Garlic Fest 2021

This summer I went to Garlic Fest at Birdsfoot Farm outside of Canton at the invitation of my friend Jeanna and her Async Arts efforts. There were about 12,000 garlic bulbs to be pulled from the field, peeled, and hung in the barn to cure while artists draw and paint the process. Folks from all over come to help out and it’s a community event with food and music making. I showed up after the other artists had left so mostly I just helped clean up and bundle just harvested garlic so it could hang to cure.

In exchange I went home with about 40 bulbs of garlic that wouldn't be good for selling but would be perfect for me to make things with.

In the weeks that followed Garlic Fest I did funky sketches inspired by the garlic and eventually a more involved watercolor. There’s cards and other art with the watercolor on it available in my Society6 shop and at least for now the original is still available. Email me at saraelynch@gmail.com if you are interested in the original.

I also made lacto fermented garlic and experimented with making honey fermented garlic. For one jar of honey garlic I used an airlock from @nourishedessentials an I left the other open but with a fabric covering to see how the two batches might differ. Interestingly the only difference I have noticed is that the open ferment seemed to ferment a little bit faster than the one with an airlock. Either way the result is tasty and great for cooking or by itself.

Thanks for organizing everything Jeanna and thanks to Birdsfoot for growing all this garlic and putting on the gattering!