No other vegetable/culinary
herb has garnished anywhere near the attention of the garlic. In the last
5 years, there have been over 3500 research studies on this Allium; 1500 of
which were on sulphur compounds alone. For over 5,000 years, it's been cultivated
by Homo Sapiens and although not always held in high esteem by vampires and
certain antiseptic societies, it's always been eaten by common folks and used
by medicine men and women. By international standards, the North American
consumption of 3 pounds per person per year is well below the 50 pounds per
person per year ingested in the cultures of the Far East.
While the geneticists
ponder why this plant would lose its sexuality; the botanists study garlic's
origin and biological characteristics; phytopharmacologists study the plant
as a drug and the chemists and medical researchers examine sulphur and its
effects on our body; the Garlic Seed Foundation seeks to answer the great
questions: How do we grow and eat this stinky stuff?
Created in 1984 over our love of garlic potluck suppers, the GSF has grown
to an international organization of over 1400 members, primarily centered
in the Eastern United States. Our objectives have been to educate. promote
and have some fun as we wear our breath proudly.
After we learnt
how to grow the garlic, we started looking at "varieties", machinery,
nutrient requirements, and each of the many cultural practices it takes from
planting to putting it on our pasta. It is extremely labor-intensive, requiring
over 20 human/personal interventions. We act as a clearing house of information
and research data available to Girl Scouts or Ph.D. candidates, reprint and
supply literature, present educational seminars to consumers and horticulturists
(farmers and gardeners), work with authors of books and articles, answer questions
on radio shows, and generally fill a neutral information void without considerations
for sale of pills and products. Our newsletter, the Garlic Press, is published
about 4 times a year. We promote regional production and consumption of garlic
(and all food) using appropriate and sustainable practices. We celebrate this
herb by working with local members organizing festivals that combine good
food, information, planting/cooking material and merriment.
Each fall we
aid our members by publishing a listing of available planting stock and making
it obtainable to the general public. We are an educational, not-for-profit,
informal, unofficial, unrecognized association and invite your membership
and partipcipation.
Membership: Initial
Year $15
Renewals $20/
2 years
Here at The Garlic Store we are enthusiastic members of The Garlic Seed Foundation.
The foundation's newsletter provides members with a wonderful way to keep
in touch with their "inner garlic soul."
Click here for
a printable membership form and join!