The Citizen, 1990-06-20, Page 20PAGE A8, RUTABAGA FESTIVAL
Blyth Rutabaga Festival ’90
Dougherty rutabaga pioneer
It’s rutabaga - not turnip
BY JANE GARDNER
The Ontario yellow table turnip is really
a rutabaga.
Turnips and rutabagas both belong to
the same plant family (Cruciferae) and
share the same genus name, Brassica, but
they are two distinct species. The correct
botanical name for rutabaga is “Bassica
napus.” Some of its other names are:
swede and swede turnip.
Its swollen stem, which looks like a
“root”, can either be cooked or sliced raw
to eat in salads and it tastes like a mixture
of turnip and cabbage. The rutabaga is
closely related to other common vegetables
such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabb
age, cauliflowers, collards, kale, mustard
and kohlrabi. Raw rutabaga is an excellent
course of Vitamin C. Although the Ontario
is a cold weather vegatable, it is a myth
that rutabagas should be picked only after
the first frost. The first summer rutabagas
have a milder flavor than the tangier
rutabagas harvested later in the season.
Rutabagas are sometimes confused with
turnips but they are in fact larger and
sweeter. Turnips and rutabags are similar
in size of plant, size and shape of the root,
and in flesh color. They differ chiefly in
leaf, root detail and structure. Turnip
leaves are usually light or medium green,
thin and hairy, while those of the rutabaga
are bluish, thicker and smooth. Turnip
roots generally have little or no neck and a
distinct taproot, while rutabagas are
slightly elongated and have a thick leafy
neck and roots arising from the underside
as well as from the taproot.
Almost without exception rutabaga pro
ducers in Ontario grow the “Laurentian”
variety which was developed by Professor
Raymond of Guelph many years ago.
During the middle ages in the British
Isles and northwestern Europe, farmers
cultivated a wild root plant that their
animals liked. They discovered the taste
was pleasant, and it provided a cheap
source of food for themselves and their
livestock. The seed was free for the
gathering, and these early farmers dis
covered that applying barnyard litter made
the roots grow larger and tastier.
Eventually, settlers coming to Canada
brought seed of what by this time was
known as the Swede turnip, and for
generations the rural population of Ontario
raised Swedes for their livestock and
themselves. The first turnips, after the
original Swedes, were Canadian Gem and
Purple King.
In the early 40’s Professor Raymond
developed the Laurentian variety, which is
still a favorite today. As markets expand
ed, the term “turnip” began to confuse our
purple-topped, yellow-fleshed vegetable,
with the smaller white-fleshed, purple-
topped summer turnip grown in the U.S. A
few years ago, the name “rutabaga” was
adopted to make the necessary distinction.
In 1933, Frank Lewis, of Centralia,
began washing and waxing turnips to give
them longer keeping quality, and a more
pleasing appearance. In the early days,
this entire operation was done by hand,
washing and drying with old towels and
hand-dipping in hot liquid wax. Today,
rutabagas are mechanically washed, blown
dry on a roller conveyer, then waxed, all in
one continuous operation.
Russell Dougherty was the first to wax
turnips in this area - it later caught on in
Lucan and then in Exeter. Rutabagas are
normally hot-waxed just before marketing
to improve their appearance, keep them
clean, protect the freshly-trimmed surfaces
from disease and prevent undue moisture
loss and shrinkage during the marketing
period. The temperature at which turnips
are waxed is very important - baskets are
used to dip turnips in wax. If the wax is too
hot, the turnips will turn black.
Rutabagas are a high rotational crop and
a very fragile one.
Continued from Page Al
bushels a day. In summer these and more
employees went from field to field hoeing
and thinning. In peak season up to 150
people could be employed, recalls Ruth
Dougherty, Russell’s widow. Children,
people from the Clinton air base, local
people and the entire Dougherty family
worked.
“There were always lots of transients in
those days” Mrs. Dougherty says. “We’d
give them a place to stay, never refused a
person a job and fed them too. But it was
very hard work. When Sam (her son) was
14, we paid 75 cents per hour. You worked
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with an hour off for dinner
- that was a regular day. There were a lot
of kids that worked and they were paid the
same way that the adults workers were:
combine the number of rows by the price
per row. Everyone was paid in cash each
day for their work but the plant regular
workers were paid by cheque. Everyone
Parade route
worked on the honour system — you stated
your hours and Russ paid you according
ly.”
Her husband, she says, had a knack with
rutabagas and could hoe faster than
anyone. He worked seven days a week for
most of his life.
In 1963 Mr. Dougherty sold the plant to
George Hubbard who had started growing
and processing rutabagas operating out of
a rented barn at Bright. Starting from 70
acres of rutabagas that first year in Blyth
Mr. Hubbard steadily increased the acre
age. Today the plant has been expanded
several times and the rutabagas are
shipped throughout North America on the
company’s own trucks. Mr. Hubbard is
also an inventor, building his own harvest
ing machine. The family is involved in the
operation.
Russell Dougherty died in 1977. He is
survived by his wife Ruth, son Sam and
daughters Lena Nesbitt and Pat Pfrimmer.
'WefctwteA cfo«. to tne
BLYTH RUTABAGA
FESTIVAL
CHILDREN’S
FISHING DERBY
To be held at the Radford Fish Pond Hwy. #4 South of Blyth
SUNDAY JUNE 24/90 10:00 A.M. - NOON
CATEGORIES BOYS GIRLS
LARGEST FISH 2-5 yrs.
6-9 yrs.
10-12 yrs.
2-5 yrs.
6-9 yrs.
10-12 yrs.
SMALLEST FISH 2-5 yrs.
6-9 yrs.
10-12 yrs.
2-5 yrs.
6-9 yrs.
10-12 yrs.
TAGGED FISH 2-5 yrs.
6-9 yrs.
10-12 yrs.
2-5 yrs.
6-9 yrs.
10-12 yrs.
• Each child must be accompanied by an adult
• 2 Fish limit per child
• Bring your own fishing equipment & bait
•Your catch may be cleaned & cooked for the pot luck lunch at the
Lions Park
• Trophies & prizes courtesy Blyth Legion Branch 420
• Fish supplied by Alps Creek Trout Farm, R.R. 2, Teeswater,
392-6201
CHRISTMAS'
&COUNTRY
\ Flowers & Gifts
\ . Blyth
523-4820
JL * Jas JL a S'
nothing different,
’ * v* S
> S is c*10*-*111
/ °f country crafts
.s hangings with a distinctive
>/aifference, Victorian and country.
' Upstairs we have wicker and rattan
furniture, baskets and kitchen apparel.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised!
p.m. Mon. to Sat.
Now we are a full service FLORIST
h fresh flowers daily
WIRE SERVICE & DELIVERY
: 9:00 a.m. - 8:30
Closed Sunday
June 22 until