Dec 22 2012

All you need is a rutabaga and a dream

I’m just back from attending the 15th annual International Rutabaga Curling Championship at the Farmers’ Market in  upstate Ithaca, New York.

This year’s championship event took place, as always, on the last day of the farmers’ market season.

Rutabagas, for the unitiated, are root vegetables of the Brassica family, most likely originating as a cross between a turnip and a cabbage.

Unlovely as they may be, rutabagas are just right for rolling down an icy lane (you can cook and eat them afterwards).

Before the festivities begin, the chorus does a quick rehearsal, this one filmed by a Japanese photographer for a reality show of unusual sporting events.  The program sent a crew to participate, making this a truly international event.

The event has its own original song, Joe Crookston’s The Rutabaga Curl.

But beyond the sport, the high point is always the sing-along rendition of the Rutabaga Chorus.   Its words are explained as the original lyrics for a tune later repurposed for Handel’s Messiah.

My favorite line: “Re-peat re-frain forever and eeeeever….”

Happy holidays!

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  • Sharon
  • December 22, 2012
  • 3:22 pm

Oh, how I love the quirkiness of Ithaca.

  • Another Sharon
  • December 22, 2012
  • 4:09 pm

Oh, and the ‘baga fries are a once a year Ithaca Farmer’s Market ‘delicacy’ on sale during the competition only! Today was a great day for it. Fresh snow, Painfully cold. Makes me grateful the outdoor market season is over. Thanks for writing about the Rutabaga Curl.

  • Sarah
  • December 24, 2012
  • 5:14 am

I never knew it was a cross between a cabbage and a turnip, so is kohlrabi but they taste so different. In the UK we call rutabaga “swede” but “rutabaga” is definitely more comical. Rutabaga curling looks very fun, and much less dangerous than the cheese rolling we do here.

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