The Survival Root Crop I Didn't Know I Liked or Why You Should Grow Turnips 

Many years ago, I had a conversation with an old farmer about that bitterness of turnips and brassicas, he told me they sweeten up after a frost. If we have mild winter, toss them into the fridge or freezer for a little while. Lettuce, too. Not to the point of freezing, though. Congratulations on such a sweet little love nugget. Definitely the best crop of the season!

I like turnips, but I love rutabaga and no one ever talks about those. My favorite root vegetable is parsnips. One of the best recipes I ever made was simply a mix of roasted parsnips, plantain, sweet potato, and Irish potato YUM!

I had to watch this twice cause the first time I literally just stared at the baby. 🥰 She’s precious y’all!! Oh yeah… and good job on growing the turnips too!! I agree, they are yummy with bacon drippings and they aren’t bad roasted if you coat them in some olive oil and sprinkle with dried minced onion.😁

Turnip bottoms mixed with potatoes and onions are a great blend of flavors to throw into the frying pan. Give it a try! As for babies, I recommend allowing for maturity, as they make excellent helping hands in the garden. 👍

I realized about 2 minutes into the video I recalled nothing you said because I was so taken in by the cute bundle of joy in your arms. I watched it again. Twice over. Once for the baby and another for the turnips. I really love turnips with the skin peeled and the greens together.

Sweet little baby- wow. Congrats Rachel, congrats David. God bless y'all.♥️♥️♥️♥️

I must say, as much as I enjoyed learning about ‘White Lady’ and ‘White Egg’ turnips, I enjoyed watching you hold and sway with your daughter more! There’s just nothing like it!!!! I’m hoping for a grand children one day but, it’s all in God’s timing and according to his plan. Jennie is a beautiful baby! Welcome back RTG! So happy for you all!

$482 billion added to our national debt in the past 30 days…time to add turnip seeds to my spring order! Thank you for all you do. You have the most precious cinematographer ever!

Don't forget to do a roasted root tray. It's a great filler Potatoes, turnips, sweet potatoes, radish, rutabaga, beets rubbed in olive or coconut oil, add salt, pepper, thyme, Rosemary and bake.

little jenny's already in the garden you do start them off young that makes her even more precious

Yes she is a beautiful baby. I'm so glad she and her mom got through the delivery safely. God's blessings on your family.

The purple-top turnips CAN be good, but they may be more particular about growing conditions. They were really good for us in Alaska when I was a kid -- so sweet that my brothers and I would eat them right out of the garden, like we did with carrots and peas. Climate might be the issue, but it might also be a day-length issue. They need to grow really fast, with plenty of moisture, and the long summer days in Alaska really encourage rapid growth.

Beautiful garden rows! And shorts? I have frost bite on my ears and your green looks amazing.

It looks like David is not only really good at growing food, but also at growing a family. Congratulations on the sweet new addition. She's precious.

Awwww! She is so precious. Congratulations! We are so happy for you. Praying for a rapid recovery for Rachel. Your family is beautiful. God bless and keep y’all.

Oh David, had a hard time even listening--my full attention was diverted by your adorable precious daughter--a new baby! I can almost smell her sweetness from here. For those of you who think that mentioning the smell of babies is weird....sigh, once you become a parent, you know. Babies smell like the dew of heaven still clings to them. Congrats! What a blessing. But oh yeah, gardening, right...I totally agree about turnips and flavor. A story about purple tops...once I saw these giant turnips sprouting at a supermarket, brought 'em home and stuck them in a big pot of soil in my kitchen window--they grew 3 feet tall and about 4 feet wide and gave so many greens from just those 2 roots, that I had greens on an egg every morning from December until early May, when my own greens were big enough to harvest. The roots looked like pieces of old wood by then--only fit for compost, but so great having the greens all winter.

Very best turnip to grow for me is Scarlet Ohno Revival as the greens are tender, smooth, and delicious! Love, love it!

Rocking video man, she's beautiful. Trying out turnips for the 1st time, Shogoin turnip leaves are so huge they are shading out the other veggies.

...And they are so versatile! Bake , boil, mash, fry, ferment, even raw!!!

I heard somewhere that before potatoes came to England the parsnip was a favourite filling root - roasted they're lovely and sweet. I'd forgotten about turnips and haven't eaten any for years, must grow some. Thanks for the reminder. (cute baby btw :))

I had to rewind to listen to what you said. I was so intently watching you rock the baby that I did not hear your words.

All that hair!! Rachel you did an amazing job.. David I love that she is a daddy's girl and your such a good papa .. Gods amazing .. hope y'all are able to sleep well .. praying God uses your channel to help people fall in love with all of his creation both in the garden and the family

That baby is definitely the sweetest 💗

Welcome to the turnip patch Jenny!

This year, I discovered what a good dual purpose crop beets are. I sow them "too thickly" and use what I thin out as swiss chard (they are the same species, after all). I also discovered that they only taste bad if you cook them wrong, lol.

Ahhh, warms my heart with the little one 😍.

Great analogy with Red Delicious

Im impressed at your ability to keep giving content. Thank you for being you!

