Keep in mind, not all areas of a state have asparagus orchards that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using the add a farm form!
These are the areas of the state that have asparagus orchards to pick asparagus. Click on the area closet you!
Asparagus is one of the first crops to harvest in the early Spring. Asparagus is usually green, but there is a white (blanched) version that has been kept covered until harvested, so no light reaches it, and even a purple version.
Pick your own asparagus is pretty rare in the U.S., much more
common in the U.K. and Europe. U-Pick white asparagus is REALLY hard
to find in the U.S.
Eckerts in Belleville, Illinois, has it.
To pick asparagus, just look for asparagus spears are about 6 to 10
inches above the soil line, are firm, with tightly closed tips.
Then just cut at the base (ground level) or snap each spear; they
usually snap off cleanly at the ground level.
The Old farmer's Almanac has a good page about how to grow your own asparagus, white or green. I've been growing it for years. It's probably the easiest thing you can grow. And after you harvest in the spring, you let it grow, and it produces 5 ft tall fern-like leaves that make a nice background hedge at the back of the garden. So don't plant it where it will block the sun from other parts of the garden. The leaves suck up energy from the sun and store it in the roots to produce next Spring;'s crop.
Water bath canner with a jar rack
Pressure canners for gas, electric and induction stoves: Presto 23Qt or T-fal 22Qt
Canning scoop (this one is PERFECT)
Ball Blue book (most recent version)
Jars: 8oz canning jars for jams
Farm markets and roadside stands
Road trips and camping resources
Local Honey, apiaries, beekeepers
Consumer fraud and scams information
Home canning supplies at the best prices on the internet!
Maple Syrup Farms, sugarworks, maple syrup festivals
Environmental information and resources
Farms For Your Event for birthday parties, weddings, receptions, business meetings, retreats, etc.
Festivals - local fruit and vegetable festivals
Get the
most recent version of
the Ball Blue Book
With this Presto 23 quart pressure canner and pressure cooker, you can "can" everything, fruits, vegetables, jams, jellies, salsa, applesauce, pickles, even meats, soups, stews. Model 01781
You can make jams, jellies, can fruit, applesauce, salsa and pickles with water bath canners, like this Granite Ware 12-Piece Canner Kit, Jar Rack, Blancher, Colander and 5 piece Canning Tool Set