THE CALM BEFORE THE GARLIC STORM
Well, it’s been a quiet week here in Lake Omigod. But we need rain - have had less than three inches since the crystal ball fell in Times Square to bring in 2006. The grass around Yucca Ridge Farm never really greened this year. (Grass is not supposed to crunch when walked upon.) We worry about cigarette butts carelessly tossed from pickup trucks speeding down the dirt roads out into the prairie.

But some things do sprout here - we look out from our hilltop and see more and more rooftops, all crowning new, builder’s beige bungalows as the city expands relentlessly outward. We are getting used to driving into town and spotting a subdivision or strip mall that we swear was not there just two weeks ago. “Musta rained,” we would comment. Fungal urban growth - like ‘shrooms emerging after an overnight infusion of moisture. At night, for miles, the area around us is still almost totally dark. But the ring of lights - incandescent, neon, traffic, emergency, mercury vapor, LEDs – gradually is closing in upon our island of darkness from all directions.

Until recently, the encroaching “civilization” has scarcely affected our modest garlic plot. Every summer, the garlic scapes have emerged and started to stretch – their last exercise before they are suddenly snipped off in mid-curl. Yet in the past few years, there has been a dramatic increase in our local wildlife population, being herded, we suspect, by the approaching city into the island of refuge which we and our neighbors have tried to maintain here on the ridge east of town. Saw a badger just yesterday. (They do not make good pets!) A herd of mule deer, 20 plus, have been hanging around for the last year or so, and are becoming tamer by the day. Bambi’s footsteps through our squash and broccoli raab were not especially welcome. Still, the animals are beautiful as they graze on the hillside just below us. Early one morning last week, as I descended in my bathrobe down the stairs into our living room, there were five of them, snouts pressed against the picture window, staring in at me. Three does, two bucks. One big buck was clearly the boss. The other one, a runt, was gazing directly at me with what I swear was a lecherous grin. Frankly, interspecies homophobia is an issue I had never had to deal with. Still processing that experience.

Then there are the raptors. Kestrels, golden eagles, turkey vultures, ferruginous hawks. A banner year for sailing and hovering whenever the wind picks up. But their aviation antics are more than for show; they’re out looking for lunch. And on the menu? Rabbits. Scores of bunnies hipping and hopping over hill and dale - a bumper crop worthy of their reproductive reputation. We have seen as many as a dozen at one time lazing about the back yard. But then the shadow of the circling raptor appears, and the bunnies just vanish. Woosh!

Like the deer, they too have become almost tame. Yesterday I saw cottontail No. 348 sitting by a suddenly denuded phlox plant, nose atwitching and with a sheepish grin on his face. So I first raised my arms and then my voice, expecting rapid flight. Instead, I received a look from Peter Cottontail that could have been translated, “You know, you should probably obtain professional help to deal with your feelings of rage and despair.” Hmmm, time for more aggressive behavior. The chase began. Peter ran, not out into the tall grass as expected, but around and around in the raised bed. This rabbit was skillfully leading me on a wild goose chase. So we stopped and just considered each other for the moment. Suddenly another dark shadow floated across the yard. The expression on Peter’s face changed, and into the garlic patch he sprang in a well-rehearsed drill. There he hunkered down amid Inchelium, German Porcelain and other leafy goodies. A less casual viewing of the garlic plot suddenly revealed not just Peter, but seven more burrow mates huddled between the stalks.

So I guess we have come to a standoff. If the rabbits don’t eat the garlic, which so far they have had the good sense not to do, they are welcome to use it as camouflage from their airborne enemies. But soon the scapes will be clipped, the leaves will yellow, the bulbs will be harvested, and their refuge will have disappeared. And the hunt will be on again.

And while all this was happening, I noticed that runt of a buck standing about 100 yards out behind the windbreak. Still giving me the eye. Kinda creepy, if you ask me. But, that’s country living, I guess. And the deer have never once nibbled the garlic.

WHAT'S IN THE GROUND FOR 2006?
The Class of 2006 is getting ready to matriculate. Remember, it is first come, first served. Some varieties are only available in very limited quantities and sell out quickly. Those in shortest supply are generally available only in the sampler packs. We will again this year create sampler packs in 4, 6 and 8 bulb sizes for those of you that just can’t make up your minds. So many garlics, so little time. Be the first one on your block to grow them all! Remember, we will begin accepting advance orders beginning around August 1 st, so watch the web site. Newsletter subscribers will also receive an email heads up.

