Barbara Beardsley wrote:

Hi
This will be my first harvesting of rhubarb (planted last year, when I
didn't TOUCH it, as the nursery suggested, and I could harvest SOME the
following year...)
So how do I tell if it's ready? I live in NY (zone 7) I believe the variety
is Victoria- it's at the stage where the stalks look like celery (tinged
with pink)
Also I read that you should always cook it- it's too tart to be eaten raw??
Thanks

Barbara

Sounds like its ready to be cut. Cut at the base, clip the leaf and eat/cook
away. It is really not a good plant to eat raw. Take a bite from the first
stalk. Yuck! But cooked with strawberries, raspberries or other fruits it is
delicious. Or even with a bit of sugar or honey it is great. Great for pies
too.
Stan (zone 5)