The Asparagus supplier for Marilyn's Bakery, Johnson's Farm Produce

The Marilyn's Bakery supplier of asparagus is the family farm Johnson's Farm Produce just next door. Johnson's fresh homegrown asparagus is used in Marilyn's Quiche.

Grandma Johnson always had a large garden with which she fed her family and friends. She always had a home cooked meal for anyone passing by. If she had extra vegetables she sold them to a neighbor who had a farm stand. One day the man explained to Grandma that the tomato market had fallen and he was not able to pay her what he had been paying her in the past. She took her tomatoes home and nailed a sign on the Old Oak Tree in the front yard and that is how Johnson's Farm Produce began.

The old barn which still exists today was converted into the market and by 1960 they had outgrown that and built the market which is still the building we use today. They had a full service store that included fresh dressed chickens and eggs to milk and produce. In the 80's they began driving the truck to Michigan and buying a few flats of flowers; throwing them under the tree and when they were gone would drive back to Michigan to get another load. In the early 90's we built a greenhouse and started growing our own flowers so we could control the quality and our garden center exploded. Today we operate a full service destination Lawn and Garden Center with the most beautiful flowers you could ever imagine. Anything that you want we have, and if we don't we will certainly try to find it.

Today Rod and Jennifer Johnson are 3rd generation to operate the business and have added their own unique flair to the business. Strawberries are Rod Jr's specialty and the flowers and retail displays are Jennifer's. We believe in making the world a better place and are very passionate about doing so everyday in our business. We are honest, hard working people and our returning staff proves it.

From a roadside stand in the 1940's to one of the largest owned and operated garden center/farm stand in Indiana, our roots are steadfast and growing. Our founders Clark and Ethel Johnson instilled in us Quality, Quality, Quality. Quality plants, Quality Service, Quality produce and Quality Selection. We hold true to that value to this day. We feel that a quality item sells itself.

Nutritional Value and Health Benefits

Asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables in existence. It leads nearly all produce items in the wide array of nutrients it supplies in significant amounts for a healthy diet.

Asparagus is the leading supplier among vegetables of folic acid. A 5.3 ounce serving provides 60% of the recommended daily allowance for folacin which is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease. Folacin has been shown to play a significant role in the prevention of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, that cause paralysis and death in 2,500 babies each year. Its wealth of nutrients, fiber and very low sodium and calorie content make asparagus a nutritionally wise choice for today's health-conscious consumer.
Source:asparagus.org

Varieties and How to Prepare

Part of the lily family, asparagus is grown in sandy soils. To cook, wash well under cool water, then steam briefly with the stalks standing upright, stir-fry, or drizzle with olive oil and flash blast in the oven.

White asparagus is just green asparagus that hasn't seen the light of day. To keep it from turning green, it's grown in total darkness under mounds of dirt. Popular in Europe, white asparagus is tender and mild.

Asparagus tastes best when cooked soon after purchase. Markets should refrigerate their asparagus or store it standing upright in cold water. Wrap stalks in damp paper towels and store in the crisper until ready to prepare.
Source:allrecipes.com