Batted to the side in salads all across the United States, Oaxaca is where the lowly radish really shines. Oaxacan radishes are not to be trifled with. They grow to an average of one and a half feet long and weigh up to 7 pounds. Farming families whittle these radishes into elaborate reproductions of the nativity scene, scenes from Aztec mythology, musicians, and other tableaux that represent the history and culture of Oaxaca. These creations are then displayed in the town square, where townspeople stroll about, quite possibly reminiscing about past radish sculptures.
Artists furiously spray their masterpieces to ward off wrinkling before the judges come by.
It is conceivable that young Oaxacan punks defy authority by sculpting revolutionary new vegetables, possibly rutabagas. There are cash prizes. And the winner and his or her family gets their pictures in the newspaper. It is not known whether at the time of his death John Denver had plans to do a Night of the Radishes album with the Muppets. But it is well-known that he had nothing better to do.