Wonky parsnips

First season trying to grow parsnips and they're a little persnickety. First they are not good germinators - you have to soak them and not very many of them emerge and grow up. They recommend planting radishes next to them to help, but it didn't work in my garden, the ones with out the radish neighbors did better. Fast forward to harvest time... they are a bear to pull up. I must have spent 4 minutes each digging them out, nothing like carrots which just lift out. Maybe it's all the side shoots that gave me trouble? Anyways I'm going to wait another month or two to pick the rest as they're pretty small, but I did get enough to make a half batch of this awesome recipe of roasted winter veggies. It was the vegetarian option for thanksgiving in Sunset many years ago and I fell in love with it.