Do turnips get any bigger than this?

On a recent Saturday, the boy and I decided to see what was doing at the Durham Farmers Market.

Specifically, I was looking for my donut muffin fix from Scratch Seasonal Artisan Baking and then to buy some winter vegetables to make up for my fall from dietary grace.

I stopped at Brinkley Farms for a couple of beautiful acorn squash and a pound of anti-biotic free pork chorizo - the crumbly Mexican kind. Total expenditure: $8

Next stop was Chapel Hill Creamery where the cheesemakers Portia McKnight and Florence Hawley were sampling a lovely stinky soft cheese so new it had No Name. No Name cheese was delicious and only $8 for a generous half round.

We inquired after the subscription at Tiny Farm - $15 for a box of winter greens and root vegetables - that can be picked up at the market of the farm. We signed up for the no-obligation email alerts.

On our way out, we spied an enormous turnip nearly as big as the boy's head at Hurtgen Meadows Farm. I've seen some whoppers before, but this one takes the blue ribbon. The folks at Hurtgen were giving Mr. Turnip Head away to the person who could guess it's weight within a tenth of an ounce.

Let me preface this by saying, I don't usually win anything. Not since I used to fool the guys at the State Fair who guessed your weight. You won if they were off by 5 pounds. I am pretty tall and used to be skinny as a string bean. They always got robbed.

Anyway, the boy guessed 5 pounds. Ha. Wild guess! I took a stab with 2 pounds, 4 ounces. Unbelievably, I was exactly right. To the very ounce. Incredible.

Mr. Turnip Head tasted very delicious diced and mixed with Swiss Chard and chorizo in a big old Stromboli. He was a good old root.