It begins with a clove, buried in the soil on a warm day in late autumn. Long after the rest of the garden has been put to bed for the winter, green shoots poke up from the cold earth in the garlic patch. By spring, the leaves have taken shape, and the stems begin to thicken, hinting at swelling bulbs beneath the surface. And then those leaves start to turn brown, in June, and a digging fork loosens the soil to reveal plump, white garlic bulbs. These can be used fresh, of course, but hanging them up to cure for a few weeks will help them keep through winter.

Take it a step further. Separate the cloves, peel off their papery skin, slice them, dehydrate them. Breathe deeply; inhale the permeating aroma of garlic. Run the crispy garlic pieces through a small blender until they become a fine powder. Mix the powder with sea salt. Dry it again, in the oven this time. Bottle it. Enjoy.

Garlic salt takes a lot of work to produce, but the work doesn’t happen all at once, and the result is worth it.

If you’ve bought garlic salt from me before, you may notice a difference in color with this batch. Previously, I made it with pink Himalayan salt, but I have since learned that is a finite resource and switched instead to sea salt, which results in a paler – but no less flavorful – final product.

So, I will finally have more garlic salt at the market this Saturday! Because it’s handmade with my own garlic, I have a limited quantity, so you’ll want to come out in the next couple weeks to make sure you get a bottle. I will also have the first heads of lettuce, lots of kale, and a few bunches of radishes, as well as crocheted items and aloe plants.

See you at the market!

The kale is growing beautifully this spring! I will likely have lots of it at the market on Saturday. “But,” you say, “kale is chewy and bitter and gross!” Honestly, sometimes it is. However, the trick to kale is choosing the right variety and knowing how to prepare it.

First, the variety: I grow Red Russian Kale and White Russian Kale,* which have a mild, nutty flavor and tender texture. Many people have said that it’s the best kale they’ve ever tasted, and some of them don’t usually care for kale.

And now the cooking inspiration. When I have an abundance of a certain vegetable, I often put it in everything. And the beauty of kale is that it’s super versatile! I’m really looking forward to making creamy quinoa again. This recipe is so delicious, even kale-haters might love it. Seriously. It’s amazing. I also put finely chopped kale in stir-fry, egg salad, chicken quinoa salad, quiche/frittatas/omelets, kale salad, and burritos. Yep, everything.

If kale really isn’t your thing, I might have the first couple bunches of radishes this Saturday too! There will also be potted aloe plants (Mother’s Day is Sunday!) and 100% cotton crocheted items: dish cloths, fish scrubbies, skillet handle covers, and fish bowl stuff-and-spill toys.

Finally, if I can get it all bottled and labeled in time, I’ll have a fresh batch of garlic salt ready for you. It’s made with my own garlic that I grow, dry, and grind myself. And it’s delicious on just about everything (mmm, garlic).

See you at the market!

*I know that Russia is a sensitive topic right now. While these heirloom varieties originated in Russia, I purchased the seeds from a Virginia-based company. I like to shop locally as much as possible.

The Broadway Community Market starts up again this Saturday, and there is so much to be excited about! Chow down on a breakfast platter from Jillian’s Farmstead kitchen, sip an iced coffee or flavored lemonade from The Teacher’s Bouquet, listen to live music from Psalm 150, enjoy a performance by the Glitterettes, and browse all of the morning’s vendors! There will be baked goods, pastured eggs and meat, jams, pickles, jewelry, art, and so much more. We’ll be set up 8 a.m. until noon, rain or shine.

Here’s a peek at what you can expect at the Fairydiddle Farm booth:

• fish scrubbies (great for dishes or bath time!)
• dish cloths
• skillet handle covers
• fish bowl stuff-and-spill toys
• market bags
• kale (first of the season!)
• aloe plants

It’s a bit early yet for most crops, but they will be trickling in as the season progresses. Radishes are sprouting, the peas are getting taller by the day, and lettuce and green onions should show up on the table in a few weeks too!

I’m also looking forward to summer vegetables, with yellow and red onions (new this year!) and garlic growing beautifully in the garden already. Many other seedlings are staying warm under the grow lights still: slicing cucumbers, cucamelons, bell peppers, jalapenos, slicing tomatoes, paste tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. Mmmm, summer.

In the meantime, come celebrate spring and the beginning of a new market season this Saturday at the Broadway Community Market, 8 a.m. to noon.

See you at the market!