So, John, how was the festival?

The festival was decent, small but decent. There were probably 40-50 vendors there, maybe a dozen with seed stock. German White was the most common variety available, but as I already grow German Extra Hardy, I did not grab any. Whit I did end up getting was:

Hungarian - which I have never heard of, but had decent size and looked nice

Temptress - not huge, but well presented, and I liked the farm

Israeli - mainly for novelty; they were smallish, and I since discovered that Israeli is among those that Filaree is discontinuing because it does not do well for them

Elmer's Topset - I bought this one because they looked decent and the growers were very nice. They were given the original bulbs by their neighbor (Elmer) about fifteen years ago, and it has thrived to the point where they no longer grow any other kind of garlic. They do not know the true strain, but think it might be Purple Glazer. To my uneducated eye, I can't tell if it looks like my Purple Glzaers or not. I will probably grow them adjacent to each other next year to try and figure it out.

It was nice to go to a festival with farms who had very similar climates, I am glad that I went. Several vendors said they prefer the lower key atmosphere, but next year I will probably go the the Saugerties, New York festival which is 6-10 time the size, I am told. That is a 3.5 hour drive, and with gas prices where they are, and with plenty of seed stock for this fall, I am not going this Fall.

Probably for the best that your first festival was a smaller one, John. Saugerties can be a real zoo.

Sounds like you had a great time, though.

Can you tell us more about the Hungarian? Hard or softneck? Any color to it? Etc. My wife is of Hungarian extraction, and it might be fun to grow it for her.

Garden Lad - The Bulgarian is a hardneck. The five bulbs I purchased were quite large (averaging 2.25"), the wrappers are pretty intact, and I can't see much color behind them, other than a little purple striping on one of them. I might be willing to trade for one bulb, or else I can try digging up contact info for the farm I purchased them from.