All aboard for asparagus
Lorna Bonjernoor buys fresh asparagus at Norconk’s farm stand on Aral Rd south of Empire. Photo by Mimi Wheeler
By Linda Hepler Beaty
Sun contributor
One of the first harbingers of spring in the veggie world is asparagus, a popular early farmers market pick. People are so enthusiastic about asparagus, said third generation farmer Harry Norconk — who along with wife Barbara owns Norconk Asparagus Farm between Empire and Honor — that they begin inquiring about availability as early as April. “When you get a sunny day about 50 degrees, people start calling to ask when the asparagus will be ready,” he said.
But while there’s no hard and fast rule, you won’t see asparagus in northern Michigan until it reaches about 70 degrees and the calendar flips to May, he added. “The season starts May 10, plus or minus 10 days and it normally ends about June 25, plus or minus five days.”
(As of press time, Norconk expected to pick and sell his first batch on Tuesday, May 16 — three days before the Empire Asparagus Festival, which relies on his yield.)
Any earlier than that, and you’re in for a disappointment, because asparagus that emerges through the ground on an isolated warm day in late April or very early May won’t grow much taller once it cools down to a more seasonal 40 to 50 degrees, and by the time it warms up again in mid-May and begins to grow taller, the spears can be tough. Another problem with an early season is the constant specter of frost, which renders the tender veggie to mush overnight. According to the National Climatic Data Center website, the average last potential frost date in Leelanau County (Maple City) is June 9, meaning that even once the asparagus season is underway, a farmer may still suffer a crop loss.
This year, said Norconk, the asparagus was up early in May. “But just when it got to three or four inches, we got hammered with a frost; it was 23-24 degrees at night for two days.”
The result was a total loss of what would have been a first picking. But Norconk considers an early frost less devastating to the asparagus business than one later in the season. “If you’re going to have frost,” he said, “it’s better to have it at the beginning of the season, when you can tell people ‘no, it’s not ready yet,’ than if we start delivering it and then it frosts. When that happens, everyone is upset.”
While asparagus is globally grown (China, Peru and Germany are the highest producers worldwide and California, Washington and Michigan the top producers in the nation), and universally loved, few people know much about its history or how it is farmed. The flowering perennial was cultivated and enjoyed both as a vegetable and a medicinal plant (some considered it an aphrodisiac) in ancient Greece, Rome and in Egypt, and introduced to the United States by the mid-19th century. The spears emerge from a grouping of rhizomes known as a rootstock or a crown, and time from planting a year-old crown to full productivity is about three to four years. A field of asparagus can produce for about 15 years on average, said Norconk, and even longer in a less crowded home garden.
Asparagus plants need a weed-free environment and lots of water and sun. Once the weather has warmed sufficiently, the spears can grow to full length (about 9 inches) in 24 hours, and each plant can produce as many as 25 spears per season, making daily picking a necessity during the short growing period. The vegetable is hand-picked using an asparagus-picking cart, on which up to five people are seated low to the ground, bending forward to snap the asparagus at ground level as the cart passes over the rows. According to Norconk, the average asparagus season yields about 20 pickings, the first two or three a bit sparse, and the last few with smaller diameter spears.
After the last harvest, the remaining spears that emerge are allowed to grow through the summer season, the stems reaching several feet high and resembling a large frilly fern. The tall plants produce carbohydrates and proteins, storing them underground for nourishment for the following season.
Norconk looks forward to a busy summer asparagus season, with distribution planned throughout Leelanau, Benzie and Grand Traverse counties to grocery stores, restaurants and the farmers market. Although you might think he and Barbara would become tired of asparagus after working with it every day for two months, he says they never get sick of eating it. “We love to eat asparagus, in every way, shape, or form,” he chuckled. “Grilled, pan fried, whatever. But usually we steam it; after a long day in the field, that’s fast and easy.”
They’re back! Harris family farm reopens with asparagus
If you drove past the iconic wooden Harris Farm stand, sitting under a shady grove of trees on Indian Hill Road near Honor last spring or summer, you might’ve been surprised to see it empty. For many people, it was a tradition to stop there for the first spring asparagus, and later hydroponic tomatoes, European cucumbers, sweet corn, pumpkins, and more.
The farm operation, which began with Walt and Sharon Harris in 1979, came to a halt in September 2015 when Walt suffered a fatal heart attack while on vacation in Homer, Alaska, leaving behind his wife, two children, and three grandchildren, as well as many other friends and family members.
“We took a year off,” said Sharon, who had been married to Walt for 40 years. By her own admission, she knew little about growing asparagus (15 acres are devoted just to this veggie), not to mention the other produce, and she briefly considered the idea of giving up the farm, but really didn’t want to do that. “You don’t want to give up something that’s been a part of your life for so long,” she said.
After much thought and discussion with family members, Sharon turned the farm operation over to son Matt (she will help out as needed), who had been taking some time off from his career as a mechanic and traveling. While Matt had grown up on the farm and helped out his dad during the growing season, he hadn’t envisioned running the farm himself. “I never thought in a million years I’d have to jump into crops like this,” said Matt, who is currently busy with the spring asparagus season, with plans to add sweet corn and pumpkins this year and perhaps hydroponic tomatoes at a later date.
How does a mechanic learn how to be a farmer? Matt said that at first he didn’t know exactly where to start, but with the help of Internet research, Michigan State University extension, and discussions with other farmers, he learned enough to confidently begin the season. And while he doesn’t expect that everything will run perfectly this year, he knows that he can try different approaches in the future to make things smoother. “Every farmer has a different opinion,” he added, so he knows there are many options to try.
Matt is realistic about the challenges of farming, including spring frosts and other weather issues, pests, trouble finding workers — and long hours. “I would like a clone,” he said, “so that I could sleep, and spend more time with my son.”
Matt and his partner Penny’s baby, Walter, was born last September 5, almost a year after his grandpa Walt died. And while Matt may regret being too busy to spend all the time he wants with his child, he believes that the farm is a great place to raise Walter. “I had a lot of happy times here, running all over the place,” said Matt.
The Harris family expects to be picking asparagus this week, so stop by the little stand to get some. And if you see Matt, wish him well in his new adventure!
Fun facts about asparagus
• Asparagus comes in three colors: green, purple and white. White asparagus is simply green asparagus that is protected from the light and resulting photosynthesis that causes the green pigment.
• Asparagus aficionados claim that different colors of asparagus taste differently; many say that purple asparagus is a bit sweeter than green and that white asparagus is milder and a bit more tender than the other colors.
• While many prefer slim spears of asparagus because they are perceived to be more tender, in actuality, thick spears are less fibrous with more tender pulp than thin ones. Slim spears may be more visually appealing, while thick ones hold up better to grilling.
• Asparagus has very few calories and lots of vitamins, including vitamins K, B, C and E. It also contains zinc and iron and lots of fiber.
• The characteristic “asparagus odor” detectable in urine after consuming asparagus is due to the asparagusic acid in the veggie, which when eaten, breaks down into sulfur containing compounds.
• Asparagus can be cooked in a variety of ways, including steaming, grilling and sautéing. It can be pureed and made into a pesto, and shaved raw for a crunchy texture in salads and on top of soups.