Turnips
The turnip is a root vegetable that grows in moderate climates. It is a
relative of the radish and the mustard which were recorded to have been
found in west Asia and Europe. Although, records show that the turnip
had been a established crop even in the Hellenistic and Roman times. It
has been known for consumption worldwide for its taproot. It is
round-shaped and the inside flesh is white but its outer skin can differ
in color if exposed to sunlight. Its leaves, also known as turnip
greens, are used as side dish and somewhat tastes like mustard greens.
The root and the leaves of a turnip are high in Vitamin C which acts as
an antioxidant. Its greens, though bitter, also contain a good amount of
Vitamin A, folate, Vitamin K and Calcium. It is cooked in different
ways: casserole,
baked,
roasted, pickled, as a
flavoring for a cold drink in Turkey or raw. It also made into lanterns
during Halloween in Ireland and Scotland and its leave is celebrated in
the ritual for the feast of the Seven Herbs in Japan. It is also used as
a remedy for fever in Iran.
Turnips have been grown long before our time for consumption of both man
and animals, either for their roots or their greens. It was a staple in
the 18th century. When planting turnips,
the soil should have a neutral pH, well cultivated and is rich in
organic materials with medium water retention. Full exposure to the sun
will help its growth but they should have been planted when the
temperature is between 5-25 degrees Celsius. A lot of spacing should be
given to allow
the root to develop. The turnips is not very hard to grow because it is
not very particular of the soil where it is planted and unlike other
crops, it can be left on the ground longer and would still
be edible making it an aid for humans when other crops fails to grow
because of unfavorable climate conditions.
|
