First up, I want to take time to say hello to all my new readers this year, both followers and lurkers (lol) I welcome each and every one of you. Don't be shy,...don't be a lurker......lol I may not always have time to reply to the comments individually. But I sure do love reading them.
Like many of you, I've been busy with family life this year..and getting back into blogging has been slow going ...until now......This post, I could not hold off....It's just toooooo exciting NOT to share.
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| Free bounty of Giant organic garlic |
Have you ever seen a head of garlic this huge?
Almost 500 grams.....Almost half a kilogram
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| Almost 500g for one head of garlic |
Richard, my garden teacher told me he travels that road very often, but has never spotted it....He told me he drives with tunnel vision...lol...I think he will try to spot it now that I've told him where it was though. I gave him some anyway.
After researching different varieties of garlic, I think this is very similar to Elephant Garlic. With the recent floods in the last couple of years, I can only assume that it was washed down from someone's garden, as it tends to be closer to the little creeks AND Mother Nature has kindly self-seeded the garlic every year since.(just my opinion after observing what is in the soil when digging it up). It will be there for many years to come, I'm sure.
What about just one clove of garlic
weighing 154 grams?
The garlic has a lovely strong aroma and will fill my stores year after year, now I plan to grow it too.
I have saved the seed heads as well, which are now drying out. Richard told me that you don't need to leave them on the plant to dry out, before collecting them.....each little green jewel will dry out to become a seed.
Oh, how I love gathering seeds...especially when I end up with plenty to share out. Some will go to the students in the garden class, and some will be shared with the community gardens in the area....not to mention handing it out to friends and family.
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| Giant garlic seed waiting to dry out |
If you live near Noosa, you can get your own huge garlic at Super Natural Organic Garlic (SNOG) which will cost you roughly $28 per kilo . They have a lovely informative blog on how to grow your own garlic too....along with some great recipes to share.
Hmmmm lets do the math on this one.......5.6kg at $28 per kilo.....$156.80.....Now that's a huge bounty.
The give-away for 10 lucky readers....
offer finishes at the end of the month!
*All you need to do, is tell me what you would do with some of this garlic ..maybe you have a great garlic recipe to share.
*The best comment will receive a clove of the garlic to use however you wish....(maybe pop it in the ground, or use it in cooking)...
*I will also choose 9 more comments to send some seed to....This give-away is only offered to Australian residents though..and I will need to check what states I can send it to....So, sorry to those who aren't eligible...I'd still like to hear from you too.....
I've already added it to my herb mix or soup starter.....I also have it finely minced and in Olive oil in jars in the fridge.....
I can't wait to read what everyone comes up with.....
Hello narelle well done , i have spotted it now and i do have tunnel vision thanks again for my bunch and gee its does have a strong smell to it i used some in dinner the other night and about half an hr after dinner we had visitors and they wonted to know if there was any vampires around lol as they wouldnt come near us , well all the best your garden is looking wonderful chat to you real soon yours in gardening Richard your practical gardener teacher.
ReplyDeleteWoww, never seen such huge garlic.
ReplyDeleteI love roasted garlic, in fact is present in almost any food I cook.
Just check this site about garlic in olive oil though. I used to do it, and got quite worried when I read this.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5081820_preserve-garlic-olive-oil.html
OMGosh! I have never seen anything like that, never even knew that there was more than one type of garlic (hides face in shame!). I would dearly love to be a lucky recipants of some seeds as I have just set up some garden beds ready for planting (have two already done). if I could grow some of that garlic I could make garlic jam again. I got the recipe from the Greening Australia blog and made it earlier this year and put together with my homemade feta it was simply divine. Here is a link to my post about the Garlic Jam. http://jugglingthehome.blogspot.com/2011/08/garlic-jelly.html
ReplyDeleteYour garlic is wonderful. It will make a fantastic gift. I think I would make a lovely pizza; garlic, olive oil, rosemary, mozzarella and tomatoes. Roasted garlic mashed potatoes are another family favorite as is chicken with 40 cloves. I love hearing about the summer adventures as we get ready for our first snow fall. Boy I wish we were in Australia (we did have a cat named Darwin)
ReplyDeleteHi Narelle,
ReplyDeleteSo that garlic grows wild along the side of the road? How good is that! I like to dry garlic and then pulverise it in my coffee grinder to store for later use. Also love garlic roasted with the skin left on.
I would love some seeds if possible. Can send you a self addressed stamped envelope. I'm sorry to hear of hubby's work situation but I can guess that you are both much happier together than him being so far away. Lots of luck with the job hunting.
