On Mon, 02 Aug 2010 07:39:15 -0700, bob wrote:

Can anyone advise me whether it is true that you should not harvest for
consumption the first years stems on rhubarb planted in the Spring of
this year? Thanks

Yes it's true: the roots need this year to get established and store
energy for next year's shoots. Next and subsequent years you need to stop
harvesting about now to let the remaining leaves store energy in the
roots for the following year IYSWIM.