Congrats on the new addition to the fam. I'm seeing small white turnips sold at farmers markets. They are egg size and can be eaten raw. Not bad.I'm sure the greens are full of minerals ,vitamins and the like since they are in the brassica family.

Red Delicious used to be a fantastic apple, so much so that at age eleven, I asked my grandmother to send me a case of them for my birthday. She lived in Washington State apple country, and we were in So California, and we just couldn’t get the same apples where we lived. Gosh the Washington ones were good! Cross-pollination or something like that is said to be responsible for the decline in flavor from the “good ole days”.

Welcome little Jenny! & Congratulations to your family! You two have brought a nice bunch of good into this world! & this little one couldn’t be more precious . This world needs it. Thank you all for all you do, sharing, teaching, encouraging, & so much more. Thank you for sharing this sweet one!

Love the baby in the video. Ty for sharing her.

Little one is adorable!! Is this her first appearance on the channel? Congratulations to you both, you are such an beautiful and inspiring family! Truly blessed from above! 👼🙏🐑❤️❤️❤️

Oh CONGRATULATIONS and welcome Lil sweet Jenny! 💖💖💖 She is beautiful! Love the stuff about the turnips, but that lil turnip in your arms is the best part of the vlog, best part of the garden, best produce of the year! Sincerely so happy with you! I bless you all.

I grow purple top and don't mind them. They are just so easy to grow; I can accidentally drop some seeds on the ground and in 60 days harvest a plump bulb and lush greens. The spring turnips need to be harvested before end of June or they bolt and the root turns woody. The fall turnips can be left in the ground all winter - like extra storage space, just harvest them as you need them. They do taste earthy, but to me its more about finding that right recipe, that balance of flavors that compliments the purple top turnip. I am glad you did a nice video about the humble turnip.

I grew turnips for the first time last year. Sauteed them with garlic and they were a hit with the family.

I always felt the same way about Red Delicious apples. They're finally being surpassed by really delicious apples.

"...especially if you put enough bacon in 'em." Yes. Growing some white turnips next year. Looking forward to trying them. Enjoyed growing parsnips this year, and celeriac. Good eating. [waves] Hi, Cinematographer Mama Rachel! Hi, Little Jenny!

Daddy gently rocking little baby Jenny… made my day!! Congratulations!!!!!!!!

She was worth the wait. She is beautiful. Congratulations God has blessed you

Now you tell me! I bought purple top turnip seeds. Maybe I'll buy some of the varieties you suggested and plant both. Btw, the best videos are the ones where the baby makes an appearance. She's a beauty - and a big baby! God has blessed your family beyond measure! ~ Lisa

Awwwww....!!!! Your baby is here! God bless the Good family!

I grew golden ball turnips this year, and they turned out pretty good. Big, creamy, not too hot, and they're great in stew.

I grew a hybrid white turnip "Hakurei" from Johnny's Seeds last year. It was one of the unexpected stars of my garden. I fooled a lot of friends, family, neighbors who thought they were eating radishes.. best turnip I've ever grown, and 38 days to maturity. Highly recommend.

Purple Top turnips are really good when they’re pickled. That’s probably why they were popular in N. European staples.

Awww! I love the baby rock. I automatically started rocking with you

Baby!!! What a "Good Trraditional Girl" name. Congrats and thank you for sharing! What were you talking about? Kumquats? Caster bean? Baby!!!

Ahhh, warms my heart seeing you with little Jenny 😍. 👵🏻👩‍🌾❣️

I believe I read many years ago (and tried it) to soak your raw slices in milk for an hour or so then drain to remove bitterness. I baked them gratin style. I can't find using milk online but I believe it was the lactic acid that did the trick. They tasted good. Congratulations on Jenny!

Thanks for the advice. I will definitely look into a few different varieties and see which we prefer. Thanks for sharing!

Yay, Baby Jenny's in person YT debut! What a cutie pie! Thanks for the content and sharing your family with us. :)

A million bonus points for the first 40 seconds of this video! That’s me, doing anything!

Put one turnip in your mashed potatoes. Gives it a nice flavor.

Hi David, I’m new here 👋🏽☺️ that’s why she wanted to join you on your video today ~ I LOVE babies 😍 😘👶🏼🧸 💞🙏🏽 After 4 of my own ( now adults 😪) I’ve never stopped loving babies & littlen’s - how could you? Oh my gosh yes welcome baby Jenny 💗✝️ you are so blessed - and thanks for teaching me about Turnips 🙏🏽 ❤️🇦🇺

Thank you! I have been considering turnips, but I had no idea what kind. Beets were easy, and I finally had success with carrots. Maybe 2022 is my year for potatoes and turnips. lol It helps that I have a good planting guide now for dates etc. for my area. Congratulations to your whole family, and bless that mama, for that beautiful baby girl. 💗

Zone 8b Georgia here we love turnip greens and smoked ham pieces or turkey necks along with collard greens and mustards with cornbread on the side . Boiled peanuts are a whole other delight we love too. Bonus look up what "pot liquor " is and you'll be certified southern immediately.

