Asparagus harvest begins in SE Washington

PASCO — Asparagus picking has begun on many of the farms where it is grown in southeast Washington.

Workers began chopping the succulent spears with long, sharp knives last week. The labor-intensive harvest typically runs from mid-April to late June.

Growers are keeping a close watch on the weather. Jim Middleton, who has 165 acres of asparagus north of Pasco, says he usually loses 10 to 15 days of harvesting because of cold or windy weather.

Phil Clouse of Gourmet Trading Co. in Pasco says ideal temperatures are up to 80 degrees in the day and no colder than 50 at night.

According to the Washington Asparagus Commission, about 160 growers have planted 8,000 acres in the state. Last year Washington farmers produced 30 million pounds of asparagus worth about $50 million.