Taste
Adapting to asparagus

By Joan Namkoong
Advertiser Food Editor

That day, farmers and media types inspected the test site and discussed the possibilities of growing asparagus on a large scale here. It was just one of many great agricultural plans that have been proposed for Hawai'i's former sugar and pineapple lands, but this is one that seems to be working in a small way for a number of farmers — and likely to become a much bigger crop for the Islands.

Among the farmers who toured the test site that day was Milton Agader, a former Waialua Sugar Co. employee. With his partner Al Medrano, Agader formed Twin Bridge Farms and joined the Waialua Farmers Coop that leased 65 acres of former Waialua Sugar Co. land from Dole Food Co. After a few years of experimentation, the former sugar workers decided to lease 40 acres from Dole to plant asparagus. "We wanted to stick to one crop," said Agader. "We were looking for a perennial crop that we wouldn't have to take down after harvesting."

They were also looking for a seasonal niche: In late summer, asparagus prices go up after the California crop had been harvested. The farmers figured they could fill the void and make a fair return for their efforts. "But now asparagus is in the market all year round," said Agader. "We're now going for a year-round, locally grown crop."

Twin Bridge Farms is situated at the entrance to Hale'iwa, bordered by two natural springs and the backdrop of the Wai'anae mountains. The year-old lofty asparagus ferns bend in the trade winds, lush and green, dotted with sprouting tiny red seeds. It's a crop that likes the sun but doesn't use as much water as sugar cane. "It's a tough plant, resilient, and it bends in the wind. If there were a hurricane, these plants would survive," said Agader.

Asparagus farmer Milton Agader is co-owner of Twin Bridge Farms, near Haleëiwa. "If there were a hurricane, these plants would survive," says Agader, explaining the fern-like stalks' flexibility in high winds. Kyle Sackowski • The Honolulu Advertiser

"You really can watch it grow," said Agader. "You have to harvest daily; skip a day and the tips will open and become fern." Rotating his harvest five acres at a time, Agader hopes to have hundreds of pounds of asparagus each day for O'ahu restaurants and markets. Fern to spear to fern again is a cycle that can repeat for 15 to 20 years.

More asparagus farmers

On Kaua'i, Dennis Okihara has been growing asparagus for four years on 40 acres of former McBryde Sugar Co. land owned by Grove Farm Co. One year he shipped some of his crop to O'ahu but has since decided to adjust his harvest schedule, supply Kaua'i restaurants, hotels and markets and develop a reputation for a quality asparagus.

"We've had super acceptance by chefs," said Okihara of Ha'upu Growers. He's selling all he can produce, so Okihara, a former McBryde Sugar Co. chemist, would like to plant more but won't be able to right away. "Initially, asparagus is an expensive crop. The seeds are expensive, there are lots of plants per acre that you have to plant by hand and you need to prep the land well because you won't have a second chance. It's a labor-intensive process that doesn't peak for five to eight years."

Dianne's Asparagus Farm in Koloa, Kaua'i, produces two varieties of asparagus — purple and green — on six acres of land. Partners Dianne Sumida and Bob Smith have been growing the crop for 3à years, selling their top grade to the Hyatt Regency at Po'ipu and their off grade — still tasty but not perfectly pretty — at local farmers' markets. "We have more demand than we can service," said Smith. "And we're not concerned about asparagus from California, Mexico or Chile; when it's fresh, there's such a difference."

In Kamuela on the Big Island, Wendell Kawano, a third-generation cabbage and lettuce farmer, is experimenting with a couple of acres of asparagus. "We're going through a learning curve, making mistakes along the way," said Kawano. In cooler Kamuela, the plants actually go dormant during the winter months, as they would in California. Kawano's asparagus is sold to restaurants but some goes into consumer markets in the area.