Elephants
Jumbo Roasting Bulbs, Big Elephant Bulbs, Baby Elephant Bulbs, Elephant Cloves, Elephant Rounds

Softnecks
Artichoke Varieties
Achatami, Acropolis Greek, Applegate, California Early, Chet's Italian Red, Early Red Italian, French Red, French Tarne, Inchelium Red, Kettle River Giant, Lorz Italian, Oregon Blue, Purple Italian, Red Toch, Siciliano, Simonetti, Susanville, Transylvanian

Silverskin Varieties
Nootka Rose, Silverwhite, Silverskin, Silver Rose, Garlic Braids

Hardnecks
Purple Striped Varieties
Bogatyr, Brown Tempest, Bzenc, Chesnok Red, French Germinador, Korean Red, Metechi, Persian Star, Purple Glazer, Red Rezan, Russian Giant, Siberian, Vekak Czech

Porcelain Varieties
Armenian, Georgia Crystal, Georgia Fire, German Extra Hardy, German Porcelain, German White, Leningrad, Music, Romanian Red, Rosewood, Polish Hardneck, Romanian Red, Stull, Zemo

Rocambole Varieties
Colorado Black, German Red, Hokkaido Zaitai, Italian Purple, Killarney Red, LavignA, Marino, Pyong Vang Korean, Russian Giant, Spanish Roja

Others (Turbans, Asiatics)

Asian Tempest, Beijing, Chinese Pink, Guatamalan Ikeda, Morado Gigante, Portuguese, Shantung Purple, Sakura Japanese, Sonoran, Xian

A NEW GARLIC RECIPE FOR YOU…
It's garlic scape time! Liv, The Garlic Store's self proclaimed kitchen guru created this easy to make recipe especially for you. It goes will with meats, fowl and fish and may accompany any and all of your grilling creations:

GARLIC SCAPE AND PEPPER SALAD
The salad:
1 1/2 cup garlic scapes, simmered in salted water until tender, and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 red peppers, seeded and chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1 tbsp chopped, pickled Jalapeno pepper (optional)
1 head romaine lettuce, coarsely shredded
Black olives for garnish

The dressing:
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
9 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine the scapes, peppers and scallions in a bowl. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat. Spread the shredded lettuce on a platter and arrange the salad on top. Garnish with the olives.

FAVORITE PRODUCTS
Just thought we would remind you that until the new crop comes in, there are still many tasty ways to get a garlic fix from TheGarlicStore.com, and at a discount, too!

The Plain Pickled Garlic from Old Gilroy is pickled in a brine that is not too sweet and not too vinegary - the perfect crunchy morsel packed with flavor.

The Habanero Pickled Garlic is a spicier cousin of the original pickled garlic. Don't let the word "habanero" scare you, as the pickling process has mellowed the hot pepper bite to a pleasant buzz.


The Garlic Head BBQ Sauce is our all time winner in the BBQ sauce contest. Its dense flavors turns any burger, piece of chicken or meat into a feast.

WHAT TO DO AFTER GRADUATION
Well, it’s time. For many, the joy of paying no more tuition is about to be replaced by the perplexment of what their offspring will actually do with the knowledge they have absorbed after 12 or 16 or however many years of education. Well, rarely do we end up doing what we as children aspired to (just how many fireman positions are there, really?) Lucky people get to do what they love. And there are myriad satisfying careers undreamt of by the young…such as being a giant garlic bulb at a garlic festival. And if you’re good at it, you get to come back again year after year...


Seen at the Gilroy Garlic Festival.(Last weekened of July every year.) He made his parents proud!

YOU CAN'T ESCAPE THE SCAPES
Here’s the drill (for those not already wise in the ways of scapes.)

Scapes are the hard, central flowing stalk in elephants and hardnecks. Yes, you can leave them on, and they will straighten up, uncurl, and the topset pod will bloom into a purplish flower, leaving behind the tiny bulbils which can serve as a seed of sort, although it takes three years to grown them to full bulb size. If you want larger bulbs, cut the scapes before they fully uncurl, maybe 8 inches from the top. Cut them when they are tender, and they make a wonderful stir fry ingredient. Try garlic scape pesto, too. They can also be used in flower arrangements (very popular in Japan ).

SUPER SUMMER 20% OFF SALE
This is a special offer only for our regular customers and Gazette subscribers. Anything you order from www.TheGarlicStore.com between now and 15 July 2006 will get you a whopping 20% off all foods, books, DVDs…basically anything in the store. To obtain the 20% off price (the discount does not apply to shipping charges), you MUST type in the magic word ALLIUM in the comment section on the online order. If you phone in an order (1-800-854-7219), you can just say the word and obtain your discount.

