Big Asparagus

Underneath the big, 100-year-old oak tree at Sunnyside Farms in New Plymouth, Idaho the word big has taken on new meaning at the asparagus stand. “There is a half a pound right there.” That's contract worker Jesse Vargas holding a sharp knife that has been honed by her crew boss. “That is the key to do. It makes the job even better.”

 

 

While the crew boss keeps the cutting tools sharp, contract workers spread out across the field. They’re bent over at the waist cutting the crop for market. I commented to Farmer Galen Lee that the crop was coming on like gang busters “Yeah, it warmed up early this spring and production just kicked off and it’s in high gear.” By coming across it every day Galen means he's cutting every day. You want an unbelievable statistic? Listen to how fast asparagus grows. "You can get 6 to 8 inches of growth if you've got good weather like this, sunny and warm, that stuff just keeps on growing.” And growing big!. It was Sunday dinner at the Lee’s. Steak and a quarter pound stick of asparagus.

 

Galen watches contract worker Jesse Vargas and his crew of 17 but says the overall outlook for field workers is concerning. “Labor right now is pretty tight in the Valley but he's done all right and he has a good crew and he has been doing this for us for several years so he knows what we are after.” Consumers can find the big stalks of asparagus underneath the big oak tree at Sunnyside farms until late May into early June