[Jamie Butterworth]

Well, i went to the plot in the hope to harvest them today, 1 broken fork and 5 large kettles of boiling water later, i am no closer to getting them in the Christmas dinner

[mumofstig]

Oh dear 

[JayG]

One of the huge advantages of being retired and staying with friends who are either still working or too old to go shopping is that you get to do all the Christmas food shopping! 

Having battled through the crowds in 2 supermarkets today I have now been told that I didn't buy enough parsnips (cue hammers, crowbars, chisels etc etc tomorrow in my garden!) 

[Nige2Plots]

One of the huge advantages of being retired and staying with friends who are either still working or too old to go shopping is that you get to do all the Christmas food shopping! 

Having battled through the crowds in 2 supermarkets today I have now been told that I didn't buy enough parsnips (cue hammers, crowbars, chisels etc etc tomorrow in my garden!) 

That's me tommorow but one handed The Parsnips I mean!

[peapod]

My oldest lad rang up last night and asked if he could help himself to my stash of parsnips - Im finally getting it through to them, Mums lotty IS handy   
(Smug smiley needed here)

[PennyS]

Well i'm off down the lotty later, probably with pickaxe and crowbar in hand. 
Those parsnips are going to be on the table tomorrow, whatever it takes!!

[bayleaf]

Jamie - that's unbelievable. Gutted for you as the hot water thing worked for me and you obviously gave it a real good go having got five kettles ready. A broken fork as well. I suppose it has been exceptionally cold for a long time unlike last year when we had had a few hard frosts - what will  you do now - go for aidy's solution, or a blowtorch perhaps. Latter option is a bit dangerous I suppose. Or it drill and chisel for victory?

[Cheshire Phill]

Well it took me a watering can full of hot water and two kettles of boiling water, but I finally prised two out of the ground for tomorrow's table...broken into three pieces unfortunately, but they'll still eat just the same!!

'tis what happens when the air temp is still -11C, you gotta wonder you can get into the ground at all...

Phill 

[Jamie Butterworth]

Jamie - that's unbelievable. Gutted for you as the hot water thing worked for me and you obviously gave it a real good go having got five kettles ready. A broken fork as well. I suppose it has been exceptionally cold for a long time unlike last year when we had had a few hard frosts - what will  you do now - go for aidy's solution, or a blowtorch perhaps. Latter option is a bit dangerous I suppose. Or it drill and chisel for victory?

Had to buy some frozen aunt bessies instead they will have to be eaten some other time

[arugula]

That's a shame Jamie.

I just came on here to report that "Operation Retrieve Parsnip" was a success as, being so close to the shoreline the ground was only frozen a couple of inches down. So, plenty homegrown root veggies to go with dinner tomorrow. Oh, and that bought stick of sprouts.

[Zippy]

I think all Cornish boys have a wrecking bar (long levered crowbar) in their garden shed for such occasions. Just stab and lever the soil , not the root, all around the root until the soil plug gives up and take the soil away in a bag for thawing indoors.

[PennyS]

Success!

Our lotty is under a good few inches of snow.  The snips are under enviromesh (on a low frame).  I expected to have to crow bar them out, but I just brushed snow away, lifted the net and got stuck in with a spade.  I think it's because it's good soil and not clay-ey that I got away with it.  I'm really looking forward to eating them tomorrow.

Also lifted some leeks and managed to find a few of the Christmas potatoes (not entirely sure I was digging in the right place though, difficult to tell with all the snow!

 

[Comfortably Numb]

I really feel for some of you people struggling to dig veg out of the ground because of the low temperatures.
It's something we rarely encounter down here in the tropical south, and even when we do it's usually over within a few days.
It was just a normal day on the allotment this morning. Bit chilly, but nothing to write home about. The snow has long gone.

Anyway, have a lovely Christmas all of you 

[Jamie Butterworth]

I really feel for some of you people struggling to dig veg out of the ground because of the low temperatures.
It's something we rarely encounter down here in the tropical south, and even when we do it's usually over within a few days.
It was just a normal day on the allotment this morning. Bit chilly, but nothing to write home about. The snow has long gone.

Anyway, have a lovely Christmas all of you 

  Lucky you, wheres the jealous smiley when you need one

[arugula]

I really feel for some of you people struggling to dig veg out of the ground because of the low temperatures.
It's something we rarely encounter down here in the tropical south...

Neither do we in the tropical Gulf Stream!