2013 Verona Garlic Festival

Jeff Green | Sep 04, 2013

2013 Eastern Ontario Garlic Awards winners; raising the bar on locally grown garlic

Garlic growers from across the region have come to appreciate the tone that the Verona Lions set for their annual garlic festival. Because the festival takes place within the context of the Frontenac Farmers Market, it has avoided some of the trappings that other festivals have succumbed to over the years.

The booths are mostly devoted to garlic production or other kinds of agricultural products, and the crowds, this year having to dodge raindrops, have become steadily larger over the years.

One of the features of the Verona Garlic Festival is the awarding of the Eastern Ontario Garlic awards, the official competition for the best garlic produced in the region.

The awards were founded by Maberly’s Paul Pospisil, with a view towards promoting continual improvement in the quality of garlic grown in the region. The awards were judged this year by the News’ own Wilma Kenny, who is certified by the Ontario Horticulture Society.

The awards this year celebrated one of the most accomplished growers in the region over many years, as well as newcomers and a home grower.

David Hahn won his 6th Champion Grower award his time around. New growers from Perth, Ali Ross and Glen Gangnier, also produced top-notch all around garlic, taking the Reserve Champion's prize. Bill Kirby of Yarker won the single bulb category.

Diane Dowling, president of Local 316 of the National Farmers Union, presented the $100 grand prize to David Hahn and she also stood in for Kim Perry from Local Family Farms in presenting the $50 prize to Glen Gangnier.

Exhibitors in past years have learned the meaning of “quality” from the scores assigned by the judge on their garlic entries. In this way, the Garlic Awards have contributed to raising the bar on the quality of garlic grown in the Eastern Ontario region, giving it the excellent reputation that it justly deserves.

A great vote of thanks to the Lions Club of Verona for again hosting this competition.