Why Oceana County calls itself the Asparagus Capital

Hart, the Oceana County seat, sits in the middle of Michigan asparagus country. Oceana County calls itself the “Asparagus Capital of the World.” That is a civic nickname, not an audited world production title, but the crop really does matter here: MSU Extension identifies asparagus as the county’s largest vegetable commodity.

The wider state is a national leader, too. MSU’s 2025 agriculture report, using 2023 data, ranked Michigan first among states for asparagus production. That is the sound number to use. The reviewed official sources do not establish the old claim that Oceana County grows about 80% of Michigan’s crop, so this page no longer repeats it.

Hart celebrates the harvest with the National Asparagus Festival on the second weekend in June. The organizer calls it the longest-running asparagus festival in the country and currently lists a parade, a road race, a farm tour, food events, and the crowning of an Asparagus Queen. The second-weekend tradition is steady even though the exact dates and activities change.