup is marvellous!
But I have to visit A and E after every cutting, as they're hard and unforgiving on the knife...
word ver...Gralitic - in Lils' dictionary as 'being intoxicated while reading The D Vinci Code'..
Pips, I see Hats has looked after you very kindly...
ReplyDeleteThanks a bunch Hats; I wanted to answer that one!!!
;0)
Pips, I don't believe for one moment that it was a tyopo, and neither do all my millions of visitors, who have a framed copy up on their wall, and want your address for some reason...
ReplyDeleteAnd so do I for that matter!
ps, I'm still too thick to get on your blog, but trying my hardest. After this post, you'll probably say bugger off anyway...
Doris - thanks for visiting, I know some of your many, many friends and admirers will be delighted to see that you've surfaced again!
ReplyDeletePlease give my regards to Bunty Binstock, who has such fantastic coloured hair these days...
Don't be silly, Scrobs, of course I want you to comment on my blog. Please email Lils as she has kindly offered to forward my email onto you, or... think of the blog name seperated by an underscore at yahoo.com and there you go!
ReplyDeleteMy inbox is waiting..
S'pose I'll have to think up a blog post now. Hmnnnn ?
Are you the new Esther Rantzen? Just checking..
ReplyDeletePips - too damn right I will!
ReplyDeleteReevers - We called the local council, and THEY said "This has nothing to do with us"!
ReplyDeleteCyrilllllll.....
She was on breakfast TV not long ago, and funnily enough, I found I was agreeing with her more and more...
scrobs...i am so sorry i missed meeting you...and after speaking to you on the phone i regretted it even more...wish i had more time there...don't worry though, i really enjoyed london and plan to be back...btw you were terribly nice and email will be coming shortly (just got in last night)...
ReplyDeleteStill trying to think of a good blog post, Scrobs - one'll come to me. I have trouble thinking at all when surrounded by babes (Don't have trouble smiling though ;-))
ReplyDeleteEat it before it escapes !
ReplyDeleteScrobs, my email is playing up, I keep getting an error message saying 'essential maintenance is being carried out' so Scrobs and Daisy I will reply ASAP.
ReplyDelete