Celebrating the stinky rose in Verona

Sep 08, 2011

Photo: John McDougall, Paul Pospisil, David Hahn, Miguel Hahn, Dianne Dowling.

The Verona Lions’ 5th Annual Garlic Festival was a smorgasbord of everything garlic as area growers specializing in the beloved bulb offered shoppers a wide range of locally grown varieties and numerous edible products whose number one ingredient is garlic. The event attracts garlic growers from all over the area, who are fast finding a wide customer base at the Verona market, and not surprisingly, many sold out of their stock.

Garlic Guru, Paul Pospisil, editor of the Garlic News of Maberly and founder of the Eastern Ontario Garlic Awards, once again made the awards presentations this year. And once again, the cash awards were sponsored by the National Farmers Union Local 316 and Local Family Farms in Verona, and representatives Dianne Dowling and Kim Perry were on hand to give out both awards to the winners. Brent and Carolyn Smith of Croydonview Farm of Roblin once again took home the second place reserve champion trophy. David and Miguel Hahn of Forest Farm in Godfrey once again won as the overall champions, winning firsts in the overall collection and 12 bulb display categories, and seconds in the braid and best bulb categories.

David Hahn said, “Garlic epitomizes the best that local food has to offer. It is a superior product and it enhances every other local food product that it is added to. This festival is another way that local growers and eaters are putting food, families and farming back into the centre of our lives.” The Hahns have taken the first place award numerous times over the years and Miguel Hahn explained their success this way. “I think that is because we really focus on garlic; it’s our main product and our main priority so we put a lot of time and energy into growing it. We also love it and eat a lot of it and people tend to have the most success with the things that they love. ”

The Hahns also sell their garlic at the Perth Garlic Festival and for the last two years running have sold out of their product on the first day. “The popularity of local garlic is definitely on the rise. Though it’s not essential if you are trying to eat to survive, it definitely makes everything you eat better and if you have a commitment to local food, the health of your family and the community it is something that you will definitely choose.”