This has been a cold, wet, rainy spring in Michigan. We have had several frost or near frosts unexpectedly late in the season. The weather has slowed down the growing season too; I’ve heard estimates of spring being one to three weeks behind. I don’t know if those dates scientifically accurate in any way, but it sure feels about right. We have been wearing sweaters more this May than in the previous Mays that come to mind.
But now finally it’s time for rhubarb.
Rhubarb is an extra special plant that grows well in our climate. It’s big and weird, not quite a fruit, not quite a vegetable, but the green to red stalks are edible and delicious nonetheless. It’s also known as “pie plant”, which seems the nicest name of all.
Rhubarb is also the only “crop” that we grow enough of in our urban garden to offer pies for customers. The demand nearly outweighed the supply last year, so I am prepared to purchase locally grown rhubarb to supplement what I can pick and meet the demand for pies. I’m predicting that ingredients for about a dozen pies will come from our gardens, and that’s very exciting.
