Welcome to another wonderful CSA Tuesday. The weeks have flown by to leave us sweating in the mid July heat, thankful for the frequent rain clouds that have been passing us by. Summer is bountiful and this harvest is no exception. This week we will be adding one of my favorites to the list: garlic.

One of the most powerful of the allium family, garlic was so valuable it was once used as currency. In Egypt, the pharaoh Tutenkhamen was buried with bulbs of garlic to ensure his prosperity in the next world. In old folklore it was also believed that garlic warded off jealous nymphs said to terrorize pregnant women and engaged maidens.

Even though garlic was known to ward off vampires, it´s past glory was ignored by British and American consumers until more recent times. In seventeenth century England, garlic was considered unfit for ladies and anyone who wished to court them. In America it was avoided until the 20th century, when famous chefs would substitute onion for its more potent cousin. With the rise of immigrants in the 19th and 20th century, however, garlic gained its foothold in the American palette, and has remained one of the most popular ingredients in our diet (Americans alone consume over 250 million pounds annually).

Beyond superstition, modern research has confirmed what our ancestors believed about the health benefits of garlic. In 1858, Louis Pasteur documented that garlic kills bacteria, with one millimeter or raw garlic juice proving as effective as 60 milligrams of penicillin. During World War II, when penicillin and sulfa drugs were scarce, the British and Russian armies used diluted garlic solutions as an antiseptic to disinfect open wounds and prevent gangrene.

The allicin in raw, crushed garlic has been shown to kill 23 types of bacteria, including salmonella and staphylococcus. Heated garlic gives off another compound, diallyldisulphide-oxide, which has been shown to lower serum cholesterol by preventing clotting in the arteries.

Vitamins in garlic, such as A, B, and C, stimulate the body to fight carcinogens and get rid of toxins, and may even aid in preventing certain types of cancer, such as stomach cancer. Garlic´s sulfur compounds can regulate blood sugar metabolism, stimulate and detoxify the liver, and stimulate the blood circulation and the nervous system.

In many cultures, garlic is also considered a powerful aphrodisiac and a vegetarian alternative to Viagra. Some say it is even able to raise a man´s sperm count. In Palestinian tradition, a groom who wears a clove of garlic in his buttonhole is guaranteed a happy wedding night.

While the quaint diner slang of the 1920´s liked to refer to garlic as Bronx vanilla, Halitosis, or Italian perfume, we at the farm just like to call it delicious! Enjoy your veggies and especially your garlic!

With love and veggies,

Mary, Richard James Kessler Jr., Paige, Matthew, Lauren, Nico, and new mascot Wood Ape

Also, Please remember to bring your re-usable bags! According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. An estimated 12 million barrels of oil are required to make that many plastic bags. Once in the environment, it can take hundreds of years for plastic bags to breakdown. As they decompose, tiny toxic bits seep into soils, lakes, rivers, and the oceans. According to the American Forest and Paper Association, in 1999 the U.S. alone used 10 billion paper grocery bags, requiring 14 million trees to be cut down.

But there is a way you can make a difference! Each reusable bag you use has the potential to eliminate an average of 1,000 plastic bags over its lifetime! One more tree, lots less oil, and a positive example for all those around you!