How Asparagus is Harvested & Packed (in California)

This video demonstrates how asparagus is harvested and packed in California.

This video was taken at California farms and packinghouses that supply to JMB Produce, and follows the harvesting, washing, cutting, hand and mechanical sorting, packing and hydrocooling of asparagus.

Video Chapters
0:00 Overview
0:12 Asparagus harvesting with asparagus knives
0:44 Harvested bunches of asparagus are picked up and placed into bins to be sent to the packing house
1:00 Manual packing line - the asparagus go through the cutting machine, are rinsed with sanitized water, sorted based on spear diameter, and packed into bunches that are trimmed evenly to be packed
2:11 Automated packing line - the asparagus are rinsed with sanitized water while being trimmed, go through an optical sorter that sorts them based on diameter size, and are either packed manually or automatically
3:25 Box formation
3:38 Packing asparagus bunches into boxes
3:50 Labeling packed boxes
4:02 Quality control to check that the weight meets customer specifications
4:22 Closed boxes pass through the hydrocooler
4:36 The hydrocooled boxes are palletized in the cooler

#asparagusharvest #harvestingasparagus #asparaguspacking #packingasparagus #asparaguspackinghouse #californiaagriculture #jmbproduce

[naomiemoore]

Informative video for those that do not know how and where produce magically appears from in the markets. Asparagus is not an easy crop either. One of my fav vegetables!

[JV-wlex]

After my family and I relocated from California to Boise in the early 80’s we would drive the canal sides near our farm and harvest wild asparagus. I was only in grade school back then so I don’t remember all of the details but it was interesting knowing that some food is free as long as you’re not trespassing or stealing. Please know the difference before going out on an adventure and if there are questions go knock someone’s door and ask. If they aren’t the property owners I’m sure they can point you in the right direction. I miss those slow and quiet days as the farm only lasted till the late 80’s and our family moved into town and we never looked back. It was nice to learn early in life how make a living rather than learning that same lesson at 20 YO.

[laurapope]

Thank you to all the workers! So many parts to the food we eat. I bought this Asparagus at Costco in B.C. A long jouney from farm to our plate. Viva!

[nanettepastor-hanna]

Just watching this makes my back ache. I hope everyone appreciates the grueling work these folks do.

[calebkranenburg]

I was an asparagus harvester and packer in Canada, the techniques are so similar, yet so different in California ASPARAGUS PRODUCERS UNITE!

[ArtJorgensen]

I remember back in about 1950 in Niles, Michigan when I found a hillside mostly covered with what I imagine was wild asparagus. So I started cutting it (I was 12) and we had fresh asparagus, lightly fried with butter, when it was in season. I used to particularly enjoy lying down next to an as yet uncut spear and watching it grow. Yes! You could actually see it move on its journey upward out of the ground. I cut them when they were about six to eight inches tall. Commercial ones today are cut at longer lengths and, as a result, the bottoms of the spears can be a little stringy. Still good stuff, though.

[believeinyourself]

Beautiful narration. Everyone is working so hard. God Bless Everyone.

[walleyperch]

Love asparagus - many thanks to these hard workers....

[mr.wizard]

I love asparagus! God bless those hard working Mexicans!

[AlaskanApple]

As a produce clerk, I thank you. I love to see this stuff get harvested

[hihopes]

Enjoyed watching. Thanks to all the hard workers shown. I love asparagus.

[ant-]

had asparagus in my garden don't think any of it ever made it to the kitchen! Ate it right on the spot, delicious.

[annieoakslee]

I grow my own..took 5 years to get enough for the family..now I harvest about 30 lbs during the growing season

[loveloving]

I came for asparagus, but left with a sense of respect for Mexicans or wherever they're from because some aren't just from Mexico. The USA should stop deporting them because they're one of the most hard working group of people I've came across. These people deserve a safe place to live with their family.

[kaneikaika]

Thank you. It's very educational. I'll be sharing your videos to my friends.

[Fultonfalcons]

I worked in wholesale produce for over 23 years I traveled the country hauling produce from cali Miami GA NY Idaho Arizona back to Tennessee for the company I worked for hard work yes but well worth

[陳服灵]

excellence, this is the asparagus we importing from CA last few yaers.

[KARMENR]

Very fascinating to know where food comes from

[kingfruity]

Who else was eating asparagus when they watched this video ? :D

[MrRockydee]

Great to see how it's picked cleansd and packed i gess it's seasonal work than move on to next crop harvest ....