Hello, Benjamin here to give you an update on my garden!
Yes, in December right before Christmas. There is work to be done on an urban farm all year round and Willow Manor is no exception.
I was was cleaning up my garden and found a decent size batch of beets and turnips yet unharvested.
After vigorously rinsing them to remove the worst of the hard clay soil it was planted in, I removed the tops and the stringy roots. The photo above is 15.5 pounds/ 7 Kilograms of product.
With a potato peeler, I removed the tough, weather hardened skin from the turnips and beets and cut them into bite size chunks.
Cooking is an intuitive labor of love for me and I did not really use a recipe.
I added 3 Tablespoons of vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons of salt, a liberal amount of cumin and Willow Manor grown thyme and folded the ingredients together.
Meanwhile, I preheated the oven to 400 F/200C and let the seasonings soak in for a bit.
In batches, I roasted the blend for about 40 minutes on sheet pans, regularly using a spatula to shuffle the vegetables. I did not coat the pan as there was oil in the recipe, but it may be of benefit to you. Times may vary by oven make and model and the humidity of your product.
We were compelled to partake in our new found treat and elated to find them delectable. The sweet taste of beets, the nutty turnips, salt, cumin, and thyme took our taste buds on an adventure of storytelling proportions!
As a result of gardening in my backyard, 11 pounds of a unique and ready to freeze side dish will be set aside for future meals.
I find urban farming to be rewarding and if you have any questions about getting started, feel free to drop a line in the comments below!
Author: Benjamin
Benjamin Thiel is a community leader, urban farmer, and author of The Ongoing Tale at Brothers Campfire. He might know a guy...
Bravo ! 🙂
Thank you! Do you garden?
No, there too many cats in my too small garden…. I only have (only…) a wonderful olive tree and a grape vine – I planted a small peach tree last year – for the moment it’s tiny – and the cats haven’t dug it up! 😀
That sounds like urban agriculture to me!
Great. I have some beet and turnips to prepare. Great share thanks
Yummy! Let me know how it goes! Have a beautiful day, Kelly!
I will let you know
That’s a nice harvest, good job!
Thank you Petra! I have been honing my growing skills!
ready to dig in.. Good harvest! 👏👏👏👏
They were tasty and my teeth were red!
That’s funny! are you sure it wasn’t the wine?!🤣
Nope. No drinking for me.I am crazy enough!
Wow, it feels so good to harvest from what we sowed. ❤️❤️ I am sure you enjoyed both. 😊😊
There is a good feeling that comes from growing your own!
That’s right Benjamin. 🙌
🤠🔥
Wow, yummy! So wonderful to enjoy the fruits of your labor! Thanks for sharing that impromptu recipe, nephew…I will have to try it! 🍠🍠
Ha ha! Absolutely!
That’s really cool! Nice recipe sharing. Thanks bro
Yes ma’am! Next time you have 15 pounds of roots, you are good to go!
You always liked beets.
Nice! Love beets. 😋
Me too! At least fresh one’s!
The way of the near future. You have a vege thumb my friend.👍
Thanks! I try!
🥂🍮🍮🥗🥂🍮🍮…sending joyful holiday cheers!
Merry Christmas!
My mouth is watering….. absolutely love your garden produce and simple way of cooking!
Ha ha! Thanks! It was a nice treat, Cassa Bassa!
They were delicious…..thank you
🤠🔥Happy New Year Kelly!
Well done!
Thank you!