The sweet, slightly peppery flavour of turnips have been used for thousands of years. They are a popular addition to soups, stews, casseroles and roasts!

How do we make sure we provide top quality turnips?

Simple – we grow them ourselves! Sam draws on 3 generations of horticultural experience to grow delicious, flavoursome and gourmet turnips. We only hand-pick turnips if they are heavy for their size (if they are light, it probably means they are probably dry inside). They must also have a smooth skin (no signs of wrinkles or wilting), and a white colour below their purple to reddish-pink tops (the pigmentation is the result of natural sunlight exposure). The best indicator of maturity is to check around the stalk – this area needs to be firm, with no soft spots or other signs of decay. Another good indicator of freshness is when the turnip has crisp, green leaves. Finally, we examine the size, we put an emphasis on harvesting smaller turnips; they tend to be sweeter.

Where do we source our turnips from?

Our turnips usually come direct from our farm – planted, cultivated and hand-picked by Sam and the team. It thrives in our quick-draining and nutrient rich soils, however when conditions aren’t favourable to growing them on our farm (due to seasonality, crop rotation etc) we source turnips from other farmers in areas with similar geographical and climatic conditions (such as from other farms around Bacchus Marsh, or around Werribee).

What is the best way to keep turnips?

Turnips are best stored in a plastic bag in the fridge (optimal storage conditions are at 0°C and 90%-100% relative humidity). It’s best to keep moisture away from them, they tend to go mouldy when exposed to it. If you would like to keep the leaves, cut them off and store them in a separate plastic bag and use them quickly, they won’t store as long as the turnip bulb.

Turnips nutritional information

Turnips are rich in vitamin C and fibre. They are also a great source of complex carbohydrates and rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, manganese, potassium and indoles. The leaves are a solid source of vitamin C and calcium.

Turnips serving tips and suggestions

Although most people concentrate on the root of the turnip, the leaves are also a rich source of vitamins and minerals and can be used in a similar way to any other green – in salads, or as a work snack!