Our lovage has come up, and we’ll bring some to the Beaverton Farmers Market in May.

By June, this patch of lovage will be 5 feet around and 6 feet high, based on how it grew last year.  Then it will flower and wilt and go away until next year.

Lovage is related to celery but is more aromatic.   Its mysterious spiciness reminds me of bay more than anise, which is how many people describe it.  It’s lovely in soups, cooked with beans and added sparingly to salads.  People eat the root as they do celery root.  The seeds are edible, too, and used just like celery seed.  I like the tender leaves best — torn on top of soups or salads just before serving.  Everyone always says, “What is this?  I love it!”

We’ve been busy planting and preparing for the Beaverton Farmers Market.  We’re a farm and a fresh food producer and have never sold at the Market before so we’re trying to get all our supplies in order so that we’ll be ready to offer you our wonderful live-cultured foods, pickles,  and some fresh-grown herbs.