Home / Lifestyle / Somerset Celebrates 'Wonky Veg' with Mangelwurzel Festival
Somerset Celebrates 'Wonky Veg' with Mangelwurzel Festival
19 Sep
Summary
- Mangelwurzels, a forgotten root vegetable, are experiencing a revival.
- A festival honors the crop with unique judging categories and activities.
- Proceeds support a village hall and a mental health charity.
A once-forgotten root vegetable, the mangelwurzel, is experiencing a surprising revival in Somerset, England. Over 100 residents across seven villages are now cultivating this vibrant red crop, a hybrid of beetroot, sugar beet, and chard. This resurgence has culminated in The Great Polden Hills Mangelwurzel Day, an event celebrating the vegetable with unique judging categories, including 'Biggest Girth' and 'Most like Donald Trump.'
The festival, held at Edington Village Hall, also includes performances by local folk band Savage Sisters, who have penned a song about the mangelwurzel. Attendees can participate in 'mangelwurzel hurling' and enjoy food and drinks crafted from the root and its leaves. The event's founder, Beverley Finnegan, noted the festival grew organically from a friendly challenge among neighbors.
This community-driven initiative, which has been six months in the making, also serves a charitable purpose. Proceeds from The Great Polden Hills Mangelwurzel Day will support the village hall and Seed of Hope, a charity that aids individuals with mental health challenges through therapeutic gardening. Organizers hope the festival will become an annual tradition, celebrating local culture and community spirit.
