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Meet Jean Donohue, a rhubarb grower.
Jean Donohue: That's when you know you got one.
Splitting and replanting rhubarb plants is how Jean Donohue of
Hue Hill Farms has built her rhubarb empire.
Okay, it's not exactly an empire but still, it is an impressive
looking patch. Jean Donohue: When we moved to
the farm there was rhubarb and garlic here from my husband's
grandmother and I started, I noticed that the rhubarb
prevented weeds from growing wherever it was because it comes
up early in the spring, it's got huge, giant leaves.
So I thought that would be a good way to keep the grass out.
And then I slowly started putting it along the edge of my
herb bed. All the plants here came from an
original row of plants, of about ten to twenty plants.
Rhubarb is a perennial and you may have seen a plant or two or
more in backyards all over Iowa, especially in farm yards.
Jean Donohue: I think a lot of farms have a lot of rhubarb on
them because they don't, it doesn't go away.
And it doesn't need a lot of care.
Botanically speaking, rhubarb is a vegetable but we eat it like a
fruit. It originated in Asia where it
was used for medicinal purposes. These days in culinary use,
rhubarb is usually combined with sugar to take the edge off its
tart taste. The entire stalk is edible but
not the leaves, they're toxic. Stalk color can range from red
to pink to green. Jean Donohue: So, the variety of
rhubarb that we have is a Victoria strain.
So this, it's green at the top. Some is greener than others.
And then it variegates to red at the bottom.
And inside is green and not red. In a normal growing season, Jean
and her helpers start harvesting rhubarb as soon as the stalks
are long enough, usually in March or April, and stop in
about mid-June so the plant can rejuvenate itself.
And how much rhubarb can come out of a patch this size at the
peak of the season? Jean Donohue: Between 80 to 100
pounds a week is what I have been picking because everybody
is rhubarb hungry I guess. Besides including rhubarb in her
own CSA, community supported agriculture offerings, Jean also
works with another area farmer to get her rhubarb into the
hands of local chefs. Derek Roller: I did have a
market developed for rhubarb but I didn't have a supply.
And Jean had a supply but she didn't have a market.
And we're friends and I know that it is good food.
Transporting good local food, like rhubarb, to Iowa chefs can
be a logistical challenge for farmers like Jean and Derek,
everything needs to be done in a hurry because the fresher the
produce, the better the flavor. Derek Roller: By the time
somebody is eating it, it has been this like relay race of
this item that was fresh and alive to it being prepared.
For now, Jean is satisfied with propagating her rhubarb plants
and providing the crop to local customers who are hungry for
rhubarb in the spring and early summer.
And she gives this advice to those of us wanting to start our
own rhubarb patch -- Jean Donohue: I think the best start
you can get is from your neighbor because if you go home
and dig that in and plant it right away it will grow and it
doesn't take very much care. So, if you're admiring that
rhubarb plant in your neighbor's yard, go ahead, knock on the
door, ask if they might be willing to share.
The plant won't mind a bit and you'll be able to savor one of
the first flavors of spring.