Garlic isn't just garlic anymore, now there are many kinds and what amounts to designer garlics and there's more to come say scientists at the Garlic is Life Symposium and Festival held in Tulsa,Oklahoma, last week.

Most garlic festivals are for the general public - this one's for the garlic people. Many of the world's top experts on garlic gather in Tulsa each fall to attend the Garlic is Life! Symposium and festival to discuss the latest research and findings in many areas of interest about this remarkable plant. For three days seminars are conducted by speakers with Ph. D's after their names and often an accent as well, covering the physiologial, chemical and health effects of garlic, fresh versus Pills, oil, etc. as well as reporting on the projects to hybridize garlic, other research reports and an all-day growers' conference. There were, of course, untitled growers and truly dedicated garlic lovers of every background present also.

The growers conference day was spent discussing diseases and pests and pollutants that attack garlic and the fertilization and other growing needs of the many kinds of garlic as well as the best ways to deal with garlic problems that can be safely and effectively used by backyard gardeners and small commercial growers. People from as far away as Germany and Israel come to both teach and learn and exchange ideas among their peers and enjoy the bouquet of many rare and exotic garlics in the air.

Held this year from October 30 through November 3, the purpose of the event is to bring the professionals who are involved in scientific fields together so they and their collegues can bring each other current on exactly what is going on at every level in their fields. Since research by psychologists shows garlic gives the consumer an enhanced sense of well being, and these people eat a lot of garlic of many kinds, they all get along quite well. When everybody has a Ph. D., they just call each other by their first names and things become downright congenial.

These happy people take pride in their breath because they don't have common garlic breath, they have Red Toch or Burgundy or Spanish Roja breath, or perhaps Metechi or Inchelium Red breath. Of course, the lucky ones have China Rose or Georgian Crystal breath. All the garlics have different tastes, some mild, even bland and others very strong, some with a very earthy, rich garlic flavor and others just hot. Where else can you find people who know what kind of garlic breath they have and love it, and even compliment one another on their wonderful breath? Have you ever noticed that garlic breath never bothers those happy souls who have it? There's something for everyone but Dracula. They say garlic breath is better than no breath and designer garlic breath is best.

The garlic these botanists, chemists, chefs, gourmets and growers relish and talk about isn't your father's supermarket garlic; it comes in many varieties and and with many different flavors and colors, shapes, sizes, storeability and lots of other variations from ordinary white garlic you buy at your neighborhood store. If the people who attend this conference have their way; however, many of these garlics will become available on your storeshelf someday. Since they are rarer than storebought garlic, they are more expensive and are mostly of interest to gardeners who really like garlic and can defray the cost by growing their own from some of the bulbs they buy for $10 to $20 a pound, or more. If you love garlic, it's worth it - and, you can either eat the bulbs or plant them.

On Wednesday, Dr. Eric Block, professor of Chemistry at SUNY, Dr. David Mirelman of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel and Dr. Larry Lawson, researcher and author discussed details of the in vitro and in vivo studies documenting the chemical properties and physiological effects of garlic and the need for more studies on the effects of different kinds of garlics as well as garlics grown in different places. We're just scratching the smelly surface. During the afternoon William Woys Weaver, contributing editor of Gourmet magazine and author of several books on food and cooking gave an excellent garlic cooking demonstration as did several others.

On Thursday morning, Peter Hanelt, Ph. D., of Gaterslaben, Germany gave a fascinating talk on the origins of vegetables and Maria Jenderek, Ph. D., of the USDA reported her progress with the hybridation of garlic using true garlic seed, and talked of better results recently but much work remains to be done before it becomes a practical reality. Dr. Phil Simon of the University of Wisconsin talked about the DNA fingerprinting of garlic and Dr. Rich Hannan of the USDA discussed garlic storage times using traditional (non-cryogenic) methods.

An effervescent GayleVolk, Ph. D., USDA National Seed Storage Lab., Ft. Collins, Co., discussed their guidelines for garlic storage and their method for storing garlic germplasm for future planting cryogenically, that is, stored in liquid nitrogen.

