Stratford Kiwanis Garlic Festival
Stratford Kiwanis Garlic Festival
Brant County Garlic Co. 2018 represents the 40th year that Bob and Irene Romaniuk have been in the business of growing fresh produce. They got into the business in 1978, supplying the Toronto Food Terminal with fresh produce and garlic. They also supplied the local Calbeck’s grocery chain, which at the time had nine stores, including two in Brantford and one each in Paris, Simcoe, Waterford and Port Dover. He also got into custom agricultural spraying and grew herbs. From 1991 to 2001 he grew echinacea, Golden Seal and black cohosh, and the Romaniuks saw to it that they became certified organic growers. Bob stayed with custom agricultural spraying and started to concentrate on garlic. Between 1992 and 2008, the Romaniuks grew a modest eight to 10 acres of garlic for the family and friends. But as Bob says: “Then lightning struck and we decided to get into garlic on a larger scale.” That started the specialized planting regime. They grow five varieties. The largest is called music, the most common variety. They also plant Yugoslavian red, which is about 20 per cent of this year’s 45-acres crop. The other three are French varieties all in the official French catalogue. They are sabagold, thermador and messidor. The Romaniuks also have trial plots every year to see if there are better ways of growing each variety. They work with the Ontario Ministry of Food and the University of Guelph. It’s all to ensure they have the best quality product on the market. He also mentors a lot of growers who want to get into garlic. Their website includes an article detailing 20 items growers should know if they want to get into growing garlic. “We believe in sharing information and helping others grow this crop,” said Bob. Romaniuk said that between 1,800 acres and 2,000 acres of garlic are grown in Ontario every year, and the average grower plants two to three acres. That’s a far cry from the known demand in the province, he said. “Ontario could use 40,000 acres to supply just its domestic needs.” Bob has been a director in the Garlic Growers Association of Ontario for the past nine years, and a director of the Brant County Federation of Agriculture. We’re delighted to have Bob and Irene back yet again this year, and are thrilled that Bob has once again agreed to share his vast garlic growing knowledge with you in the Presentation Theatre. His talks on garlic growing are always one of our most popular presentations. Don’t miss him!
Derek Barnes joined The Local Community Food Centre in November 2014. Although he’s more of a home cook who doesn’t like to be called chef, he does create “world-inspired dishes” at The Local Community Food Centre. Barnes describes his cooking at the Local as “comfort food — healthiest version” and points out the mandate is “to try to get people to eat a little healthier than usual.” Working with several volunteers and a small budget, Barnes builds most meals with donated provisions and rarely serves the same meal twice. He loves it when people at the very least try his food and take the time to communicate their approval/disapproval. Derek will be presenting a garlic recipe on The Main Stage. With his engaging approach to healthy food creation and a wonderful teaching style, Derek will inspire you to take home his fantastic ideas, tips and techniques!
Dan Needles is a writer who explores life where city and country meet. For 30 years his popular Wingfield Farm stage plays have filled theatres across Canada and the United States, including several seasons at the Stratford Festival and with Mirvish Productions in Toronto. A 30 part TV series based on the stage plays aired on CBC, Bravo and PBS.
Dan has been nominated three times for the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour and won in 2003 for his history of mythical Persephone Township, With Axe and Flask. Vintage Canada/Random House released the complete collection of Wingfield stories, Wingfield’s World in 2011. Douglas and McIntyre just published True Confessions from the Ninth Concession, a collection of his Harrowsmith magazine columns. His Christmas musical The Last Christmas Turkey premiered at Theatre Orangeville in December. Dan continues as a regular columnist with Small Farm Canada, Farmers Forum, Harrowsmith and three Ontario regional magazines, On The Bay, In the Hills and Watershed.
In 2016, Dan was presented with the Order of Canada by the Governor-General for a body of work that celebrates rural Canada.
Sing & dance along with Kim’s ‘karaoke- style’ program. website
Sing & dance along with Kim’s ‘karaoke- style’ program. website
Scavenger Hunt: Search the Garlic Festival for hidden clues to win a prize from the Treasure Chest! Active games: Try your hand at skeet-ball, bean-bag toss and mini-putt. Crafts: Make a garlic crown, a beaver hand-puppet or color a garlic-themed fun page. Face Painting: Make a statement – have your face painted!
A local wine and goat cheese pairing session using 3 wines from Alton Farms Estate Winery paired with 3 goat cheeses from Great Lakes Goat Dairy.
As you taste the deep textures and unique flavours of the goat milk based Gouda from Blyth farm cheese, you’ll be able to pair it with the crisp and flavourful wines from Maelstrom Winery. These pairings will showcase the intensity of the cheese, while also bringing out the subtle notes of both the wine and cheese. Allowing you to explore several different flavours from each variety while also showing you the beautiful balance between Blyth Farm Cheese and Maelstrom Winery, and what Huron County has to offer.
Stonetown Artisan Cheese and Junction 56 Distillery will demonstrate that cheese not only melts on a fire, it will melt in your mouth together with the fine batch distilled spirits. It is sure to be a mouth melting pairing. Don’t miss out on this great experience, one slice and sip at the time.
Rheo Thompson Candies and Junction 56 Distillery are teaming up to to satisfy both your sweet tooth and craft spirit cravings! Rheo Thompson candies will be sampling some of their world famous creations while Junction 56 Distillery pairs them with hand crafted spirits made with inspiration from these treats! Be sure to get your spot for this uniquely Stratford pairing!
