Known as "swede" in the U.K., the rutabaga is believed to have originated as a cross between a turnip and a cabbage. Sweeter than a turnip, rutabagas are delicious boiled and mashed with butter (with or without potatoes). Rutabagas should be peeled before use. Keep them loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in your fridge.

Gold balls have a taste similar to rutabagas. These turnips were described in 1879 as "Skin very smooth and quite yellow; flesh yellow, softish, and fine flavored, ... highly esteemed in Scotland and the north of England." Try pickling the turnips, mashing with butter, or cubing and using in soups and stews. I often use turnips in place of celery in cooked recipes like chicken soup and the chicken and biscuits below. Though celeriac is probably a better substitute for the celery similar taste wise, I value my celeriac too much to use in a stock, or in any recipe where the flavor may get lost. Keep turnips loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer.

The gilfeather turnip was bread here in Vermont. Here is an excerpt from the Slow Food site about gilfeathers: The Gilfeather is an egg-shaped, rough-skinned root, but unlike its cousins, it has a mild taste that becomes sweet and a creamy white color after the first frost. While the hardy Gilfeather turnip does well in nearly any climate, this touch of frost contributes to its unusual taste and texture. Developed and named after John Gilfeather from Wardsboro, Vermont, this turnip is one of the state's unique contributions to cold weather agriculture. Mr. Gilfeather carefully guarded his stock to ensure that no one else could propagate the vegetable. However, some seeds slipped by and a few folks have continued to grow the Gilfeather Turnip after Mr. Gilfeather died." These turnips are truly unique, and we are fortunate that the seeds made their way to other Vermont farmers. Try boiling and mashing the gilfeathers with potatoes. Turnips can be kept for a couple of weeks loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer.