Last season's garlic is feeling the pull of the this season. The cores have been greening for some time and wee rootlets have been reaching, and this past week the sprouts have been making themselves known. So today I kept a few heads aside for kitchen use, and separated the rest of their outer-most paper and chopped them, loaded up a half-gallon jar and covered them with living apple cider vinegar. Now they'll sit and macerate for a several weeks before straining and bottling.
It's a delight to grow enough garlic to keep me through the winter. And it's a delight to have excess for making this delicious vinegar brew to see me through to the next harvest in summer. But even with a seasonal break in fresh garlic supply, I have dried versions and this upcoming vinegar (which I can start dipping into tomorrow, for surely it will quickly become pungent and flavorful). I also have the wild ramps ready for harvest, and egyptian onions and garlic chives, so there's no shortage of Alium verve while garlic takes a break.
And while today is our collective day to honor the living, breathing entity with which we partner to enjoy this life … nourish, sustain and honor her every day, with as many choices and actions that you can, for surely she reciprocates in kind. Peace.
