May 08: Worth A Trip

Brookfield to host Asparagus fest May 17 Asparagus chowder, grilled asparagus, and asparagus wraps are only a few items on the menu at the 6th Annual Asparagus & Flower Heritage Festival scheduled to take place on the West Brookfield Town Common May 17 from 10 a.m. 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. The rain date is May 18. "The festival embodies the spirit of spring," says Alexandra McNitt, executive director of the Sturbridge Area Tourist Association. "It is a celebration of history and new growth among community members, artisans, and businesses who will join together to showcase their goods in a fun, festive and delicious environment." Fun for the family Meet local plant and asparagus growers, enjoy live music by Dick Chase, Samantha Gillogly and others, and have lunch in Asparagus Alley. It's a day for children to enjoy animals and games and everything else that nature has to offer, while adults entertain their taste buds with a unique variety of asparagus dishes. Why West Brookfield? As we all know, cookbooks hold many words of wisdom, and one such old New England cookbook reveals a reference to the first importation of the asparagus plant in New England. The reference notes that Diederik Leertouwer, Dutch Consul to the new states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire during the 1790s, settled in what is now known as West Brookfield. According to tradition, Leertouwer imported asparagus from his homeland of the Netherlands and planted the first of the region in West Brookfield. The town has embraced this legend and now holds an annual festival to celebrate the vitality of spring with delicious asparagus dishes, activities for children, and goods from local growers and crafters. The Asparagus & Flower Heritage Festival is sponsored by the Quaboag Historical Society and the West Brookfield Historical Commission. West Brookfield and the Sturbridge area are less than an hour's drive from Boston, Hartford and Providence and just 20 minutes from Worcester and Springfield: www.sturbridge.org.