Turnip

Purple Top Turnip

Purple Top Turnip

Gilfeather Turnip

Gilfeather Turnip

Turnip (Brassica rapa)

Turnips, which apparently hail from Asia Minor, were eaten by hunter-gatherers millennia before they were cultivated. They can grow in poor soil, and are so cheap to cultivate that they have often been grown for animal feed. The roots can be baked, fried, boiled, and added to soups and stews. Turnip greens are quite popular in Europe, Eastern Asia, and the southern United States. Consumed by American slaves, turnip greens have become a vital component of the cuisine known as "soul food."

The Gilfeather Turnip was bred in Vermont (and has now become the official state vegetable). This is a mild turnip, that keeps it’s crunch and not as much “turnipy taste” as the purple tops. Delicious.

 

Storage Tips:

  • You can store turnips in a root cellar, moist sand, or the hydrator drawer of your refrigerator