Get fresh at the Asparagus Festival: gobble, scoff, chomp and compete
Originating from an agricultural festival in the Fouriesburg area, the Asparagus Festival officially came to life in 1996. All aspects of asparagus, such as growing, planting, preparing and cooking methods will be displayed. The annual show has gone from strength to strength. However, in recent years the showing of stock has declined because of the costs involved. 2006 saw a new and dynamic committee bring back some agricultural aspects with a small farmyard for children and a 'gaiters' competition.
Stallholders from all over the country participate in the show. There is a competition for the best bottled products, baking, needlework, soapmaking, knitting, crochet etc - arguably the only of its kind still in operation in the Free State. Young and old participate and competition is fierce and open to all.
The festival organizers mission is to assist towards educating needy children from the profits. Soppie van Eeden, chairman of the festival, states: "We invite you to to be entertained by well-known artists and at the same time, enjoy Fouriesburg's unique beauty and views of the Maluti Mountains."
Edible Spear of the Nation: Funky Facts
Asparagus is grown commercially in Gauteng and the Free State, where the cold winter conditions provide ideal conditions. Ironically the aphrodisiacal crops are planted in windblown trenches on seemingly desolate plains.
A member of the lily family and long known as “the food of kings”, asparagus is a peculiar looking vegetable with a distinctive taste and texture.
Asparagus munchers across the globe have influenced the crop trends in recent years and the emphasis has shifted from canned spears to crisp, fresh seasonal produce, along with a move from white to green.
Green asparagus crowns grow very quickly and pickers check twice a day to be sure to pick them as soon as they reach ground level, because too long in the sunlight turns them purple.
White asparagus spears are actually crowns that grow underground and are picked before they reach ground level where, within hours, photosynthesis creates chlorophyll and they become green.
Asparagus farming is an extremely labour-intensive business - picking, sorting, trimming and packing are all done by hand and the total time from picking to store is three days max, so for several months of the year apsragus-picking teams work seven days a week, sometimes until 10 at night, to deliver the quality produce that they do.
Hot Tips for asparagus guzzlers
Keeping asparagus fresh? You can keep asparagus in your fridge for up to seven days if it is packed correctly and the heads are completely dry. If you need to keep it a bit longer, fasten the bundle with a piece of string and place it upright in a Tupperware dish, making sure that the bottom of the dish is always covered in water and that the heads stay dry!
Any which way you like it - steamy hot, ice cold or even braaied!
Steamed asparagus with melted butter: Green asparagus should be steamed for three minutes and white asparagus for 10.
Cold asparagus with freshly chopped dill and cream of mayonnaise: If serving cold, place the asparagus in cold water directly after steaming, then dry.
Braaied asparagus: Sprinkle with olive oil before char-grilling, then season with coarse salt.
Need to know - Fouriesburg Asparagus Festival: contact Eastern Free State Highlands Tourism & Info, Fouriesburg on 079 897 1669 (Asparagus Festival website under construction).
