What a fine pair!

More roots today: this time a very fine pair of “Duchess” Parsnips.

They are nice and long (about 12″) and very smooth and regular.

When they are like this, cleaning them up is the work of moments. There is just one tiny patch of brownish canker about halfway down one of the roots, but other than that they almost perfect.

Since they are this straight, peeling them should be a doddle!

My Parsnips have not been grown for exhibition purposes, but it is gratifying to think that maybe I could produce something of exhibition standard if I wanted to. If you are into this sort of thing, why not have a look at the blog of my friend Damien Guttridge, called Two Chances Veg Plot Blog. An enthusiastic member of the National Vegetable Society, he grows some very fine Parsnips.

By the way, the Parsnips are displayed in my latest “basket”. That container is one which was used to supply take-away sandwiches for one of my training courses, instead of the usual plastic trays. Whilst very unlovely, the plastic food-trays are at least re-useable, but those wooden containers are considered disposable. Such a waste!

On a different note… The other day I was looking round for some seeds to send to a friend and I happened to spot this:

That single pack, priced at a mere 90p, contains six types of seed: carrot, Dwarf French bean, lettuce, chilli, spinach and tomato. I reckon this would make a really good “Starter Pack” for someone who is going into veg-gardening for the first time, perhaps a child. For a very small outlay they could have a go at growing a range of very different plants. I think maybe this could end up as a Christmas stocking-filler for my granddaughter Lara.