Maui Land and Pineapple tried out a little of a half an acre of asparagus but abandoned their project because it was too small for economies of scale to work, according to Judy Nakamura of ML&P. Protea farmer Bill Mertens started to play with asparagus a couple of years ago and has a quarter acre in production at his Anuhea Farm at the 2,500 foot level above Makawao, Maui. "The field is just pumping out asparagus," said Mertens who was on a Mainland asparagus farm tour when we talked to him by phone. The former pineapple industry worker is excited about asparagus and hopes to devote more land to the crop.

Getting to know the crop

Six years after the research station experiment, asparagus is establishing itself as a commercial crop, with farmers on each island supplying their respective markets. But asparagus growers are still experimenting. The plant is supposed to peak at five to eight years, but no one has been doing it long enough to know for sure that the California asparagus model will apply here.

Still unanswered is whether asparagus plants require a period of dormancy in order to continue producing. Most asparagus grown here won't go dormant because it doesn't get cold enough.

"Whether or not asparagus will be a viable commercial crop is still a question that has to be answered," said Smith of Kaua'i.

Growing asparagus has its challenges. The cost of the land, the irrigation infrastructure, seeds, amendments to the soil and herbicides to keep plants healthy all add up. Not to mention the cost of weeding and harvesting by hand. "Asparagus farming is labor intensive," said McHugh. "Unless farms can get really big, it will be a niche market crop. We'll never see California prices on local asparagus."

As has been proven by restaurant customers who come back for more, people like locally grown, fresh asparagus, especially the slim, tender stalks. Farmers hope the fat spears — the jumbos that pop up alongside slender stalks — will gain acceptance among consumers. "These spears are as tender and sweet as the slender ones," said McHugh. "We're still looking at different varieties to overcome the market resistance to bigger spears."

Capitalizing on freshness is the marketing strategy for Hawai'i's asparagus farmers. Agader harvests daily in the morning and a post-harvest hydro cooling facility will help to keep the asparagus crisp and extend its shelf life. Agader also hopes to go the extra step and produce some white asparagus.

Particularly popular in Europe, white asparagus is produced by withholding sunlight from emerging stalks. With more farmers tending fields on the North Shore of O'ahu, in Hamakua and North Hilo on the Big Island, asparagus is an emerging industry. The farmers are hoping that, once people taste fresh local asparagus, they won't want anything else.

Using asparagus for salad or stir fry

As fresh grown-in-the-Islands asparagus comes into local markets, it's important to know how to prepare it to keep it at its peak of tender crispness.

Chef Linda Yamada of the Beach House restaurant on Kaua'i likes to serve fresh asparagus in combination with other fresh and delicious ingredients grown in Hawai'i. Here's an example.

Fresh Asparagus Salad

• 12 asparagus spears
• 4 slices vine-ripened red tomato
• 4 slices vine-ripened yellow tomato
• Thin slices of Maui onion
• Mesclun (gourmet salad greens) mix
• 3 ounces goat cheese

Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon 'alae salt (red Hawaiian salt)
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/4-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Blanch asparagus spears in boiling water until tender or grill until tender.

Combine lemon juice, vinegar, soy sauce, 'alae salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add olive oil slowly, whisking to blend.

Arrange tomato slices on a plate, top with onion and asparagus spears and a small handful of mesclun. Crumble goat cheese over the top and drizzle with dressing.

Serve immediately. Serves 2.

To relish the flavor of fresh asparagus, simply stir fry it with a little garlic. Thick stalks are ideal for slicing diagonally into bite-sized pieces. Serve this dish hot or at room temperature.

Stir-Fried Asparagus

• 1 pound fresh asparagus
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cloves finely minced garlic
• 1/3 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Trim asparagus ends, if necessary. Slice asparagus diagonally into 2-inch lengths. Heat a large skillet or wok and add the oil. When oil is hot, add salt and garlic and stir fry for about 15 seconds. Add asparagus and stir fry for a minute. Add chicken stock and cook over high heat for about 2 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve. Serves 4-6.