I've come to realize - even before my first garlic harvest - that shoving a dried out clove into the ground for a bountiful summer crop was, simply put, an act of faith. There I was in mid-October, methodically pushing the pointy side up, root side down a couple inches deep into the rich tractor tilled soil. Like guardian angels warding off the winter chill, Jeff and I placed a thick and fluffy blanket of hay over the beds to protect the hibernating garlic from the freezing rain and snow. Then we left.
Unlike a summer garden, I won't see the real fruits of my labor for several more months, or at all, my heart taunts me with the fear of an underground disaster. But the tender green shoots popping through to the sun are a sure sign that spring has come again and with it, the promise of garlic enough to savor and share - garlic with lyrical names like German Porcelain*, German White*, Music* and Linda's, garlic so fresh and flavorful that Linda said I'll never buy the grocery store variety again. *Garlic ordered from Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply in Grass Valley, CA www.groworganic.com
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