The Winter Harvest

Read about Farmer Jess on a true winter harvest day, in this Star Ledger article.

In Season: Taking on turnips

By Rachel Weston
Let’s face it, turnips get short shrift compared to some of the other root vegetables. Leggy carrots and bossy beets jostle for a place in the sunlight. My mother always insisted on mashed turnips at our Christmas dinners. I would wrinkle my nose and take the obligatory bite. When I found myself traveling through Scotland last year, I began to appreciate the side of neeps and tatties (mashed turnips and potatoes) that came along with the haggis that I ate at every opportunity I could. Making the mash is a breeze and completely comforting to eat on a snowy evening. Substitute a few nice sizzling sausages which are easier to obtain than haggis.

When it snowed earlier this week, while we were sipping cocoa inside, Jess Niederer, a thirteenth generation farmer was out in the snow feverishly harvesting turnips at Chickadee Creek Farm in Pennington. As she pushed the row covers back, the verdant turnip greens popped out into the white landscape.
Continue to the full article, here.