Okanagan asparagus season is underway

The first of this year’s cultivated asparagus crop is appearing in the Similkameen valley.

Annamarie Klippenstein says Klippers Organic Acres in Cawston has begun harvesting this year’s asparagus crop.

“Our season just started. We don’t have a farm gate sales area at this point in time, but the building is under construction. Customers can order asparagus from our online store later this week, we are also selling it at the Farmers Market in Vancouver, or they can come into our restaurant (Row 14) and have it served up already cooked,” Annamarie says.

Klippers Organics will be at the Riley Park market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and at Hastings Park in Vancouver on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Further north in the Okanagan valley, the Armstrong Asparagus Farm says on its Facebook page the fields are being prepared for this year’s crop, which is expected to be ready to begin harvest around the middle of April.

Tender shoots of asparagus generally begin popping out of the ground in the Thompson-Okanagan with April rains.

The perennial vegetable also grows wild in the region and is highly sought after by food foragers during the season, which can last into May.

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