Note: The discount will NOT appear on your order sheet if your order on line. We will subtract the amount manually when we process your credit card. This offer is valid through and including 15 July 2006 .

GARLIC AND THE GLITTERATI
By Chester Aaron
At a tasting in New York City about ten years ago I presented my usual three bowls of hummus, equal amounts of a different garlic pressed into each bowl. I also laid out on the table ten stalks, with bulbs attached, to show the variations in leaf pattern, bulb size, number of cloves, wrapper color, and the presence or absence of scape.

Hundreds of tasters expressed their amazement at the discovery of the existence of more than their usual supermarket garlic.

A high-fashion woman, three men in obedient tow, came by.

“This,” Madame sneered, “is a scam. Garlic is garlic.”

I recognized her because I have her books, have read her articles in the chic gourmet magazines, have heard her on radio, seen her on television. The three men, I later discovered, were chefs at local very expensive restaurants. “Garlic is garlic,” I replied.

Maintaining my nearly dead poise, I said, “Do you say that about tomatoes? About apples? Peppers? A peach is a peach, grapes are grapes, right? Just taste, please.”

She did, moving from the hummus with Creole Red to the hummus with Spanish Roja to Xian.

She turned to the three men. “Taste!” she said.

All three tasted.

Madame shook her head. “I didn’t know,” she said.

Three weeks later I received a request from my new friend for 20 different varieties of garlic to plant in the soil of her upstate New York farm.

Chester Aaron is an author, raconteur, garlic enthusiast and grower of great renown who creates from his farm in Occidental, CA. We carry most of his garlic-related books in the Book/Video section. But his literary efforts range far and wide and his latest book, Symptoms of Terminal Passion, has been released to glowing reviews (including those from Lisa Simeoni (NPR), Sylvia Poggioli (CNN) and The Chief Clove…such illustrious company!). Read all about this and Chester ’s other wonderful books at www.ChesterAaron.com.

DID YOU KNOW?
When to harvest? We recommend harvest when the leaves on the lower half of the plant are largely brown, but there is still a fair amount of green on top. The advice to cut off watering before harvest is based mainly on avoiding muddy soil which can soil the wrappers. Most of the growth of the bulb occurs in the last month, so don’t harvest too soon. Cut off fertilizer by early June (promotes big leaves and small bulbs) and keep watering until a few days before harvest. Harvesting too late can result in split wrappers and shorter shelf life for the bulbs.

It is reported that babies stay longer at the breast when their mother eats garlic.

During World War II, garlic was called “Russian penicillin” when Red Army doctors used it in lieu of scarce antibiotics. Clinical tests report it effective in dispatching many types of bacteria including salmonella, campylobacter, helicobacter, staphylococcus and even some of the super virulent bugs now showing up in hospitals (which have attained immunity against regular antibiotics).

Then there is a Japanese rock group called The Garlic Boys. They even have an official web site [http://www.garlicboys.net/top.html]. Some of the “acts” that also record on their record label, Pizza of Death, are “Asparagus,” “Slime Ball,” “BBQ Chickens” and “Water Closet.” Honest. We couldn’t make this up.



The Garlic Grower’s Video/DVD
We call it “A Garlic Gardener’s Guide.” This 32 minute production shows you the tricks of the trade for growing your own top flight garlic, and also provides some historical facts about the history of garlic, along with fun scenes from the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Available now as either VHS tape ($19.95 plus S&H) or DVD ($19.95 plus S&H)

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
You can always email TheGarlicStore.com with your garlic questions (TheChiefClove@TheGarlicStore.com.) But if you would like your question answered in an upcoming issue of The Garlic Store Gazette, just let us know. We can publish your favorite garlic pictures too (just send them as an email attachment).

Published by: www.TheGarlicStore.com at Yucca Ridge Farm, 46050 Weld County Road 13, Fort Collins, CO 80524. A member of the Better Business Bureau Online. Email us at: TheChiefClove@TheGarlicStore.com or call us at 970-416-8695. (Mon-Fri, 10 AM - 6 PM Denver Time)
© The Garlic Store/FMA, Inc., 2006

Order online at www.TheGarlicStore.com

The Garlic Barrier is a very effective way of keeping insects away from your precious garden. It stays active even after several rainstorms and does a good job on rabbits, too. We're tempted to call it the Garlic Lover's Revenge. It really works!






The Khatsa Tibetan Barbeque Marinade proves that Tibetans deserve their reputation for world-class BBQ. In addition to enhancing your food, the product serves a good cause as well.