Later, Bill Randle, Ph. D., Professor of Horticulture at U. of Georgia discussed the relation of soil sulfur content and nitrogen on the flavor and pungency of garlic. He also discussed some other similarities of onions and garlics to help broaden our understanding of growing factors on garlic.

Also Thursday, a dedicated and determined former mayor of the small town of Quincy, Washington, Patty Martin, energetic mother of four who is also an advocate of childrens' health issues, talked about a book, "Fateful Harvest", by Pulitzer finalist Duff Wilson, that shows the consequences that can occur when fertilizers become contaminated with industrial waste. She said the widespread practice of using industrial wastes as fertilizer ingredients because they contain some percentages of Potassium, Phospherous and Nitrogen in some form is harmful because they often also contain lead and other heavy metals, dioxins as well as other toxins that are absorbed by the food plants that we eat. Cancers, pulmonary fibrosis and organ disorders may result from overexposure to some of these toxins, according to the book.

This made us aware of some possible diseases and other ramifications if terrorists were to put some toxic substances into the fertilizers or spray on the soils we use to grow our foods. Scary. Maybe the new Homeland Security people need to check into toxin levels in foods, soils and fertilizers to make sure this kind of terrorism doesn't happen here. That's yet another one of those things we didn't think we had to think about until after September 11. That old phrase about eternal vigilance being the price of liberty has been reborn with a sense of urgency these days.

Ron Voss, Ph. D. of U. of California at Davis spoke on growing conditions and techniques of commercial growers and the ways they deal with growing problems. He gave an excellent overview of the commercial operations that broadened our view of their methods and challenges. Smaller growers, though, learned about some of his findings in growing factors, planting dates, yields, conditions, etc. Bob Dunkel of the Garlic Seed Foundation conducted which included a presentation by John Zandstra of the U. of Guelph in Canada showing research verifying that cutting scapes does indeed result in larger bulbs.

later on Friday, Fred Crowe, Ph. D., the USA's leading expert on plant pathology gave a long presentaion and the scheduled next speaker, Bob Anderson of Bangs, Texas, a well-known grower and author of an encyclopedic garlic information center website, www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com (Hey, that's me!) nodded my approval when the Tomato Man with Garlic Breath ( that's what we call Darrell ) waved him to continue and I relenquished my speaking time to him. Afterward some people told me how much they enjoyed Dr. Crowe's talk but were disappointed at not being able to hear me speak, I replied "Sorry, but, Fred's the one I drove 9 hours to listen to, so why should I want to interrupt him?" Later I talked about some of my non-toxic pathogen and pest control techniques and tried to impress on other growers the need to be able to recognize garlic diseases and find out what they could do about them in the discussion period that followed.

David Stern of the Garlic Seed Foundation led a lively panel discussion of issues important to growers and there was great input and exchange of grower stories and anecdotes. The same thing when Bob Dunkel of the same organization spoke and when Walt Lyons of thegarlicstore.com Led his discussion on marketing. If my experience held an answer or a question, I readily offered it, as did others. This is the only place you can go to discuss questions, problems, opportunities, etc., with the best growers and experts in the business all in one place. It's downright thrilling if you love garlic - and I do.

Richard Smith, a grower from Kettle Falls, Wa. gave an good presentation aimed right at the small grower and the need to grow good, clean, healthy garlic if growers want to get the best price and develop profitable markets. His hard work is reflected in his excellent garlic and many small growers would do well do emulate his methods and hard work.

There is a friendliness among these people and an eagerness to share information and expertise that is yours just for coming and participating. If you grow garlic, want to, or are just interested in it, you owe it to yourself to attend next years symposium, it will be even better. I don't know how, but Darrell Merrell and John Swenson will come up with even more people and things of interest to garlic people to bring us. There is simply no place else in the world small growers can hobnob with the high and mighty of the industry. It's only once a year and nowhere else.