life in the German countryside
The Abenheimer-Blaskapelle has a youth group, which like thier main band likes to give a concert; in the case of the youth group it’s once each year on the midsummer Sunday evening – and, even better than the main band, it’s more informal in the yard of Hemer’s Vinyard: thus like all good events here it involves tables and chairs and food and drink, as well as some good music and musicianship, of course.
Today is the last day of the asparagus season. Season? That’s right, in Germany there is a clearly defined season with a first and last day for picking asparagus in the fields and selling it as a local fresh product.
Asparagus is more common across the river in Hessen where the Rhine Valley is flat for some miles inland, while on this side the hills rise up very quickly from the riverside and a piece of ground suitable for the plant is not so common: but most of the vinyards have an asparagus bed tucked away in their fields somewhere.
It’s white asparagus which is grown here, rather than the green stalks more common in more northern locations. It’s grown in sandy soil which is banked up into ridges so that the growing stems are protected from the light and keep their particular white colouring. To cut them involves going out early in the morning and looking for the heads which are just about to peek out from the ground, sliding a cutting tool down the side of the plant to cut it at the right depth, and then plucking out the stem. The sand is then filled back into the hole to keep the light out of the soil and protect the remaining plant.
The season is defined from around the end of April to the middle of June – I’m not sure how the exact dates are defined, but they are clearly defined and announced each year, and as the end approaches the “last day for asparagus” signs appear. This time of the year should of course be wonderful sunny days, and the early morning starts – some picking starts at first light, around 4:30 a.m. at the moment; nobody starts later than 6:00 a.m. – should be pleasant for the pickers, even if the work is back breakingly hard.
The pickers are normally seen out in the fields as the sun rises in very light, mostly very little, clothing and their daily deepening suntans. But this year the season has ended with a week of rain, especially today with a wonderful early morning downpour, which didn’t look fun at all.
The picking is in the early morning every day as the plants need to be harvested and brought in fresh and are then on sale immediately (from about 9:00 a.m.) intended for consumption on the same day. It can be kept for a short time as long as it is kept moist and out of direct light.
Taking the last chance we’ve got a couple of kilos of good asparagus to eat this week, and a kilo of odds and ends… now where’s that receipe for asparagus soup?