Do these parsnips seem a little small to you? It’s okay if you think so; we won’t be offended. They are smaller than the parsnips we usually grow, and it’s not because they’re a cute, dwarf variety. These little parsnips are one of the few remaining tangible reminders of last year’s incredible drought.

Parsnips (like all members of their umbelliferae family) are slow to germinate and require careful management of soil moisture to get off to a healthy start. The drought kept our first parsnip crop from making it out of infancy last June. Once we realized we had to start over, there wasn’t enough time left in the season for the roots to size up. But we chose to gamble. That’s why the harvest was small. But hey, they still taste good!

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We’re capturing interesting moments this season and sharing them here to help you learn where your food comes from. Follow Story of a Season on our blog or on Instagram with #storyofaseason.