[Yabba]

I dug up my snips this morning using just my hands .... Kidding, needed a spade to get through the crust ( about an inch deep ), then I just used my hands

Helps that they we're in one of the beds in the large greenhouse

¥

[stompy]

I used to put about a foot thick layer of straw over mine and cover with plastic sheeting.
The straw insulates and the plastic makes the best of any sun that we get.
I never had a problem. (I say never as i don't have a plot at the moment due to a house move, #1 on the list now though) 

Andy

[Ann Owen]

Hiya
We also don't have any electricity down at the land, and the water is frozen up, as is the gas for heating it.
In the past when we needed to get the parsnips to the pre X-mas market stall in quantity, we've used a pick axe to take off a "slab" of frozen soil from the top, followed by a long metal bar and lump hammer to break the soil up in big clumps, incorporating the parnips, which then usually come free. Lot of work, but then roast honey glazed parnips are just the best...

[bayleaf]

Goosegirl is right. Hot water worked for me last year during a period of prolonged frosts. However it does depend on how cold it is. At least they won't go off and the pests won't get to them.

[Jamie Butterworth]

Would a cordless drill work just to loosen the soil a bit, im starting to panick now as id also promised the whole family parsnips for Christmas

[Comfortably Numb]

Our snow turned to rain last night. Went to the plot this morning and had no trouble at all digging all the parsnips for Christmas 

[kermit]

I can't tell u how frozen everything is here. Honestly don't think hot water would work - probably just freeze on hitting the ground. Been in these parts for 30 years and ain't seen anything like it. Not even last winter. Good idea with the drill to try and loosen the ground a bit - getting desperate! Not holding out much hope for my newly planted rasp canes or psb or kale plants either. Think I will start my spring planning and order seed potatoes to make me feel better...

[PennyS]

I'm going to bite the bullet and go down to the plot tomorrow to see what I can get.  I'll take a pickaxe with me.

I'm hoping against hope that the enviromesh that's over the snips will have helped a little with the ground being less frozen, but it's a very slim hope indeed.

I didn't for one minute think we'd get this arctic stuff before Christmas.  Next year I'm going to get an extra freezer (ours is full) and pick and freeze before it's too late, just in case!

Live and learn...

[Jonajo]

After a disaster with solid ground last year, and loads of veg inaccessible (now THAT was a sinking feeling, I can tell you!) I decided to put a double layer of fleece over the spuds, carrots and parnips at the start of the month - before all this cold weather and snow kicked in. And luckily it worked today when I picked a load - barely had to use any force below the fleece.

[Jamie Butterworth]

Does putting fleece over the parsnips not stop the frost giving them there lovely taste? As isnt it a hard frost that turns the starch into sugar inside the parsnips, so if the frost cant get to them they wont have that lovely sweet taste?

[Jonajo]

not at all - they are very sweet indeed. But then I only fleeced them at the start of Dec in anticiaption of snow and the like (by that time they had had several hard frosts which had done their job.

[Jamie Butterworth]

not at all - they are very sweet indeed. But then I only fleeced them at the start of Dec in anticiaption of snow and the like (by that time they had had several hard frosts which had done their job.

Good, will try that method then next year

[Aidy]

I have used the black fabric weed membrane, the ground is just about soft enough to dig them out, however I have a back up plan.....
I gonna use me wallpaper steamer if all else fails  , not over the snips, just around the ground.

[plum crumble]

nuffing wrong with steamed snips Aidy!!

[Coach]

Dug my parsnips today, was very surprised that I could the soil was fairly viable although i couldn't  dig out my swedes!!!

Cut a stalk of sprouts (too cold to pick them on the plot)!

So my Christmas veggies are sorted I will have to take a swede out of the freezer!

Merry Christmas to all!!!