asparagus vs. artichoke

Having had this whim of an idea about rying some artichokes this year I'm not sure mylittle patch will be able to cope with artichokes and the other stuff I'm 'instructed' to grow by the family.  Which will take less room.  I'm really keen to try something different this year and to actually get some good results (this year or next).  Please help!!!

Asparagus is 2 - 3 years before you start to get a crop.

Globe Artichoke you should get some in first year.

Rhubarb you shouldn't harvest in year 1.

Jerusalem Artichoke will crop (heavily!) the first year.  Cause most people problems with wind though ...

Salsify? Scorzonera? (Neither have Wow'd me ... but I probably didn't put my heart into the project) (roots like skinny Parsnips, different flavour, Winter crop)

Asparagus Pea? Was not Wow'd by that either, but we certainly didn't pick it often enough.

Do you grow Sweetcorn? If not that would be top of my list.

Melons?  Needs a greenhouse though

Soft fruit? Autumn Raspberries would give you some fruit in first year.

Christmas potatoes in a bag? Significant proportion of people get poor results (or maybe they are the only ones to post about their failures here ...) Mine are OK.

Coloured veg?  Red carrots, Yellow Tomatoes / Courgettes etc?

Must be some other "unusual stuff"??

Oh man!!!  The more I read the more ideas I get!  My main problem is that I only have a patch 10 x 3 feet and end up with loads of bags/pots/tubs that I promise the OH I won't do next year cos they take up so much room on the patio and stop basketball/fotball/bikes etc.  So need something that won't take up stacks of roomand can have other things grown round it. 

Jerusalem Artichokes are delicious and very easy to grow.... BUT... once you have them on your plot, they are a devil to get rid of.... worse than horseradish...  I have a bed enclosed in stone paths and they grow really well every year, I only planted them once about 5 years ago, the rest come up every year on their own and spread like mad!   The plants grow really tall (around 7 - 8ft)  so that is another consideration.

I absolutely adore asparagus, but artichokes, sorry wouldn't give them house room .  I tried some and its the only time I've ever spat anything out .  Absolutely horrible.

Basically, what you want to grow is what you want to eat.  I tried Kohl Rabi last year, having never tasted it and like yourself wanted to try something different.  I will definitely grow it this year, its gorgeous

We like (as in A LOT!) Kohl Rabi (raw, cut into chunks) mixed with (cooked, chunked) Beetroot with Greek yoghurt.  Kohl Rabi on its own is not that special in my book.