The Citizen, 1992-06-24, Page 14Blyth Rutabaga Festival ’92
PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1992.
What you may not know about rutabagas
Tons of rutabagas are shipped each year
from Blyth to points throughout the United
States and Canada.
Blyth first hosted the Rutabaga
Agricultural Fair, the forerunner of the Blyth
B«h
L wMl * ■
Bed race
You need to be pretty fit to keep up with the competitors in the bed
race event. The determination on the runners’ faces prove there is no
way to lie down on the job here.
Enjoy our
Rutabaga Festival
Weekend Specials
Doug McNall Entertains
Friday & Saturday Night 9 p.m. - 1 a.m.
Blyth
•w
THURSDAY NIGHT
Is Wing Night
Wings 350 each
(minimum order 10)
A variety of sauces
available
TAKE OUT ORDER
AT REGULAR PRICE
FRIDAY & SATURDAY
NIGHTS
5 p.m. - midnight
Chicken Wings & Chips
$5.45
(Eat in or take out)
THURSDAY, FRIDAY
& SATURDAY NIGHTS
PIZZA NIGHT
5 p.m. - midnight
(Eat in or Take Out)
Also we offer our roast beef buffet
Thursday, Friday & Saturday 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.
THE BLYTH INN 523-9381
Rutabaga Festival, 38 years ago.
Since 1963, George Hubbard has operated
a thriving rutabaga plant in Blyth which he
purchased from the late Russell Dougherty,
Blyth's pioneer of the rutabaga industry.
Mr. Dougherty invented the precision
seeder in 1951, which sowed one seed at a
time eliminating a tremendous amount of
back breaking labour and saving many
dollars per seed. In 1953, Mr. Dougherty and
promoter A. H. Wilford became widely
known for their publicity schemes to change
the Swede turnips' image. They promoted
the plant as the "Vitabaga" or "Rutabaga".
At that time, most of Blyth's crop was
exported to the United States and to
wholesalers in the Leamington and Toronto
areas.
To encourage Canadians to purchase
rutabagas, Dougherty and Wilford presented
rutabagas to every Member of Parliament in
Ottawa, presented the Queen with a 50 lb.
bag upon her visit, and attended fairs across
the country to introduce the vegetable to
Canadians.
Rutabagas belong to the same family as
the turnip, and is sometimes referred to as
the Swede turnip. The correct botanical
name for rutabaga is Bassica napus.
The swollen stem can be either cooked or
sliced raw for salads and it tastes like a
mixture of cabbage and turnip, but much
sweeter.
The rutabaga is closely related to other
common vegetables as cabbage,
cauliflowers, brussels sprouts, broccoli and
mustard.
Rutabaga growers in Ontario tend to grow
the "Laurentian" variety which was
developed by Professor Raymond at
Macdonald College in Guelph in the early
1940's.
You Don't Have To Root
Extra Rootin' Tootin' Bargains!
IR1STMASI
COUNTRY
Flowers & Gifts
523-4820 ^<5?
Best Wishes
to the 1992
Blyth Rutabaga
Festival
MatS Reg. $12.99 $8.00 or
pnc 2/$15.00
Large Display
Wicker Baskets 30 - 50% Off
BE SURE AND ATTEND BLYTH'S
31ST ANNUAL
HURON
PIONEER
THRESHER
REUNION
SEPT. 11,12,13
1992
SEE YOU THERE!
This ad is courtesy of the
HURON PIONEER
THRESHER
& HOBBY ASSOCIATION
BLYTH
High Back
White Wicker
Rocking Chair
Reg. $225.00 Saje $1 5Q QQ
(includes cushion)
Join us for the fun this Weekend!
(Sale ends June 27)
Sidewalk Sale weather permitting o
THdloia