Meet the Mangelwurzels: The Forgotten Root Vegetable Making a Comeback
BBC News explores the surprising rise of a once-overlooked vegetable in Somerset, England.
A Festival for the Unlikely Hero: Mangelwurzels
A forgotten root crop, mangelwurzel, is enjoying a remarkable comeback in the quiet countryside of Somerset. This weekend, seven villages between Glastonbury and Bridgwater will host The Great Polden Hills Mangelwurzel Day, celebrating this vibrant vegetable with unique competitions and local festivities.
"What started as a challenge between friends to grow the biggest mangelwurzel has, eight months later, become a festival with hundreds of locals involved." — Beverley Finnegan
From Peasant Food to Festival Sensation
Once considered peasant or livestock food, mangelwurzel is now gaining popularity among home gardeners and local communities. Over 100 people in the area are now growing this unique root crop, which is a cross between beetroot, sugar beet, and chard.
A Festival Filled with Fun and Competition
The festival will feature vegetables judged in entertaining categories like 'Biggest Girth', 'Best Looking Legs', and even 'Most Like Donald Trump'. Visitors can enjoy performances by the Glastonbury folklore band Savage Sisters, who have composed a song dedicated to this wonky vegetable. There will also be mangelwurzel hurling, food, and drink made from the bulbous root and its leafy tops.
Supporting Local Causes
Proceeds from the festival will benefit Edington Village Hall and a charity called Seed of Hope, which aids individuals with mental health issues through therapeutic gardening.
A Taste of Somerset Tradition
Mangelwurzel has deep roots in Somerset culture, inspiring the name of the band The Wurzels and even playing a role in traditional Punkie Night celebrations in Hinton St George. The festival celebrates not only this unique vegetable but also the rich heritage and community spirit of the Polden Hills region.