From Waiter to Asparagus Picker: A Striking Career Switch During Corona Times
Panicking in asparagus country! Because: a shortage of pickers. And since asparagus is a fresh product, you have to harvest it as soon as the asparagus tips poke their heads up, otherwise you’re too late. Growers are therefore desperate for workers and are now receiving help from all kinds of corners.
From waiter to asparagus picker—in this crazy corona era, career switches like these have suddenly become completely normal. Instead of pouring beers, picking asparagus? Why not? Thousands of people have already signed up at www.helponsoogsten.nl.
From waiters to chefs
Normally, asparagus farmer Eric Weiland mainly works with seasonal workers from Poland and Romania. But because of the corona crisis, they are no longer allowed to work, or they don’t dare to. Every year, 170,000 migrant workers work on Dutch farmland, and it is unclear how many of these migrant workers will come to the Netherlands this season. Despite this, the farmer himself doesn’t have to pick asparagus—because asparagus has to be harvested by hand, it is expensive. Hence the nickname ‘white gold’.
“All help is welcome. And it’s coming from unexpected corners,” asparagus grower Eric tells Editie NL. “We have enough staff, but very different staff. The fields are full of Dutch people. From school students to people who work at a travel agency, and from waiters to chefs.”
And what do you drink with it?
Good news for the farmers and for us, because you can still simply buy asparagus. Want to know whether they’re fresh? Rub two stalks against each other. If you hear a squeaking sound, they’re fresh. And then you can prepare them in several ways. The old-fashioned, delicious ones from Grandma Kees, with risotto like the one made by restaurant STAN&Co, with cheese from the oven; the variations with asparagus are endless. The go-to wine is almost always a juicy Pinot Blanc; asparagus’s faithful companion. The French, incidentally, think differently; they swear by Muscat d’Alsace. A spicy grape with aromatic freshness that can stand up to all kinds of asparagus preparations. So if you feel like cheating a little, wine-wise, try a Muscat d’Alsace!
The asparagus season traditionally ends on June 24 (Saint John’s Day). From that day onward, no new asparagus is harvested. This gives the plant enough time to prepare for the next season.
