An asparagus growing looks just like an asparagus on your plate. Maybe that’s ignorant of me to say, maybe everyone knows that asparagus looks just like it does at the grocery store when it’s growing out of the ground, but, urbanite city dweller that I am, I was quite surprised.

“It looks like someone took an asparagus spear and stuck it in the ground,” I said to Casey Price, the owner of Jeremiah Farms whose vegetable patch I was standing in. She gave me an indulgent nod and, reaching down, snapped one off at the base and held it out to me. “Eat it,” she said, “I’ll bet you’ve never had an asparagus as good as this one.” Having never eaten an asparagus without it first being drenched in garlic butter and grilled, I was a little hesitant. “Aren’t they bitter?” I asked, but she just shook her head and gestured for me to take a bite; It was amazing. Sweet and crunchy, that first little nibble turned into two bites and the spear was gone. “How much for a bunch?” I asked and Casey just laughed.