Garlic Harvest

September marks the transition between the insistent heat of late

summer and the

cool days of fall, and there are similar changes at the Farmer's Market.

While there are still plenty of hot weather vegetables like tomatoes and

peppers on our produce stands, we are starting to see a lot of

traditional fall vegetables like winter squash, cabbages, and potatoes.

The first pumpkin of the year showed up in late August, and while it was

barely Jack-o-Lantern size, it was a reminder that the days of changing

leaves and south winging geese are not all that far away.

The Belfast Farmer's Market is welcoming the changing year with its

first annual Harvest Festival. The week long event will be held on

Tuesday, September 15 (2:30-5:30), Friday, September 18 (9:00 - 1:00)

and Saturday, September 19 (9:00 - 1:00). The membership invites

everyone to come to our Reny's Plaza location under the big green sign

and enjoy free samples of fresh produce, cheeses, fruits, and meats. We

will also be offering recipes for our favorite fall foods, accenting the

hearty offerings of late gardens.

This time of year, our gardens seem to be giving their all, as if the

plants are aware that time is short to produce their fruits and

guarantee the next generations. Bare patches are opening up here and

there as we clear away spent melon and cucumber vines, bolted greens,

and pull mature beets and carrots. If you have some room in your garden,

now is the time to think about putting in a planting of garlic for next

year.

At Fisher Farm this year we grew three 70 foot rows of garlic in

several different varieties, including Russian Red, German Red,

Inchelium, and Silver Skin. Each year we grow more garlic than the year

before, and each year we find that we wish we'd grown more.

Garlic is not a demanding crop, but it does have specific

requirements. It prefers a rich soil, well amended with compost, leaf

mold or composted manure, in which no other allium family members

(onions, shallots, leeks, etc) have been grown before. A sunny,

well-drained location is best.

Finding garlic for seed is very easy. To grow the best garlic you

should choose a variety that you enjoy, and plant the largest,

healthiest cloves. The best bet is to buy fresh heads of garlic straight

from a farmer. You'll need about two pounds of garlic to plant a 20 foot

row. Several of our market members sell garlic, and will be happy to

talk with you about it.

Garlic is planted in late September or early October, when the bulbs

are able to make good root growth before the ground freezes solid.

Separate the heads into individual cloves. Plant the cloves, point up,

3 to 4 inches deep and 6 to 12 inches apart. Mulch them heavily with

organic matter such as straw, leaves or hay. This will help protect the

cloves from the cold, and in the spring the young shoots will push up

through the covering of mulch.

Garlic benefits from a side dressing of compost or rotten manure in

spring, when the plants begin to make top growth. In midsummer,

"Rocambole" types such as Russian Red and German Red will send up a

long, curly flowering stalk, or spathe. Wait until the spathe curls

around on itself a few times, then cut off the flowering tip. Around

this time the ends of the foliage will begin to turn yellow.

Wait until the foliage is at least 60% yellow, then dig the plants up,

tie them in bunches and hang them to cure in a dry, well-ventilated spot

out of direct light. We use an old porch on the side of our garage as a

drying room, with nails hammered into the rafters to hold the fragrant

bunches. They can be left to cure until you need them. When fully cured,

the tops should be completely dry and the skins papery. You can then cut

off the leaves and roots and store the garlic heads in mesh bags in a

dry place- too much moisture will cause the heads to mildew or start

growing.

This pungent allium, either a vegetable or an herb depending on how it

is used, is growing in favor with gardeners who know that home or farm

grown garlic is worlds better than store bought. Supermarket garlic is

often dry, sprouted, or too old; but nothing suits the table better than

home grown and cured garlic. Here are a few recipes to show you how to

use up all of that great garlic.

 

Pickled Garlic

This is a great way to preserve a lot of garlic. Remove the papery

skins from the cloves and place them in a wide-mouthed jar. We usually

fill a quart jar. Pour in enough vinegar to cover the cloves; any kind

will do as long as it has at least 5% acetic acid. Allow to stand for

several days at room temperature. The cloves may acquire a faint

blue-green color as part of the normal pickling process. At the end of

this time, pour off the vinegar and replace it with good quality olive

oil, and refrigerate. The cloves will keep for months, and can be used

in any way that you now use garlic. The oil will also become infused

with garlicky flavor and aroma. The pickling vinegar will also have a

fine flavor, and combining these two makes a first rate salad dressing.

 

Chicken with Forty Garlic

3 tablespoons olive oil

40 cloves of fresh (not pickled) garlic, peeled

3 pounds chicken pieces, skinned

? cup chopped celery leaves

1 teaspoon tarragon

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

? teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 ? cups white wine

Yes, forty garlic! This seems like a lot, but you won't think so by the

time you finish this excellent dish. We've been known to use sixty

garlic cloves in this recipe, and there are seldom any left over.

In a large casserole, place 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, a layer of

the chicken pieces, garlic, and celery, and about a third of the spices.

Top with more layers until you have used up all of the ingredients. Bake

at 375 degrees for 1 ? hours, or until the chicken is done and the

garlic is soft. Serve with French bread. The garlic will mellow and

become delicious as it bakes, and can be easily spread on thick slices

of French bread.

---

Back