Have Any Of You Ever Had Skirret?

Discussion in 'Crops & Gardens' started by Don Alaska, Mar 4, 2019.

  1. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    Have any of you ever eaten skirret? It is apparently a Chinese crop that was brought to Europe by the Romans, and the Romans subsequently carried it to Britain and then spread it to the Continent. It was apparently used in Tudor times in England as a sweetener and was a subsistence crop in Europe north of the Alps in medieval times. It went out of favor as parsnips were improved and with the introduction of potatoes, it dropped from the menu almost completely. I am thinking of growing it if I can find a source for seeds or tubers just to see if it will grow here. I understand it is enjoying a resurgence in Britain, but the supply is very low.
     
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    Last edited: Mar 4, 2019
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  2. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
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    Nope can't say I've ever heard of it Don....
     
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  3. Tom Galty

    Tom Galty Veteran Member
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    The name did rang a bell.

    So first off did a search.

    Found a few suppliers of the seed in the UK at around £3 packet.

    Did a search for the seeds in America and came up with one supplier at around $13 a packet.

    The only trouble is they don't ship the seeds to a couple of States , one them being Alaska.

    https://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/item_1365A
     
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  4. Von Jones

    Von Jones Supreme Member
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    Never heard of it. Keep us updated.


    [​IMG]
     
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  5. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    It is referred to by another name in Scotland, @Holly Saunders. I don't recall the name, but it has apparently naturalized there somewhat and the name begins with a "C" if I remember correctly.
     
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  6. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    Thanks, @Tom Galty.
     
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  7. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    I just came across it somewhere a day or two ago, but I can't remember where. I had never heard of it before but it sounded interesting. It was in an article that included a couple of other crops that I don't remember now.
     
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  8. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
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    Crummock...I looked it up... :D
     
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  9. Von Jones

    Von Jones Supreme Member
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    I like skirret better. :D
     
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  10. Joe Riley

    Joe Riley Supreme Member
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    Skirret : The forgotten Tudor Vegetable!

    [​IMG]


    The popular Tudor root vegetable skirret is being grown at Hampton Court Palace again

    [​IMG]
     
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  11. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    That's the stuff! Now if I can just find it that will ship to Alaska. Perhaps I will have to fly to the UK to get a good specimen!
     
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  12. Tom Galty

    Tom Galty Veteran Member
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  13. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    Thanks, @Tom Galty. I may order it to arrive at my son't house when I go down there. My daughters live in Washington and that site doesn't ship there either.
     
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  14. Tom Galty

    Tom Galty Veteran Member
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    @Don Alaska

    Bought some seeds and planted them in my green house.

    OMG are they slow think they will have to stay there till next year in the seed trays

    It would have been better if I had brought the crowns.
     
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  15. Martin Alonzo

    Martin Alonzo Supreme Member
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    I love to try all these different plants but my mail forwarding service will not ship seeds I tried before to get special seeds and no shipping into this country.
     
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