10257335489?profile=RESIZE_710xEvery spring, asparagus fans eagerly anticipate the arrival of this delicacy and look forward to preparing it in a myriad of ways: steamed, simmered, roasted, grilled, sautéed, wok-fried, and more! Unfortunately, it is getting harder and harder to find this springtime favorite at your local farmers’ market. Asparagus once covered the Stockton-Brentwood area, but according to the California Asparagus Commission, the “King of Vegetables” has dwindled dramatically. 

The farmers of California provide the country with a whopping two-thirds of the nation’s fruits and one-third of its vegetables. At the turn of the 21st century, they grew over 36,000 acres of asparagus, and in 1995, Contra Costa County alone harvested 20,000 acres. In 2017, that figure dropped to only 1,300 acres.

There are multiple reasons for the asparagus shortage:

Economics/Competition

Asparagus is a labor-intensive crop. Plants live for about nine years but must grow for three or four years before they are even ready for harvest, and then the spears must be hand-cut daily for four to six weeks. After that, they must be hand-sorted and hand-packed. Before NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) took effect in 1994, California growers could charge a premium for their quality asparagus, but our state’s high labor wages, strict food safety regulations, and high standards of production make it harder to compete with imports from Latin America. Although NAFTA was replaced in 2019 with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, controversy and challenges remain.

Water Shortage

Asparagus requires almost 260 gallons of water per pound. It's no secret that California has had non-stop drought, and there are little to no ground water reserves for agriculture to fall back on, making it even more costly to grow produce. To be more efficient with water, farmers rely on various strategies, including sacrificing one crop to save another. “I’m giving up 100 acres of asparagus to grow 150 acres of melons with the same water,” says one farmer. A Fresno Farm Bureau representative says some farmers divert water away from annual crops and put it towards permanent crops such as almonds and pistachios, a 10 to 100 year investment. Other farmers use “deficit irrigation,” which temporarily reduces water flows to plants in the hopes they can catch up later.

Where Can You Get Asparagus?

You can still buy asparagus but not from consistent suppliers at your friendly farmers’ market booths. Instead, you may have to buy it from grocers like Safeway that rely more on foreign imports and charge higher prices. Considering asparagus' high water use and the "food miles" required to obtain it from non-local sources, it would behoove us to explore alternative local veggies. If you want the latest on farmers’ market produce, schedules, and locations near you, this Ecology Center Berkeley Farmers' Market finder tool is an excellent resource. If you are able to find asparagus at your local vendor, snap it up while you can because you can’t find better climate, soil conditions, and expertise about growing asparagus (and other produce) than in the Golden State. Keep in mind that once asparagus is cut, sugars in the plant begin to break down and flavors turns starchy, so fresh-cut is best. Expect to pay more, but the superior quality, flavor, and safety standards for this crop make it well worthwhile! Prepare and enjoy countless delicious, healthy, and beautiful recipes for this versatile vegetable! 

Asparagus Trivia

In honor of Sustainable Contra Costa’s upcoming "FUNdraisingTrivia Night," here is some trivia specifically about asparagus:

  • Asparagus is native to western Asia, Northern Africa, and most of Europe.
  • The top producing countries are China, Peru, Mexico, and Germany.
  • The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (San Joaquin County) is one of three primary asparagus production areas in the State of California. (The other two are in the southern desert valleys and the Central Coast). The State of Michigan is the top producer of asparagus nationwide.
  • Asparagus recipes can be found in the oldest surviving cookbooks in existence, dating back to the 1st century AD.
  • Monks in France cultivated asparagus in the 15th century before it spread to England and Germany.
  • European settlers brought asparagus to the New World as early as 1655 and recorded that the crop grew well in the climate. It became popular in the U.S. in the mid-19th century.
  • Asparagus is considered an aphrodisiac, and the points d’amour (“love tips”) were served to French courtier Madame de Pompadour in the 18th century. 
  • Asparagus is 93% water and is an excellent source of fiber, vitamin B6, calcium, zinc, and magnesium.
  • The plant grows in clusters of 4-15 stalks, standing between 39 and 59 inches tall.
  • There are over 300 different species of asparagus! They come in green, purple, and white varieties.

Sources and further reading:

https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/05/23/facing-a-drought-californias-farmers-make-hard-choices/

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/top-asparagus-producing-countries-in-the-world.html

https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9405143/top-quality-california-grown-asparagus/

https://www.pcfma.org/blog/stalk-market-where-has-all-asparagus-gone

 

Photo by micheile || visual stories on Unsplash

 

 
 

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  • I never knew anything about asparagus! My wife makes a delicious asparagus soup. We'll have to keep an eye on our consumption now. Thanks Alison.
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