Rock Rose Garlic

The country around here is full of surprises.
Sure there are the usual lakes loaded with boats and cottages.
And there are the towns driven largely by tourist dollars.
But there are back roads too, and they are an endless source of interesting stories.

We are beginning to plan for next year's plantings.
Many crops go into the ground in the fall.
Garlic is one of them.
Not having enough of our own, we needed to find some seed garlic.

Our search didn't take long as we contacted a local grower with whom we had spoken earlier in the year.
Rock Rose Therapies is an alternative healing center in Haliburton county.

Located on a remote and quiet farm, they provide a variety therapeutic treatments.

They also grow quite a bit of garlic.

I was fortunate to have a tour of the farm and talk about the usual;
growing food and changing the world.
Lynn Deringer showed me around their well kept farmstead.
There is a great mix of cleared land and healthy hardwood forest.

Like us, they are experimenting with a variety of crops and growing techniques.
This land is rugged and the soil is sandy.
It takes extra care and innovation to grow food.
But the abundant gardens are a testament to their tenacity.

Doug Smith has been working on this land for more than two decades.
I didn't get to meet him today, but I expect to cross paths with him before too long.
One of the features is a stone circle built by Doug over the years.
The circle is a perfect place to center oneself and find perspective in the peaceful nature of isolation.

Along with 12lbs of garlic, I also picked up some rutabagas.
They're not a usual staple for us, but it's nice to try something different.
Everything here is grown organically.
But it's not a selling point here; it's just the way all food should be grown.

One of the best parts of the life that we lead now is the people that we meet.
We never know from day to day who we may encounter.
Searching for products and knowledge leads us to new places.
And always to people who share our love of the land,
and concern for the future.

What a beautiful adventure.