Yo Joan: Spring is here and that means farmers markets are, too

What’s the perfect vegetable to pick at a farmers market in May?

I’ll give you a hint. It begins with an “A.” That’s right – Asparagus!

It’s one of the first crops of the season. And it’s got quite a history, too.

It takes three long years for the first bud to appear, but once it starts, asparagus comes back every year for 20 years. Most plants seed in spring and pucker out of life in fall. But not asparagus. These cute green stalks go on and on and on.

It’s considered a perennial vegetable and there’s not many of those out there. Let’s see, there’s rhubarb, chives, horseradish and artichokes, to name just a few of the few. These types of vegetables can be extremely valuable to farming landscapes by providing stability to soil erosion among many other healthy things. Heck, as far as I’m concerned, asparagus is valuable to any landscape including my own backyard.

Now some of you may be thinking, “I could buy asparagus anytime at the grocery store,” and you sure can. But at different times of the year, these green goddesses come from states or countries far, far away. Local asparagus plays hard to get. It comes to us for only two months – May and June – and then it’s “see you next year.”

When you buy it at the farmers market, eat it that day if you can. Not that it can’t last a few more days, but just like fresh bread, it’s always best right out of the oven. You’ll see the difference in the first taste. Fresh is best!

And so in honor of “as-par-a-gus,” I’m sharing with you a simple four-syllable breath meditation. It’s a meditation good for the soul and a happy heart.

Here we go …

Place your hands together in prayer position in front of your heart.

Keeping your hands gently pressed together, inhale deeply as you bring your arms straight up over your head.

Exhale as you bring your arms back down, saying slowly as you do: “as-par-a-gus.” (Hands end in prayer position in front of your heart).

Again, inhale arms up and exhale slowly down: “as-par-a-gus.”

Another, inhale up, exhale slowly down: “as-par-a-gus.”

You got this!

Now this may sound silly, so there are other options, too.

Like “cau-li-flow-er

or

“ru-ta-ba-ga”

or

“ra-dic-chi-o”

There’s just so many!

All these “veg-e-ta-bles” and more you’ll find at your local “far-mers mar-ket!”

Look here for one near you: https://kanecountyconnects.com/article/FarmersMarkets-BountyofKane-KaneCounty

See you there, my friend.

• Joan Budilovsky can be reached at editorial@kcchronicle.com or through her website Yoyoga.com. She’s the author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Meditation” available on Audible.com.