November really does feel like the beginning of winter.  It’s starting to feel distinctly dreary and Christmas is bearing down on us like a bad rash – people have started to say “Oh, it’s only X shopping days to Christmas” and the first Christmas ads are appearing on the TV.  Groan.

 For the GIYer however, there are reminders in the veggie patch that the season of harvest is still upon us.  The focus now shifts to root vegetables which supply us with much needed energy at this time of the year, and which are hardy enough to survive in the cold soil.  Carrots, parsnips, beetroot and celeriac are high in energy supplying carbohydrates and rich in the vitamin B and C we need to fight off colds (even that most serious variant - the man cold). 

 Vegetables which are picked and eaten when fresh are at the peak of their nutritional content so the root crops we pluck from the vegetable patch now are the healthiest thing we could be eating at this time of the year.  So instead of dreading winter, indulge in it and trust in nature’s enduring ability to provide us with the nutrition we need for the season ahead.   Go to the House and Home to read more about GIY.