Asparagus Anyone? Sunday’s the Day to Celebrate the Spear in Hadley!
When I am traveling, sometimes I tell people about the part of the USA where I live. If I’m traveling in May or June, I often explain that I come from the part of the world where the finest asparagus on Earth is grown. That’s one of the best ways to describe our Happy Valley, we’re where Hadley Grass makes us all famous.
If you, like me, love asparagus and all that it symbolizes as a rite of summer-a-coming, and even love that first whiff of what we all know as asparagus pee, well you’re in for a treat this Siunday. This is the date of the Asparagus Festival on the Hadley Town Common. It will be the place to be for great music, fellow asparagus lovers to mingle, and to meet a famous chef who can probably teach you a few things about this noble vegetable.
Daniel Klein will be there, of PBS’s Victory Garden, who knows all about growing, cooking and tending to asparagus patches large and small. There will be lots to drink and music to listen to, and it’s so appropriate that it takes place in Hadley—the Valley’s asparagus epicenter. Oh and it benefits our favorite local public TV station too! It’s not only a chance to drink wine and munch asparagus, it’s an entire day devoted to the noble spear—it starts with yoga at 10 am on the common, and then a family market with local producers, kid’s games, and from 11-4 pm a ‘Beers and Spears’ microbrew tasting tent with all kinds of asparagus treats plus great beers!
The music starts at 11 am with David Wax Museum, Tess and the Talkbacks, and Mike + Ruthy. And more! An outdoor Farm-to-Table dinner featuring six of the valley’s best chefs with special guest PBS Chef Dan Klein from The Victory Garden’s Edible Feast. Wines paired for each course courtesy of State Street Wines and Spirits. Here are some of what the chefs are serving at the table: Casey Douglas of Galaxy, Asparagus Spring Roll; Kevin Daley from Esselon, Asparagus soup, Brent Menke, The Farm Table, Prosciutto wrapped Diemand Farm turkey with aged cheddar; Brian Alberg, The Red Lion Inn, braised Raven and Boar farm pork shoulder with asparagus.
Serious eats for asparagus lovers, and a whole lot of fun. Get tickets at WGBY.org, before they sell out! Readers of my blog can get a special discount!
GoNomad readers and friends, the farmer discount to the “Spearit” Gala Farmer Tickets are $75 per person. That represents a $50 discount over the ticket price of $125.