Harvesting turnips on a beautiful afternoon

In the late afternoon on a really nice February day, I decided it was time to pull a few turnips.  We have quite a bit of turnips planted and they are healthy, lush and thick.  I liked the way that the sunshine was filtering through the leaves creating varying shades of green in the turnip patch.

Turnips for days!

I reached down and pulled up a handful and there were turnips of all different sizes - from the size of a marble to that of a baseball.  I know a few family members that are going to really enjoy these.

Turnips of all sizes

And here they are, the turnip eating crew.  They lined up at the garden fence just knowing that they were about to feast on the turnips.  The garden is primarily planted for our human family, but the turnips are mainly for the cows.  Oh, we'll eat a few. I'm trying really hard to like turnips.  We'll roast a few and they are okay, but just not a vegetable that I'm crazy about.  I think it is because from the way they look when they are cooked, I'm expecting a potato and when I bite into it, it is nothing like a potato.  We'll eat some turnip greens with some cornbread, too.  But the cows are the real turnip aficionados.

Throw me something, mister!

So I tossed some over the fence.  It is interesting to watch them fight over the turnips and see how Daisy, the matriarch, is the boss and the others know she is the boss! She normally ends up with the turnips and I have to make an effort to ensure that Rosie and Magnolia get their fair share.

Mmmmmm...

Some of the turnips were large enough that I felt it best that I cut them in half so the cows wouldn't choke on them.  They would crunch, crunch, crunch on the turnips and then belch!  Peeeyew!!!  Not very lady-like! But cows have large fermentation vats inside of them and that's just what cows do.  

Turnips, cows waiting in the background (and a bracelet that Benjamin made for me)

Even Nellie, the chickens, and the guinea came to get the leftovers that the cows dropped.  Not much gets wasted around here.

Suppertime!

Although we only have 12 square bales of hay left, we have lots of turnips left.  We'll be supplementing the cows' diets with plenty of turnips, so this afternoon will repeat itself many times over the next month until the green Spring grass comes in.  Bon Appetit, Girls.