The Garlic News: Connecting the Canadian Garlic Network
The Garlic News is
a garlic growers’ publication, written by garlic growers for
garlic growers. Started as a local publication in 2004,
membership has
steadily grown, with growers from every partof Canada,
making it a truly national publication. Articles and content are selected to appeal to home
gardeners, organic farmers and market gardeners.
Topics Include: tips on growing better garlic, the best
garlic recipes from members, letters from members, organics, soil building,
getting better yields, pests and diseases, the garlic harvest, results of
growing trials and garlic research, the latest in new garlic strains, garlic
festivals, field days and events, marketing ideas, garlic and your pet, garlic
in your garden, special columns, guest articles, garlic news from across Canada
and much more.
Four Times a Year!
The News will continue to come out four times a year, the issues being planned
to reach you in time for the four garlic seasons: planting; winter planning;
spring tasks and the summer harvest.
Keep in touch with garlic growers from one end of Canada to the
other!
The Garlic News makes a fine birthday or special occasion
gift for your gardening friends. They will just love it!
.....the COST .....just $15.00 for one year of four issues,
$30.00 for eight issues. For our U.S friend, please add $3.00 per year, for or UK friends, $5.00 per year to cover the added
cost of mailing outside Canada.
For a complete set, back issues are available from Issue number 1 at $5.00 for
a single copy, $15.00 for each year or $22.00 for each year’s bound set.
Print and fill out the printer-friendly subscription form and send
it with your cheque or money order payable to:
Paul Pospisil, Editor, The Garlic News
3656 Bolingbroke Road
Maberly, Ont., K0H 2B0
Phone: 613-273-5683
E-mail: garlic@rideau.net
ps. Ads and Directory Listings from garlic
growers and garlic-relevent organizations are accepted at minimal charge. Just
ask for rates.
ABOUT BEAVER POND ESTATES and GARLIC
Paul and his wife Mary Lou have turned a 17- acre bush lot in the SW
corner of Lanark County into a small farm called BEAVER
POND ESTATES. They have a quarter acre
vegetable garden featuring certified organic seed garlic surrounded by lovely
perennial gardens. Visitors are welcome
year round. Please phone ahead (613)
273-5683 or e-mail <garlic@rideau.net>.
BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCH - PAUL & MARY LOU POSPISIL
Paul Pospisil is a retired military officer, professional engineer, and,
since 1990, a serious hobby farmer involved in many aspects of promoting
agriculture and family farming. He is a Master Gardener, qualified judge of
horticulture and a Past President of the Maberly Agricultural Society. He is
called “the garlic guru of Eastern Ontario”
from the many years he has spent teaching and talking about garlic as a
Canadian crop.
Mary Lou is an avid gardener, grows perennials and has built lovely
terraced gardens on slopes around their scenic property. She has developed
numerous garlic recipes and speaks on cooking with garlic at festivals.
Paul and Mary Lou founded the Glorious Garlic Festival of Eastern
Ontario in 1997 (now the Perth Garlic Festival) and were festival advisors to
the Carp Garlic Festival committee. Paul
ran the Garlic Education Programs, Mary Lou the entertainment and activities.
Prior to that, they were also instrumental in the start-up of Farmers’ Markets
in Perth and Smiths Falls, Ontario.
More recently, they assisted in the start-up of the Garlic is Great
Festival in Milton, the County Garlic Festival in Picton, the Seaway Garlic
Festival in Iroquois, the Crosby Garlic Day and the Frontenac Garlic Day (now,
the Verona Lions Garlic Festival) and participate in the Stratford Garlic
Festival.
Paul developed the judging standards for garlic and by means of the
Garlic Awards Foundation, advises Festival committees with the hosting of
competitions.
THE SMALL-PLOT GARLIC VARIETY TRIALS
Organic garlic trials have been run since 1991. The Small-Plot Garlic Variety Trials were
started in 1996 for the purpose of proving out the suitability of various strains
of garlic in North-Eastern Ontario (Zone 5A) conditions.
Proven garlic strains from the trials are
sold to home and market gardeners to encourage diversification. Over 150
strains have been trialled to date. Quantities are limited. The garlic trials
are run for research rather than commercial production. Garlic is annually
certified organic by OCPP to protect the integrity of organic growers using it
for seed.
ANNUAL
GARLIC FIELD DAY
An annual garlic grower’s field day is held at the trials site during
scaping time on the last Sunday in June. Attendance is by invitation. The day’s
program includes short talks and updates on projects of interest to garlic fans
and growers.
THE
LEEK MOTH
Following identification of the imported pest, the leek moth
(Acrolepiopsis assectella) by garlic growers in the Ottawa Valley,
Paul took it on himself to persuade provincial and federal agricultural
authorities to work on the problem. There is now a multi-year, funded
entomological study of the leek moth underway in Agri-Food Canada,
the aim being to study the life cycle of this pest for the purpose of
developing organic and integrated pest management controls.
GARLIC INFORMATION & PUBLICATIONS
Garlic talks are provided on request.
Consultation is provided to new growers. Free garden clinics at the trials site
can be arranged.
Copies of the Garlic Judging Standard,
notes on Starting a Garlic Festival, garlic recipes, garlic growing
instructions and other garlic publications are available at a nominal charge to
cover printing and mailing costs. Please call to inquire.
Paul & Mary Lou publish a Canadian
quarterly called the Garlic News to provide growers with a
networking forum as well as garlic news and information. It is a low cost,
non-profit publication, membership costing $15.00 per year.
Paul
also distributes The Garlic Press, the publication of the Garlic Seed
Foundation in the U.S.A.,
to Canadian members under a co-operative arrangement with David Stern, the
founder and Director of that organization.
