Misty Spring Garden Tour in Midcoast Maine, Ravenous Farmer S4E1 2022

Each spring in our lasagna garden, we have a mix of perennial crops, seedlings planted in a greenhouse, and some early-season crops that we can direct plant into the soil. With good planning, you can get your garden off to a good start so you're eating delicious homegrown vegetables early in the season. For example, we really love using a hinged greenhouse on a raised bed made using the lasagna gardening method for lettuces and other hardy greens. 

In terms of perennials, we ate our first asparagus on May 11, and we've been able to harvest it daily ever since. I like to prepare dishes from when I used to live in Italy, such as rosemary-infused creamy white beans over homemade pasta topped with grilled asparagus. Early-season allium and asparagus pizza is another pure taste of spring. But a single silky-yet-steaky asparagus spear simply cannot be beat.

What are some of your favorite early-season crops in your garden? What techniques do you use to eat homegrown vegetables earlier each season?