Just a couple of weeks ago, I was peering anxiously at the protruding remnants of the asparagus stalks, seeing no signs of life at all. And worrying that perhaps I done something wrong, when I trimmed back that billowy green cloud of ferns last November. But I knew I had not. Still – where were those dark green pointy tips?
Then suddenly, on April 15, there were asparagus stalks everywhere, needing to be harvested. It’s been very hard to keep up – as it always is. Some has already been lost – it has billowed out into fern, rather than waiting to be picked and eaten. I have a refrigerator full of asparagus.
One friend has picked a bit, and I am taking a bagful to another friend at lunch today, plus giving a bag to my massage therapist late this afternoon.
When I first started this asparagus odyssey, I managed to eat the entire crop out in the garden – just picking a stalk and then another, munching while I planned the rest of the flower, herb and veggie gardens. It is so good that way, that I never got any into the house to simmer or roast.
Now it is impossible – which is a good thing, of course.
And then, the next step – the asparagus is suddenly finished, no more new green shoots, it’s all fern. So fast. Probably next week.