Rutabagas

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Rutabagas

• By Erik Durand

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Points of Emphasis

• Common Name, scientific name, and Family
• Native range and areas of cultivation
• Structure of the Rutabaga
• Use of Plant
• Fun Facts about the Rutabaga

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The many names

• Common Name
• Rutabaga
• Scientific Name
• Brassica Napus
• Family
• Brassicaceae family
• Other members of this family include
• -the turnip
• -the cabbage
• -and the cauliflower

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Rutabaga is really hard to say! Is there
anything else I can call it?

• In the United states we call them Rutabagas, but
  this is the case in other parts of the world
• Around the world Rutabagas are known as
• Swedes
• Swedish Turnips
• Turnip-rooted cabbage.

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Native range and areas of cultivation
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Where do Rutabagas come from?

• first Developed in Middle Ages
• Resulted from a cross between cabbage and turnip
• thrive in cool weather climates, so places like
  Scandinavia, and Sweden are ideal for growth

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Largest Areas of Cultivation Today

• Today's leading producers of Rutabagas
• Northern United States
• Canada
• Great Britain
• Europe
• Places like Scandinavia
• and Sweden continue to
• produce rutabagas, but
• have taken on a much
• smaller role

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What conditions best suit the rutabaga?

• Rutabaga plants are both cold hardy and drought
  tolerant
• Their most vigorous root growth takes place
  during periods of low temperature
• The leaves maintain their feeding quality even
  after repeated exposure to frost
• Grow best in colder climates with lots of sunlight

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Structure of the Rutabaga
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This is all great, but I still want to know more?

• Appearance Growth
• -Generally yellow flesh -Usually
  require about 90-110 days from
  planting to harvest.
• -Flesh is more solid -Is slower growing than
  turnips
• -Smooth, waxy leaves
• -Has a thick leafy neck
• When to Plant
• -Rutabagas are best planted for fall crop in
  late June
• -Plant 100 days before the first frost
• -They require 4 weeks longer to mature than
  turnips
• Harvesting
• -When the bulb is 3 inches or more for rutabaga,
  it is time to harvest

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The globular root

• Rutabagas are grown for their large, globe-shaped
  root. The root can reach up to 6 inches in
  diameter and weigh as much as 6 pounds.
• Rutabagas can have a somewhat woody appearance
  and range in color from white to yellow, purple
  to tan. The flesh of the root is yellow or white

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How does it measure up?

• The rutabaga plant reaches a height of 1 to 2
  feet with the root appearing at or beneath the
  soil line.

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The leaves

• The leaves of rutabaga plants are smooth, waxy,
  and divided into lobes.
• The leaves are edible and can be used and
  prepared in the same manner as turnip leaves.

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Uses
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The main uses of Rutabagas

• The part of the rutabaga that is eaten by humans
  is the root
• Rutabagas are mainly used as a food source for
  humans
• The leaves of the rutabaga are used as feed for
  animals
• Used for decorations

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Rutabagas are healthy too

• Rutabagas are very healthy to eat!
• Nutritional value.
• Very healthy, rutabaga is high in nutrients while
  being very low in calories.
• Extremely high in vitamin C along with generous
  amounts of vitamins A B
• rutabaga contains only approximately 50 calories
  per cup along with being a good source of fiber,
  potassium, calcium, iron, niacin and folacin.

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Cooking Rutabagas

• There are an endless number of recipes that
  contain Rutabagas
• Rutabagas can be
• Baked
• Diced
• Mashed
• Creamed
• Glazed
• Fried
• Added to Casseroles
• Added to Soups
• Or simply served raw in salads

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Fun Facts(No fun is actually promised in these
facts)
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Rutabaga as decoration?

• Yes, its true Rutabagas can be used as
  decoration
• Sculptures such as this are known as Veggie art
• This Veggie art can be used as a centerpiece or
  just a great conversation starter
• Hands on step by step instructions are given so
  you can perfect the art of carving common fruits
  and vegetables into beautiful flowers

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Products

• Mr. Rutabaga Head????
• Although very
• unsuccessful and
• unpopular Mr. Rutabaga
• took the nation by storm.
• for the few short days before it was pulled
  off the market

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Now what youve all been waiting for!
Information about rutabaga curling

• There is even a sport that uses rutabagas.
• Rutabaga curling is a lot like regular curling,
  but in the place of a large metal disk a rutabaga
  is used
• You roll the rutabaga down the board, and the
  rutabaga that is closest to the bull's-eye wins!

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Rutabaga Curling? Now Ive seen everything!
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More about Rutabaga curling

• The most important part of rutabaga curling may
  be selecting and cutting the perfect rutabaga.
• Curlers are permitted "minor trimming" of their
  rutabagas, but the vegetable must remain "nearly
  spherical", according to the official rules.
• No good sport is complete without controversy,
  and this one is no different
• A controversy erupted last year when a curler
  carved his rutabaga into a sort of Frisbee. He
  was disqualified.

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Sources

• Chapter 6 common vegetables for seek and fruit,
  Internet http//gears.tucson.ars.ag.gov/book/cha
  p6/turnip.html, 19 October 2004.
• Goode, S. 1999. Giant rutabaga pops up in Alaska.
  Insight on the news (Oct. 18)1-2.
  http//www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is
  _38_15/ai_56904960 (the URL that was also on
  
  
  the web page)
• Growing Rutabaga, Internet http//www.farm-garde
  n.com/growing-vegetables/31/, 19 October 2004.
• Levetin, E., McMahon, K. 2003. Plants and
  Society. (Third Edition). McGraw-Hill, New York,
  NY.
• Stevens, J., Rutabaga -- Brassica napus L.,
  Internet http//edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_MV127,
  19 October 2004.
• Soledade, M., Pedras, C., Montaut, S., Suchy,
  M. 2004. Phytoalexins from the crucifer
  rutabaga structures, synthesis, biosynthesis,
  and antifungal activity. Journal of Organic
  Chemistry 69 13 4471-4476.
• http//pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/article.cgi/joceah/200
  4/69/i13/html/jo049648a.html (the URL that was
  also on
  
  the web
  page)

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Thanks for your timeNow its time for questions!