3rd annual Verona Garlic Festival

By Julie Druker

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l to r: winners of the Eastern Ontario Garlic Awards: Brett and Carolyn Smith of Croydenview Farm and Miguel Hahn of Forest Farm near Westport

The 3rd annual Verona Garlic Festival was bigger and better than ever this year and offered something for everyone: great garlic and garlic products, fine crafts, goodies from the farmers’ market, great games for the kids and fabulous food provided by the Verona Lions.

Attendance was noticeably up from last year and organizer John McDougall of the Verona Lions was thrilled with how the day went.

Ann Babcock judged the Eastern Ontario Garlic Championships and presented awards for first place and runner up. The Woodman Award for best overall winner was presented to first-time festival goers Brett and Carolyn Smith of Croydenview Farm, an organic garlic farm in Croyden. They were declared the Champion Garlic Growers of 2009. Carolyn has been growing garlic for five years and grows a variety of hard and soft neck varieties. The runner-up award was presented to David and Miguel Hahn of Forest Farm near Westport, who were declared Reserve Champion Garlic Growers of 2009.