Dell.
I must admit my first thought would be to plant it so I could enjoy it each year.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you back for 2012. Best wishes to hubby with his job search.
Donna
Good gracious! I am not eligible (in the US) but must comment because your photos of that garlic are all so beautiful :) I've never tried to grow garlic, because every farm stand for miles around has multiple varieties - it's apparently a favorite amongst folks in this area. Like a garlic-lovers cult!
ReplyDeleteI'm not one of the collectors, but do love it for cooking and also for adding to pickles. And now my mouth is watering...
You know, maybe this job ending could turn out to be a blessing. It's a lesson I've had to learn over a few times. Some rough bit of luck ended up allowing something good to come my way that couldn't have happened without the rough patch hitting first.
ReplyDeleteSoooooo, garlic is good! After chopping it, I've been told you can rinse your fingers with lemon juice to knock out the odor. But, why. I like the smell of garlic on my fingers.
Sometimes, I'll cut a full bulb in half crossways horizontally (root on bottom), then melt butter in a tiny saucepan with salt and pepper, add the garlic flat sides down, cover, and cook on very low heat until tender. Leaving the papers on makes a little steam tent for the precious innards.
I have grown some, but it was pitifully small - makes me jealous of your incredibly huge find. I won't qualify for the give-away, but I'm happy for the ones that do.
best to you all,
brenda from arkansas
Being in Tassy I will not be eligible as we don't let plant material into the state without jumping through quarantine hoops (good thing too I think) . You are lucky to have such big bulbs, I can only hope that mine will aspire to those sizes eventually.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck
Deb
ooooo! Pick me, pick me, Narelle. I want to have a go at making your Universal herb and garlic mix, pleeeeeease:) I don't live far away:)
ReplyDeleteI have never seen such a big garlic - good spotting.
Sorry to hear about hubby but good he's home with you anyway. I hope he'll get a job soon.
I would roast it whole and have on some toasted sourdough bread. Roasted whole has a beautiful creamy taste.
ReplyDeleteNice. I am trying to grow some garlic, but it is taking it's sweet time. I thinks my soil needs something. I do not live in your country, but love the stories and info.
ReplyDeletehey hey Narelle :) gezz that is one lump of a Garlic Bulb thats for sure. As you know being a "WOG" lol i have about 30 odd Garlic plants growing in and around my Tomato plants as i do every year, good for keeping the fruit fly away and using it in my Pasta/Salsa dip/Lasagne sauces that i make every year, although this year hasnt been the year for growing Tomato's and i ripped my 1st lot out and have replaced them with 6 new plants hoping i get a half decent crop so i can atleast get "some" jars made i dont like my luck :-/. I do have about 20 odd jars left from last summer that may get me through this winter/Autumn. Anyways i would love to get my hands on just one of those Gaint Garlic cloves to let it sprout and put it in the ground to give my sauces a whole new flavour. The bush Garlic you gave me is already in the cupboard waiting to sprout wihile my Ma robbed the flower and has it in a brown paper bag hoping to get some seeds out of it.
ReplyDeleteKeep them fingers dirty & thumbs green
Regards
Lee & Alison
P.S how did you go with that soil?? i know it must be very good soil as i now have one big patch of really green grass on my front lawn were it was and as you know it was only there for 2-3 days....
I would plant it so in a few years I would have a bumper crop to enjoy for ever, enough for planting and eating! I dont have a garlic recipe in particular but every meal we have starts with garlic!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway!
Lisa
Hey there Narelle, wow how amazing is that garlic?.....I'm so glad your back with us I have been having withdrawls from reading your daily blogs.....if I were to receive some of that garlic I would be so greatful, I loooove the stuff and since I do all my home cooking from scratch it would come in handy.
ReplyDeleteI would give anything to have some growing in my vege garden, most days we harvest various vegetables to add to meals....it also helps as we have a large family....7 children, so we make do with what we can grow sometimes!....I would love to grow this garlic so I can make lots of lovely homemade meals, pesto's, pizza's, pasta's, my famous bbq meatloaf, etc.....so many uses..
Sorry to hear about your hubbies job loss and wish him all the best in his job hunting! Love to hear from you... tb_trowbridge@yahoo.com.au
Take care! xx Tracey and Tribe!
My goodness, that is huge! I tend to spot fruit trees as we drive, as long as I'm the passenger and not the driver!
