Photo - Spring rains may make it necessary to use a vegetable peeler to remove some of the lower leaflets along asparagus stems. These tend to pick up tiny bits of soil during heavy spring rains as the asparagus works its way up through the soil. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus to keep the spears at a uniform length then use the peeler to slice away the leaflets before cooking.     <strong>SHERREL JONES - THE OKLAHOMAN</strong>