Savoring the Season: Garlic Harvest

One of the truly amazing things about living with the seasons is the shift from scarcity to abundance. A few weeks ago we enjoyed such a shift with our summer garlic harvest!

Earlier this spring we enjoyed the last of our cured fresh garlic from last season. For almost three months we got by on dried cloves and garlic oils and vinegars made in the fall. The abundance of fresh garlic addition at meals is such a joy and treat we frequently enjoy!

Summer team garlic harvest.

A part of the allium family, garlic is a unique plant yeilding many fruits. From a single clove, garlic grows into the fully bulbed plant we know and love while also producing abundant scapes (we greatly enjoy roasted) and flowers containing miniature cloves. Although we do not partake in the full two year cycle here, we could plant the miniature cloves for a full fall through summer season to grow a larger single clove to plant and grow into the bulb. In doing so, we could eat, preserve, sell, and CSA share all of what we plant.

The many hands at Metta.

We love to thank the many hands which go into our meals almost daily. Last year’s team planting became the 1,200 plants we took to the barn loft to cure for long term storage. They also preserved some of last season’s yield which helped us get by between harvests.

In fact, the preserved and dried pieces of garlic inspired projects for Metta’s near and continued future: culinary herb and spice blends. If you are interested, they will be available in our fall retreats as a part of our Metta Earth Store!

***

Ashley Nunez is a social media consultant for Metta Earth Institute. You can read more about her in the Metta Earth World Reach Team bios, or find her scribbling away and crafting concoctions at Gather & Roam.