Join Rheo Thompson Candies and Black Swan Brewing as they explore the unique pairing of beer and chocolate! Experience the interaction between the richness of chocolate and the carbonation of beer– complementing each other through aroma, flavour and mouthfeel! Experiment, indulge and enjoy!
In a fun, comfortable setting, The Milky Whey Fine Cheese Shop and Black Swan Brewing Company highlight the fascinating relationship between beer and cheese!
With a wide variety of flavours and aromas, beer is a natural match to the nutty, sweet, bitter, and grassy flavours in cheese. Join us to experiment, indulge and enjoy!
As you taste the deep textures and unique flavours of the goat milk based Gouda from Blyth farm cheese, you’ll be able to pair it with the crisp and flavourful wines from Maelstrom Winery. These pairings will showcase the intensity of the cheese, while also bringing out the subtle notes of both the wine and cheese. Allowing you to explore several different flavours from each variety while also showing you the beautiful balance between Blyth Farm Cheese and Maelstrom Winery, and what Huron County has to offer.
Murphy’s Law Moonshine and All Sauced™ INTOXICATING RECIPES™, are proud to introduce ‘Sip. Taste. Pair’. Learn to introduce moonshine to your everyday cuisine choices, in a declaratory way! Enhance your meals at home with examples of ‘Shinesauce’, by pairing them with food that not only brings out the best in the moonshine, but taste and respect its attributes. Learn, taste, pair, and prepare for deliciousness!
Taking time from his busy schedule as Executive Chef at The Bruce Hotel, Chef Arron Carley is sure to attract the most discerning of “foodies” in Southern Ontario. When Chef Arron Carley instructs, it is an opportunity not to be missed! As the 2016 winner of Chopped Canada on The Food Network, Chef Carley has built a solid reputation for innovative cuisine in luxurious dining establishments. “Looking into our past and understanding our roots as well as looking forward into the undiscovered wilderness of our nation, we will forge New Canadian Cuisine.” In 2006, Chef Carley studied at George Brown College in Toronto. After many years in the casual dining scene, he decided to chase his dream and so, in 2010, landed a Chef De Partie position with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment as part of the opening team of e11even. To continue his pursuit in 2011, Chef Carley next achieved a position at Oliver and Bonacini’s Luma as a Sous Chef with Chef Jason Bangerter (Langdon Hall) and Chef Micheal Wilson (Luma). Next on the journey was Noma in Copenhagen, which has held the #1 restaurant spot in the world four tmes. In 2014, at Noma as an intern, he was able to truly understand what it is he wanted to focus his culinary skills on. Afer Noma, Arron came back to Toronto and landed at Oliver and Bonacini’s Canoe as a Sous Chef under Chef John Horne. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear from acclaimed Chef Arron Carley on the Main Stage
Sing & dance along with Kim’s ‘karaoke- style’ program. website
Scavenger Hunt: Search the Garlic Festival for hidden clues to win a prize from the Treasure Chest! Active games: Try your hand at skeet-ball, bean-bag toss and mini-putt. Crafts: Make a garlic crown, a beaver hand-puppet or color a garlic-themed fun page. Face Painting: Make a statement – have your face painted!
Think sweet and savoury? Think Munro Honey & Meadery and Stonetown Artisan Cheese. The sweet and rich combination is an experience you will not want to miss. Honey is a great pairing with cheese but wait until you taste the honey wine with handcrafted artisanal cheese. Bring your sweet heart and enjoy this bee-autiful pairing!
Taste some of what Ontario has to offer in both cheese and white wine.
This pairing will feature a number of excellent white wines from Trail Estate Winery in Prince Edward County paired with Ontario Artisan cheeses selected from The Milky Whey Fine Cheese Shop in Stratford.
An award winning selection.
A local wine and goat cheese pairing session using 3 wines from Alton Farms Estate Winery paired with 3 goat cheeses from Great Lakes Goat Dairy.
In a fun, comfortable setting, The Milky Whey Fine Cheese Shop and Black Swan Brewing Company highlight the fascinating relationship between beer and cheese!
With a wide variety of flavours and aromas, beer is a natural match to the nutty, sweet, bitter, and grassy flavours in cheese. Join us to experiment, indulge and enjoy!
Murphy’s Law Moonshine and All Sauced™ INTOXICATING RECIPES™, are proud to introduce ‘Sip. Taste. Pair’. Learn to introduce moonshine to your everyday cuisine choices, in a declaratory way! Enhance your meals at home with examples of ‘Shinesauce’, by pairing them with food that not only brings out the best in the moonshine, but taste and respect its attributes. Learn, taste, pair, and prepare for deliciousness!
Rheo Thompson Candies and Junction 56 Distillery are teaming up to to satisfy both your sweet tooth and craft spirit cravings! Rheo Thompson candies will be sampling some of their world famous creations while Junction 56 Distillery pairs them with hand crafted spirits made with inspiration from these treats! Be sure to get your spot for this uniquely Stratford pairing!
Trail Estate Winery and Stonetown Artisan Cheese have come together to bring you their newest creations. They will be pairing the best wine and cheese selections they have to offer. This is sure to be a sensational flavour experience. Life is great, wine and cheese make it better!