You have a sweet baby. One year we had a really bad crop of potatoes, but a bumper crop of turnips. Mom cooked them every way she could think of. Now I rarely eat them.

What a beautiful little girl! Congratulations! I grew up eating purple tops and loved them until in my 60s' I found a white small hybrid turnip at the farmers market that was tennis ball-sized and so sweet. I looked for several years for it and finally found it but it didn't grow well in my garden. These look like larger versions of that and I will be ordering it. Thanks, David!

And tastebuds change too. Any time I have sausage, pepper, and onion I look up to the sky and say, "you were right mom!"

I've never liked turnips, but you've inspired me to try growing the white ones

What an adorable harvest.

If you parboil your turnips for a couple of minutes it will take the bitterness out some, pork backbone cooked with the turnips with a little honey and a dab of cayenne pepper is a dish of it's own and at almost 72 years old, still one of my favorites.

Congrats to you and your sweet wife! Wish y’all were back in The 615 @ PLCF - you’re missed!

I grow turnips all through fall to spring. I love the Hakrei turnip, they do not get really big, or maybe I am just not waiting long enough. I try to plant them every two weeks. Right now I have three containers of them, one is getting ready to pop the roots out.

Love turnips. Very underrated. Great for picking also. Rutabagas too

The weather has been warmer then normal here in S. W. Indiana and our turnips did really good this year as well . Congrats on the new baby !!

I grew the purple tops. But I like them. A bit bitter but good. We all like what we like. Baby is very sweet.

Congrats on your precious baby girl 🎉🎊🤗

Holding your little peanut and talking turnips....works for me👍🏼👍🏼

I sow mine in loose soil in my garden mid sept here in the deep south i sow with a salt shaker not to get them too thick usuall in 6 weeks they are ready for harvest rutabaga should be planted the same method but a month earlier tho...bitterness is not a problem just add a little sugar during cooking ...they also make great feed for cows chickens and pigs a great source of feed for livestock

I know this is late... like a year late! But Baby Jennie is adorable! Congratulations!!!

Usually a turnip patch baby would be a very insensitive thing to say. Yours is beautiful and gives a good name to turnips :)

I really like Purple Top turnips just as a cover/soil-building crop; the seeds are really cheap and readily available locally. I seed 'em thick, let 'em grow, chop'n' drop the greens, and leave the roots in place to break down in the soil. Very easy, and very helpful if you get them going in the fall, to help prepare a new bed for next spring. I adore my wife's southern-style mixed greens with fatback, and they work fine for that. I agree that the roots of the Purple Tops need a good bit of assistance to be tasty, though. That's about the nicest thing I can say about them as a food item lol.

Congrads guys! 🤗❤️ And wow your garden looks full and awesome!

Congrats David and Rachel. Cute little baby.

You had the baby! Congrats. ❤️

Congratulations on your sweet new baby.

I prefer large winter radishes--you can still eat the greens, and when baked the root tastes like broccoli hearts. YUM

Congratulations and love your sense of humor!

How soooooooo precious that you had your New Born little Girl in your Video!!! I love it !! BLESS You & All your Family!!!

William Salmon praised the virtues of turnip brandy in his _The Family Dictionary, or, Household Companion,_ published in 1710. He proposed that Britain could be self-sufficient in brandy if they grew turnips on the millions of acres of poor land across the country. Employment would be so extensive that the blind, disabled and children over 7 years old would all be earning a good wage.

Congratulations, Season Greetings and great harvest.

I love the purple tops ! I only eat them raw though. They are sweet crisp, juicy or not. Wonderful as a chip for French onion dip! I will try the white ones though they sound great!

White Turnips is good slice in fresh green salad like a big radish or small carrot it make different color in green salad

We like them, too, which is good because I bought two pounds of (purple top) seeds. I have some white egg variety growing right now. I really love collards and rutabagas but the rutabagas take a long time. Still growing them, of course. I have never had luck with potatoes here. Pests attack the plants and the tubers are either very small or rot in the ground. I planted telephone peas and sugar snap peas today. The weather has been so crazy, I figured why not try.

Jenny is just beautiful! So happy for your family! Happy New year.

Yay it's another lil baby congrats guys

Don't let a year go by without planting some. Smoked neckbone make them even better, Yum!

The comment about the Fed made me laugh, but so true! Thanks for helping us prepare with the right turnip!

I like to save my chicken drippings from the baking pan and use it in a turnip soup. I LOVE TURNIPS!

Welcome baby Jenny!❤️❤️😇

Really glad you, Deep South homestead, bealtine cottage, Curtis stone and others will be ok. Congrats on the new little one!!! 🙏❤️👍

Turnips are OK but I really love rutabaga! Nice to see your little co-star.

Congratulations Rachel and David . Giving thank you to God for giving you healthy beautiful children .

I’m fermenting some turnips I harvested. First time garden, first time fermenting.

I'm glad you have learned to not "turnip" your nose at them...

May God bless your baby and your family. God is good.

Jenny is so pretty! She looks like her mama. And take heart, her turnip picking skills will improve.

Congratz on your beautifull baby girl! 💕

I love how you hold that precious baby. Good on you dad.