Zuckerman's Farm Tour
On April 13, 2014, CUESA visited Zuckerman’s Farm for an up-close look at asparagus, as part of our “Spring Frittata Farm Tour.”
Located near Stockton, about 10 to 12 feet below sea level, Zuckerman’s Farm grows asparagus, potatoes, and melons. The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta’s rich, peaty soil is about 90% organic material—perfect for growing asparagus.
Roscoe Zuckerman is a fourth-generation farmer. His grandfather once had over 4,000 producing acres of asparagus, but today, Roscoe farms about 260. Asparagus is a dying industry in the Delta due to price competition from foreign countries.
Asparagus looks like sparse blades of grass from afar. Many acres are needed to produce enough asparagus to bring to market. Roscoe says he gets about 3 to 4 boxes a day per acre. Every 10 years, other crops—such as corn, wheat, or potatoes—are rotated into the fields to let the soil rest and to reduce pathogens.
Asparagus can be grown from seed or by planting roots known as crowns, like the one shown here. The roots must establish themselves for three years before producing a crop.
Asparagus stalks grow fast, especially on hot days—sometimes several inches per day! The stalks continue to grow after they are cut, so at least half an inch of head room must be left in the crates when the bunches are packed.
While much grocery store asparagus is trucked from thousands of miles away, Zuckerman’s crop is cut fresh and sold directly to farmers market customers and restaurants the next day. Asparagus is typically cut when it shows about nine inches of green.
Roscoe sells asparagus in a variety of thicknesses: small, standard, large, extra large, jumbo, and colossal. The sizes reflect different stages of growth in the asparagus plant. Contrary to popular belief, thicker stalks are usually more tender, while thinner stalks tend to be more fibrous.
White asparagus is not a different plant; it's simply asparagus that hasn't been exposed to sunlight. All asparagus stalks are white until they poke through the earth. The Zuckermans used to sell white asparagus, but it is not a profitable crop for them anymore due to the high amount of labor involved.
Even green asparagus is a labor-intensive crop. Each spear must be cut with a long knife, as demonstrated here, with care not to damage other stalks underground.
Each worker cuts two rows at a time, selectively picking stalks that are ready for market. Piles of asparagus are picked up, moved down the rows, and sorted. Roscoe estimates that each spear is touched 20 times by the time it is packed in the shed.
When the harvest is done for the season, the asparagus will be left to fern. Roscoe grows a reliable asparagus variety UC 157, which doesn’t bolt (produce flowering stems) prematurely like some other varieties.
Roscoe offered freshly cut asparagus stalks for our tour group to taste. It’s sweet and delicious raw!
