By now, Sylvester usually has grocery bags filled with wild asparagus from her property along the South Platte River. She usually has more than enough sprigs to share with all her friends and family.

But this year, the patches that are normally abundant are, for the most part, bare.

"We've got some patches that are huge, but they just aren't coming up yet," Sylvester said, her eyes to the ground as she looks for the green asparagus stalks among the weeds. "What we have, it's just so skinny, and it's going to head before it even gets out of the ground."

Still, it's hard to complain when it's a warm, spring day and you are walking along the woods at the river's edge, the call of red-wing blackbirds and doves in your ears, the sun on your back and the smell the wet earth under your feet.

Yes, a little asparagus would be nice. But hunting the wild crop is half the fun.

Sylvester lives with her husband, Chuck, in a 130-year-old farmhouse that has been in the Sylvester family for four generations. The homestead was originally 280 acres, but after selling off a portion for development, Roni and Chuck still have 200 acres, most of which is rented for crops, or is the densely-wooded acreage bordering the South Platte.

Along ditch banks and in clearings in the woods, Roni searches for wild asparagus. Anywhere from mid-April to mid-May is prime asparagus hunting season.

Foraging for the wild plant can be difficult if you don't know what you are looking for. Asparagus grows in stalks that come straight out of the ground. They usually grow in patches. An unseasoned asparagus hunter might easily mistake the stalks for weeds.

But when you find a good patch, and the stalks are thick and even, you've struck gold. The stalks can be cut right at the ground, and prepared just like cultivated asparagus. And just like cultivated asparagus, you need to trim the tough ends before cooking.

My first experience foraging wild asparagus was near my husband's family farm near Center in the San Luis Valley. My daughters and I spent hours walking the ditch banks looking for stalks. We were obsessed, walking on and on, hoping to find another patch. It was fun, but we had so much asparagus, we couldn't give it all away.

Sylvester said she's had years like that. She often lets friends onto her property to search for the precious plants because, well, there is only so much asparagus two people can eat.

But not this year. Not yet anyway. Maybe it's the cold weather that's keeping the wild asparagus in the ground. Maybe it's the lack of rain, or the abundance of weeds that sprung up after last year's wet winter, choking out the tender shoots.

Sylvester still holds out hope.

"Maybe because it's been so cold, maybe it just hasn't cooperated yet," she said. "Maybe it's just late."

Maybe.

RECIPES RECIPES RECIPES RECIPES RECIPES RECIPES RECIPES RECIPES RECIPES RECIPES

Asparagus with Hollandaise sauce

• 1 pound fresh asparagus, cleaned and trimmed, steamed until tender
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon cream
• 1 cup (1/2 pound) melted butter, cooled to room temperature
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Dash of cayenne pepper

Use a small, thick ceramic bowl set in a heavy-bottomed pan, or a heavyweight double boiler. Off the heat, put the egg yolks and cream in the bowl or upper section of the double boiler and stir with a wire whisk until well-blended -- the mixture should never be beaten but stirred, evenly, vigorously and continually. Place the container over hot water (if you are setting the bowl in water, there should be about 1 1/2 inches of water in the pan; in a double boiler, the water should not touch the top section). Stirring eggs continuously, bring the water slowly to a simmer. Do not let it boil. Stir, incorporating the entire mixture so there is no film at the bottom. When the eggs have thickened to consistency of very heavy cream, begin to add the cooled melted butter with one hand, stirring vigorously with the other. Pour extremely slowly so that each addition is blended into the egg mixture before more is added. When all the butter has been added, add the lemon juice or vinegar a drop at a time and immediately remove from heat. Add salt and a mere dash of cayenne.

Pour sauce over steamed asparagus. Makes 6 servings.

Asparagus pasta with shrimp

• 1 pound bowtie pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound asparagus, cleaned and trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 3 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

Cook pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Drain. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet until hot. Add asparagus, garlic and shallots and sauté until garlic and shallots turn golden brown. Add shrimp and cook about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, cooking for about 5 minutes. Add pasta and stir well, cooking an additional 2 minutes. Take off heat and add parsley, stirring well, and salt to taste. Makes 6 servings.

Asparagus, Green Onion, Cucumber and Herb Salad

Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:

• 3 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed
• 4 cups thinly sliced green onions
• 3 cups 1/4-inch cubes peeled seeded Kirby or English hothouse cucumbers
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

For dressing:

Whisk first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil.

For salad: Fill large bowl with lightly salted ice water; stir until salt dissolves. Cook asparagus in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, reserving 3 cups cooking liquid. Transfer asparagus to bowl of salted ice water to cool. Place green onions in another large bowl; pour hot reserved asparagus cooking liquid over onions and let stand until cool, about 30 minutes. Drain asparagus and green onions well. Transfer onions to clean kitchen towel and squeeze dry. Combine green onions, cucumbers, and herbs in mixing bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange asparagus on platter. Spoon cucumber mixture over and serve.