ReplyDeleteI use garlic just in normal cooking, but I tend to use much more than a recipe says as we love the taste of garlic. My other 'favourite' use of garlic is finely chopped in orange juice when we're sick. It's a great boost to the immune system, and I've had lung infections in the past that I didn't recover from until I started drinking this every day.
I've noticed a big difference in the garlic I buy and the bulbs that I've grown - my home grown is significantly juicier and with a stronger taste.
Ooooooh! What huge garlic. The competition is harder than it sounds. Maybe I would make my favourite simple pasta sauce with good olive oil, chilli and garlic. Or hoummus. Or guacamole. Or tomato pasta sauce ...
ReplyDeleteBut I reckon the truth is I'd plant it - hoping to build up a stock to last me forever!
I pulled up wild garlic at my brother's farm once, but it wasn't big and fat and juicy like yours is.
Cheers
Greenie x
Thats about the best answer you could give Greenie as i would do the same, true it would be hard not to use it but getting it to sprout and in the ground makes for a lot more and will then keep on giving more and more each season. making one meal out of it would be great but making meal after meal for years to come would be ideal.....
ReplyDeleteLee
I'm going to say a divinely creamy garlic aioli but the truth is I'd plant it. And then make LOTS of aioli with the crop!!!! Great giveaway Nelly Mary xx
ReplyDeleteHi Narelle!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about hubby's job, but hopefully something will turn up locally. At least he now has experience in the mines, so that might open a door or two for him. Good luck!
Wow, that garlic is huge! I'd love to go in the draw - I'd rub it on toasted sourdough and make bruschetta with tomatoes from the garden, I'd roast it with a nice fat chicken, I'd put it in pesto, and I'd do a hundred other things with it. But most of all, I'd plant some to ensure I had a plentiful supply of it for life!
I wouldn't mind knowing where your secret garlic patch is, either :-).
Catch you soon.
Test....just checking if I am receiving emails...as nothing is coming through.....
ReplyDeleteGrowing garlic is on my 2012 project list and very much want to grow it this year after I read up on the Chinese garlic. This would be a lovely giveaway .
ReplyDeleteI would grow it as I have not yet had much luck growing garlic - never seems to get big enough- surely even I could succeed with something that has grown this big as a weed!
ReplyDeleteCheers
Kylie
Oh my goodness! What a great harvest, well done. I'm going to try my hand at growing garlic this year for the first time.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHI sorry about your hubbys job hopefully something will turn up soon, and as for the garlic id be making caramelised onion and garlic jam yummo!!!
ReplyDeleteBlessings Heidi
Hi Narelle, Gosh I'd love to grow garlic huge like that.As I have just discovered I have systemic Candidiasis and garlic can be helpful, so trying to have some with each meal. I think I will be eligible as I just looked on a website called Eden seeds and looks like garlic seeds will be ok to send to the West.Hope I'm one of the lucky winners, boy I'd love some seeds ...I love putting garlic in most food I cook if its available,always very difficult finding local garlic I have paid as much as $45 a kilo...I wont buy garlic from China or imported from another country...Well done and lucky you....Also garlic is a great natural antibiotic, great for so many ailments, great for killing parasites, yeast problems in your body.You can also rub a cut clove on pimples. As I said so many uses the list could go on and on ...lol , I may do a blog on uses for garlic.
ReplyDeleteHappy new year Narelle & Family hope its filled with love,health &happiness xxx
love Sherrie from Simpleliving :)
I removed my last post as I wrote the wrong seed company.sorry....
What amazing looking garlic. It's my favourite crop as it stores so well, tastes delicious, and is good for you. My garlic was all a little meagre in size this year. I'd throw them in whole with potatoes, olive oils, and rosemary then squeeze out their yummy roasted goodness. what a great roadside find!
ReplyDeleteHave you considered dehydrating some of it? I love to dehydrate elephant ear garlic. Then break it up and use it in whatever suits my fancy.....good luck!
ReplyDelete...i've just stumbled across ur blog from over green-change.com + can i say i'm *very* excited 2 have found u + it! we're just about 2 start harvesting the first of our mammoth crop of tomatoes [mostly black russians, my fav] + am very much looking 4ward 2 going through ur posts 4 tips on how to preserve them. regarding the garlic, i'd *luv* some of those seeds: mostly because garlic is 1 veggie i've never really done well with + i'd luv the chance 2 try to grow some properly [perhaps with the help of snog.com.au]? i'm also keen to use some of the garlic [if i'm successful in growing it, heh] as the basis of organic deterrents to naughty bugs [i've had a hard time with the non-helpful ladybugs this year on my zuccini + squash, has any1 else?]
ReplyDelete