The garlic bulbs were big and pungent as 9th Annual MN Garlic Festival kicked off on August 9th.  Great Chef Demos with Birchwood Cage. The Bachelor Farmer, and more.  We enjoyed The Narren of New Ulm, a dance with German Village characters; Antoine, the whistle maker and Bertram the Broommaker.  I especially loved the graphic on the Garlic CD, full of kitchy garlic songs.  But of course, the most important thing was the garlic.  Even though I grow plenty of garlic, after a couple of years ago when the Aster Yellow Disease hit MN due to ask unseasonably early spring, I buy my garlic to plant and eat the garlic I grow.  I did learn one thing in talking to a garlic vendor this year; when curing garlic, it’s best to leave the stalks on until they brown and completely wither.  He said he felt the flavor retention in the garlic was better and they bulbs stored longer.  Hmm, after my dear hubby knocked over my curing screen in the garage a few years ago, sending my garlic flying and mixing up all the varieties I grew that year, I decided to cut off the stalks this year to prevent another disastrous accidental garlic spill.  Oh well, I can’t fault my hubby, as he puts up with his garage domain smelling if garlic a few weeks each summer.  Live and learn – next year, I’ll leave the stalks on.  Carry on all you Herbie Garlic Growers with your Random Acts of Stinkiness.