[Crops 101] How to Sow & Harvest Parsnips

Welcome to your next “Crops 101” lesson of the Farming Simulator Academy! In this tutorial, we will show you how to grow, harvest and sell parsnips. 

What you need for parsnips

Let's have a look at everything you need. Please note, we need special equipment. This is not the cheapest equipment, so parsnips might not be the best choice to start with at the very beginning. If you still want to, think about leasing the machines at the dealership!

• You need a tractor + weights. The weights are needed as a counterpart of the tools you attach - if you don’t use them, your tractor loses friction. 
• You need a subsoiler.  Due to the roots, you need to plow the field after every harvest. Use a subsoiler instead of a plow - they are easier and faster in usage. If you prefer a plow, you can utilize that instead.
• You will need a planter and seeds. In the “Vegetable Technology” category of the shop, you will find the planters listed. You will also need to buy a BigBag of seeds, which contains all the crops, as well as parsnips.
• You need a fertilizer spreader, fertilizer (and lime). With fertilizer and lime, you improve the revenue of your sold harvest. We recommend artificial fertilizer for beginners. You find both in the BigBag section of the shop.  A fertilizer spreader is found in the fertilizing technology category. In the right corner box you can see if your field requires lime. It will be shown when you’re standing on the field and on the map in the menu.
• You need a hoe to get rid of the weeds. If not, you will lower the revenue for your sold harvest. Try to get rid of it as soon as possible. Otherwise, you need a costly fertilizer spreader.
• You need a special harvester to harvest parsnips.
• You need a trailer to transport and sell your harvest. 

Optional:

• You may use a ridge former to prepare your field for sowing parsnips.

Equipment Selection (recommendation) 

We have chosen the following equipment.  Feel free to use other vehicles or equipment. Just mind compatibilities and power requirements as indicated by respective icons at the dealership.

• Tractor: CLAAS Axion 800
• Subsoiler: Kuhn DC 401
• Ridge Former: Grimme GF 400
• Planter: Kverneland Miniair Nova
• Harvester: Dewulf GBC
• Hoe: Einböck CHOPSTAR 5-90 ROW-GUARD
• Fertilizer: BREDAL K105
• Trailer: WELGER DK 115
• Front weight: Tenwinkel PAC-1000

Let’s go to work!

Got everything you need? Let’s start with growing parsnips. Please be aware: If you play with seasonal growth, parsnips can only be sown from the beginning of April to the end of June.

Step 1: Plowing the field

Depending on the crop, you grew before, you may need to plow the field. The field info box will tell you everything you need to know.  After every harvest of parsnips, you need to plow the field in order to get the full yield of your harvest. Reason for that are the roots deep in the ground. 

We use a subsoiler instead of a plow, but you can also use the latter. Lower the subsoiler and start plowing!

Step 2: Shaping ridges (optional)

Now it’s time to prepare the field for parsnips. Hook the ridging machine to your tractor. Like the subsoiler, start at one corner of the field and form your ridges. Before the next step, the field should be completely covered with ridges. 

This step is optional and improves your yield, like applying fertilizer. If you are short on money, you can apply fertilizer twice instead to generate an application rate of 100 %. 

Step 3: Planting parsnips

Connect your planter to your tractor, and like in the step before, position it next to the BigBag of seeds and fill up the machine. When you are done, drive to back to the field. Position yourself at one corner, lower and turn on the machine. Now you can sow parsnips row by row until your entire field is covered. As already mentioned, it does not have to be perfect from the beginning. 

Tip! If you play with fruit destruction, you should use a tractor with maintenance tires for the following steps (as soon as the parsnips start to grow) - otherwise you will destroy many of the plants.

Step 4: Applying fertilizer and lime

To improve the yield of your crops, you need to apply fertilizer. Attach your fertilizer spreader to your tractor, position it next to a BigBag and press the button to refill.

Back on the field, turn on the machine and cover the whole field in fertilizer. After you are done, the field should now be fertilized up to 50 %. This will be shown in the bottom right corner of the field info screen when you are standing on a field. It’s okay if you miss a few spots. To gain 100 %, you have to repeat the process after planting. 

Does your field also need lime? Then head back to the shop, buy lime and repeat the same procedure. But first, unload the fertilizer you have left in your spreader.

Tip! If you didn’t shape ridges, repeat the process after the next growth stage to increase the fertilization to 100%. The yield will be even higher.

Step 5: Removing weeds

Soon the first weeds will grow on the field. Take your hoe to get rid of it before they grow too high. After that, you will need a field sprayer and herbicide - but you want to avoid this for cost reasons. Then wait until the crops are fully grown.

Tip! You can (carefully) speed up the time it takes for the weeds to grow.

Step 6:  Harvesting parsnips

From August onwards, parsnips are ready for harvesting. To harvest this vegetable, you need to connect your harvester to your tractor. Once you are finished, you have two options: Either you unload the harvester directly into a trailer or you need vegetable pallets. You can buy these directly in the vehicle or in the shop and load them manually onto your harvester.

Once you have done this, the real work can begin. Position yourself at a corner of the field and start working.

Step 7: Selling parsnips

Now it’s time to look for the best selling point on the price chart. Found something? Unload the trailer in the marked area. As prices fluctuate throughout the year, you should not necessarily sell immediately and store for the time being. You can see the price change in the respective screen.

Tip! Parsnips cannot be stored in a silo. If you want to sell them later, you will have to store them in the pallet store. 

Well done!

Congratulations, you have successfully harvested your first crop! Take some time and start the next lesson when you are ready. And don't forget to clean your machines every now and then. Stay tuned, and you'll become a virtual farmer in no time with Farming Simulator Academy!