Wow! The rain really needs to stop for awhile! We have missed the damaging storms so far, got a little bit of pea sized hail, but no damage. I think we need to build a boat and become fishermen or plant a rice paddy or both! We did manage to get about 60 blueberry bushes planted on Saturday, but the holes would fill with water before we could get the bush stuck in! Hopefully they will make it. We have not been able to get any more ground worked up to plant outside. We did get all the tomatoes planted in our big hoop house which holds about 250 plants. Our second hoop house is getting very close to being able to pick greens and radishes out of. I have yet to get our bees, they were postponed a couple of weeks, so should come this weekend. Hopefully it will quit raining so I can get the hives set up!

This is asparagus season. It's starting to show up at the market. Ours hasn't quite started it always seems to be a little later. I picked one stalk on Sunday, so shouldn't be to much longer. We do not sell asparagus as we don't have enough, just have a small patch, but for those of you who can get a hold of it here is some information and a couple of recipes.

Asparagus is related to onions, garlic, and other members of the lily family. Asparagus has been used since ancient times in many parts of the world. Its name is most likely derived from the Persian word asparagus, meaning "sprout." However, the Greek word aspharagos means "long as one's throat," and in England during the 18th century this vegetable was known as "sparrow grass."

Generally, raw asparagus ranks high in vitamins A, B-complex, and C, and is also rich in minerals from the soil, particularly potassium and zinc. Like other vegetables it will lose some, though not all, of its B-complex and vitamin C during the cooking process. Asparagus contains no fat and only 35 calories per one-cup serving.

Try tender asparagus spears raw. Chop into a salad or enjoy with a dip. Steam asparagus upright in a tall covered pot over one inch of water until tender, about 10 minutes. This method cooks the tougher bottoms more thou roughly while gently steaming the tender tops. Serve warm topped with butter, lemon, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Storage tips: Wrap asparagus in a damp cloth and store in the hydrator drawer of the refrigerator. An alternate storage technique to retain vitality is to bundle spears with a rubber band and place upright in a container with an inch of water. Refrigerate immediately and use as soon as possible. Asparagus' sugars will turn rapidly to starches, reducing flavor quickly.

The above information came from "From Asparagus to Zucchini" a guide to cooking farm-fresh seasonal produce.

ASPARAGUS & PEAR SALAD

1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 large pear, sliced
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2 Tbsp. prepared honey Dijon salad dressing
8 romaine lettuce leaves.
In a large skillet, bring 1/2" of water to a boil. Add asparagus; cover & boil for 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain & immediately place asparagus in ice water. Drain & pat dry; cut into 1/2" pieces & set aside.

In a large bowl, combine pear & lemon juice. Add the onions, walnuts and reserved asparagus; drizzle with dressing & toss to coat. Arrange lettuce on four salad plates; top with asparagus mixture. Serve immediately.
Yield 4 servings.

This recipe came form "Birds & Blooms" Grow it cook it A-Z veggie guide.

We've been busy trying to beat the rain. Luckily the last rain they called for we didn't get. It is supposed to rain again tonight and the temperatures to drop down in the mid 30's. So will have to work at pulling on the strawberry row cover this afternoon before the rain starts, as it's next to impossible to pull when wet! The strawberries are blooming big time right now, so we want to protect them from frost!

We got 350 lbs. of seed potatoes planted, 2 plus bushels of onion bulbs planted and 4 varieties of peas planted. Hopefully we won't get too much rain, as the ground is finally drying out enough to start to work up really good!

I need to get out and go through the bee hives and check on them and get foundation put in some new frames. Have 2 packages of bees coming next weekend and need to get their new home fixed up!