In article ,
Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote:

Common wisdom, for what it's worth, is that potatoes became a staple
because they produced a higher yield per acre then other crops.

I'm mildly curious as to when parsnips (as opposed to carrots,
beetroots, turnips and swedes) were a staple, and as to what the
advantages of parsnips are.

I believe that the evidence for the former is scant, but the answer
to the second is a higher calorific content and less liable to rot
over winter.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.