Rhubarb, Rhubarb, Rhubarb.

Hi everyone. Early this year I bought a new Rhubarb crown & put it in the corner of the veg plot, it has grown very well but I am led to believe you don't harvest them the 1st year, if this is so what do I do with it, do I just leave the sticks to die off  ?
As usual I look forward to your replies. 
Keith

Many thanks to mumofstig for your reply to my Q'  As I said I was under that assumption but never growm rhubarb before, always got it from mum's garden but sadly mums no longer with us. 1 other Q' I know the leaves are poisonous I presume they can't go in the compost bin.

The toxin in rhubarb leaves is mostly oxalic acid. There are some other compounds as well, but OA is the main culprit.

OA is also found in rhubarb stems (petioles) in lower concentrations than rhubarb leaves. Look up rhubarb on Wikipedia, the toxicity is explained there.

I note that before I started fencing my garden, deer routinely ate all my rhubarb leaves with no ill effects.

Bottom line, yes, you can safely compost them.

we always grow Rhubarb from seed every year and the variety we grow always makes a good Rhubarb cordial it usually takes around 3 years to actually mature for picking