By Bonny Burrows
Asparagus shoots will soon be popping up all over Kooweerup as growers prepare for what is expected to be the biggest crop on record.
The Australian asparagus season officially launches on 30 August, and with that comes an influx of workers to local farms.
But behind the scenes, between the faces of the seasonal workers, are the local growers, the farmers who remain year round, prepping the soil, doing the work that needs to be done to create that highly sought-after Kooweerup asparagus.
Australian Asparagus Council president and local grower James Terry is one of them.
Along with fellow growers Alex Motta and Con Raffa, Mr Terry spends most of the year out in the fields of muddy, rich soil.
Farmers have spent the past five to six months prepping for the season.
“There’s a lot going on but from the outside it may not look like much is happening,” Mr Motta said.
“But the prep work, the ongoing work to maintain a business is enormous.”
It’s this dedication and Kooweerup’s factors that have seen the small town become synonymous with the green spears – and for good reason.
“The soil, the climate, the access to markets and labour, for asparagus Kooweerup works,” Mr Terry said.
But as the local farmers prepare for the busiest period of the year, they say their work’s just getting started.
Locally about 7000 tonnes of the green stuff is grown annually on about 4500 acres.
It’s a lot of produce, and a hell of a lot of hard work.
It’s not something they can do alone so during peak season they bring in hundreds of workers who stay and shop locally for the three-month season.
Typically workers can trek about 10km a day culling asparagus in the sweltering heat.
By the end, many have dropped tens of kilograms due to the labour and are absolutely exhausted.
But they return year after year to be a part of something special – the Kooweerup asparagus – and to secure much needed and well-earned cash.
“You’re looking forward to the season starting up and then you’re looking forward to it finishing,” Mr Motta said.
“You’re completely exhausted by the end,” he said.
“But then you’re back looking forward to next year.”
While the quality of the project is driven by weather, the Kooweerup asparagus is well-regarded as one “of the world’s best” and is shipped nation-wide to major supermarkets and retailers.
Mr Terry said the benefits to the area were enormous.
“It’s got to be up there with one of the most valuable industries for the shire,” Mr Terry said.
“Kooweerup has a very good reputation for its asparagus.”
