Asparagus lovers flocked to the Edgar Farms’ Asparagus Festival on Sunday.
The spring festivals are back after a four-year hiatus.
Elna Edgar, Edgar Farms co-owner, said they were forced to take a break after a severe hail storm damaged the fields in 2014.
A 2,200-acre field, planted in 2014, is now ready for tasting and visitors.
About 800 people were expected at the all-day festival that gave people a glimpse of the farm life.
The Sunday event was the first one of the three. The next two are scheduled on June 3 and 10 from 10 to 4 p.m. at the farm outside of Innisfail.
Edgar said asparagus is usually grown in warmer climates such as Peru, Mexico, California and B.C. among others parts.
She said because Central Alberta has a cooler climate, it’s harder to grow the veggie. But that also means the asparagus grown in these parts is sweeter.
“It’s a give and take on our part – we’re not getting great yields, but we have the amazing flavour,” she said.
See related: Asparagus Festival returns to Central Alberta
Edgar said the festival teaches children where food comes from and locally grown food. They learned all about growing the vegetable during the narrated tours and watched harvesting in action.
She said people come to the event because they want to learn and meet “the face that is growing their fruit.”
“It’s really good. It’s very sweet,” said Rebecca Glenn of Calgary.
Megan Card, a Red Deer resident, also tried the freshly picked vegetable.
“It’s amazing. I’m loving it,” she said.
mamta.lulla@reddeeradvocate.com
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