ASPARAGUS!!!
Okay so I will admit this photo is from 2 years ago. Anyone who has looked at the asparagus lately will agree that the patch is currently MUCH weedier than this photo indicates. In any case, the asparagus is emerging nicely and this year is the first year I can harvest the spears for its entire season (4-5 weeks long)! I planted the crowns (plants) 4 springs ago and for the first 3 years I could only harvest for a week or two. Then I had to let the spears grow big and fern out so that they could capture as much energy from the sun as possible and transfer it to the roots making the plant stronger. Now the plants are good and strong and can withstand me plucking spears from the plant daily. Asparagus is one of the few plants that one could sit and probably watch grow. Especially when the day is sunny and warm, spears will grow up to 12 inches in one day! The cooler weather is nice for these guys because it keeps them from ferning out too quick and it keeps the asparagus beetles at bay. Everything else is moving at a snail's pace...hopefully a bit ahead of the actual snails and slugs that are trying to overtake the farm as we speak. Peas, spinach and beets are actually up about 1/4 inch. Looking a the pea seedlings yesterday, I was having a hard time even imagining picking them at some point this season. But alas we have asparagus!
This week's loot: asparagus, carrots, parsnips, rhubarb and chives
Recipes:
Creamy raosted Parsnip soup:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/creamy-roasted-parsnip-soup/
If you don't want to use the cream, try making it with with cashews instead
Cashew Cream:
1 cup raw chasews
1/2 cup veggie broth
blend in a blender until smooth and add to the soup at the end
Asparagus:
The way I do it is chop the asparagus into 1 inch pieces and place in a cast iron skillet with some butter. I toss it until warm so the aspargaus is still crunchy and bright green. Simple as that.
