Growers of the province's largest asparagus field kicked off their seventh annual Asparagus Festival this past weekend, signifying the official start to the growing season.
“We just like to invite people out to the fields to see how asparagus grows,” said Elna Edgar, passionate grower and promoter of the local Asparagus Festival. June 1 marked the kickoff to the annual weekend events with more planned for June 8 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Edgar Farms on Cottonwood Road southwest of Innisfail.
Elna and Doug Edgar and Keri and Randy Graham are recognized as one of Alberta's Century Farm Families who are continuing the Edgar legacy began in 1907 which continues on the original land to this day.
“My mother-in-law first planted asparagus in 1975 in her garden, and we planted our first acre in 1986,” said Elna. “Today, we have 28 acres planted and over the next five years we will likely see up to 35 acres in production. Some of the same fields we use now are the same ones we used 28 years ago.”
Elna added most people do not realize that asparagus is a perennial. The root is planted in an eight-inch deep trench and it continues to grow for two years before it can be harvested.
For two years after that, the asparagus is only harvested for two weeks in the spring when the spears first appear. But for the years after that, picking begins about mid-May and doesn't end until June.
There's a good reason asparagus isn't normally grown in Alberta – it requires sandy soil to grow properly.
“Central Alberta is not an ideal environment for asparagus,” said Elna. “Usually warmer climates are better but here we find that the cooler weather helps make the flavour more sweet, with a higher sugar content.”
The grower said the Central Alberta product is fresh, often picked one day and sold the next, ensuring quality product for their customers. Each spear of asparagus is snapped, instead of being pulled. Elna said this ensures the customer is purchasing the most tender portion of each spear, and the tough ends are left in the garden.
“Our cool Alberta climate produces extremely sweet asparagus,” reads the farm's brochure. “The purple colour on the tips indicates a very high sugar content. Also, we take the sun's warmth off the freshly picked spears by quickly chilling them in ice water. This helps prevent the natural sugars from turning into starch, ensuring garden fresh and sweet asparagus.”
The Edgars are part of the Innisfail Growers – five families who cooperatively bring their produce to markets across Central Alberta. Throughout the summer, the Innisfail Growers can be found at about 20 different farmers markets, and also year-round at the Calgary Farmers' Market at Currie Barracks.
Separately, Edgar Farms attends two farmers markets in Edmonton in the springtime.
To keep their customers coming back in the winter months, Edgar Farms also has an approved commercial kitchen on the farm, where they make thousands of jars of pickled asparagus, asparagus relish, frozen cream of asparagus soup, pickled beets, beet relish, apple chutney, crabapple jelly and handmade take-and-bake pies. The Edgars also have an on-farm retail store.
The Edgars also produce garden peas, sugar snap peas, snow peas, pea tendrils and broad beans, as well as yellow, green and French filet beans. All of these crops are picked by hand at harvest time.
For more information on the asparagus festival and a printable map, you can go to www.edgarfarms.com or call Elna Edgar at 403-350-0659.
