Key Participants of The Garlic Is Life Symposium & Festival

Chester Aaron: Occidental, CA.
Guest of Honor. World War II infantry veteran. He has, for a living, moved furniture, hauled trash, worked in steel mills, been chief of an x-ray department at a major hospital, taught creative writing at St. Mary's College in Berkeley, herded sheep, wrote novels for teenagers that were published, killed gophers, grown garlic and wrote books about it. His wonderful novel/memoir, About Us, the pre World War II story of his growing up with his family in the coal mining town of Butler, PA., is currently out-of-print but will be republished in paperback in 2001. Chester's garlic memoir, Garlic is Life inspired the idea for the festival, hence the name "Garlic is Life Festival and Symposium." His second book on garlic, The Great Garlic Book is a best seller. Prior to this year's festival Chester's third book on garlic, Garlic Kisses, will be published. He grows some 80 varieties of heirloom garlic from over 30 different countries. He has appeared on several national TV garden shows, national radio talk shows, has been the subject of numerous articles in national gardening magazines, as well as, author of articles for those magazines. Stories have appeared about him in newspapers, coast to coast, including the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle and our own Tulsa World. Chester is himself amazed and mystified by all the hoopla that has grown from his love of garlic. Through it all he has grown and maintained a humble engaging personality that wins everyone's love. cgar@sonic.net

Lloyd J. Harris: Berkeley, CA.
A certified garlic fanatic. (If he isn't "certified" we'll do that at the next festival). Chester Aaron credits him to single-handedly raising the public's awareness to the benefits of garlic. Back in the 1970's he traveled the country boosting the attributes of garlic. In 1974 he published The Book of Garlic which is a classic in garlic literature. He was among the first to organize and promote garlic festivals in this country. (See Chester's book, Garlic Is Life, for more about John Harris.) Chester calls him "The King of Garlic." In recent years John has become "a real estate tycoon" in Beverly Hills, CA, and is currently producing some documentary films. One is being filmed in Spain. For several years John has been out of the garlic limelight. In fact, he is somewhat of a reclusive figure. He does not grant interviews. Fred and Linda Griffith could not even find him when they were writing their book on garlic. By the way, the Griffiths rank John's book as one of the four best books on garlic. So we have a real coup!

John F. Swenson: Glenview, IL.
Symposium Coordinator. Retired attorney. Self-taught allium expert. Recognized by Ph.D.'s as an expert on garlic. Invited to join Dr. Phil Simon on an expedition in 1989 to Central Asia. Brought back several rare garlic. Through contacts with Dr. Simon and others John is responsible for introducing over 100 "new" varieties of garlic to the U.S. John was the coordinator of last year's garlic symposium -- that's why we had so many great speakers! He has agreed to coordinate this year's symposium, as well. After the festivities of last year, I ask his opinion on how he thought it went. I'll never forget his reply, "BETTER THAN PERFECT!"

Kent and Diane Whealy: Decorah, IA.
Co-founders of the Seed Savers Exchange, a non-profit organization. Kent will give the key-note speech at this year's symposium. Kent and Diane founded the Seed Savers Exchange (SSE) in 1975. It is the flag-ship organization of all those founded since to promote the saving of our seed heritage. Through Kent and Dianne's efforts and SSE members (now some 8,000 strong) thousands of varieties of vegetables have been saved from extinction.

At the Seed Savers Exchange Heritage Farm in Decorah over 18,000 rare vegetable varieties, including 4,000 tomatoes, 3,500 beans, 1,200 peppers and 1,000 peas along with hundreds of other vegetable varieties are grown out and maintained in frozen storage. In the Heritage Farm Historic Orchard are over 700 nineteenth-century apple varieties collected from around North America the largest public display of old-time apples in the U.S. The orchard also contains a vineyard of 160 northern hardy grapes. A heard of 30 ancient white park cattle, dating back to 1900 B.C. is also being maintained and increased by selective breeding. Only 300 of the breed are known to exist in the world (mostly in the British Isles) with 70 in the U.S. and 30 plus of those are at Heritage Farm. What an accomplishment benefiting everyone in the world!

The SSE's primary publication is the Annual Seed Savers Yearbook. It is the greatest source in the world for open-pollinated seed. In the year 2000 edition 904 members offered 19,968 total listings, some 11,806 were of unique varieties. To put this in perspective, in 1999 some 255 mail order seed companies offered only 7,313 non-hybrid vegetables. SSE members are offering half again as many unique as the entire mail order garden seed industry in the U.S. and Canada! The only way to receive the yearbook is to become a member. (Seed Savers Exchange; 3076 North Winn Road; Decorah, IA 52101-7776. Tel. (319)382-5990; Check, Visa or Mastercard accepted for the $30 annual membership fee.)

The SSE now publishes a beautiful 64 page color Seed And Garden Gifts Catalog. You may order over 400 heirloom and open-pollinated vegetables (55 tomatoes), herbs and flowers direct from Heritage Farm.

The SSE maintains some 200 accession of garlic. It is directly responsible for the distribution of the varieties that Phil Simon and John Swenson introduced to the U.S. All garlic lovers are in deeply indebted to the SSE.

Every garlic lover, everyone who reads this page, should feel honored to have the privilege of supporting the Seed Savers Exchange by becoming a member for the meager sum of only $30. It will truly become know as one of the most important institutions founded in the twentieth century. Thanks to Kent and Diane and the host of SSE Members everywhere.

Bob & Merridee Anderson: Bangs, TX.
Bob is a retired computer expert. One of the chief planners of the Super Collider (planned for the Dallas/Ft. Worth area but never constructed). In the forefront of developing garlic that will grow in the South. Sells his garlic on the internet through his company, Gourmet Garlic Gardens. bob@web-access.net

Connie Cohea: Tulsa, OK.
Financial Department at the Zarrow family office. Chief Coordinator of volunteers and Chief Financial Officer of The Garlic Is Life Symposium & Festival. One sweet lady and dear friend. Now her husband, Jerry, is something else! He's a good friend, too! conniecohea@aol.com

Maris M. Jenderek, Ph.D. Parlier, CA.
USDA/National Arid Land Plant, Germ Plasm Resource Unit. Has performed extensive research on true garlic seed.

Rich Hannan, Ph.D.: Pullman, WA.
For several years Rich was the curator of the United States Department of Agriculture's garlic collection, some 200+ varieties. He is currently the Chief Administrator of the USDA Western Regional Plant Introduction Station at Washington State University. hannan@wsunix.wsu.edu

Karen Keith: Tulsa, OK.
Veteran of Tulsa TV, currently host of her own half hour daily program, "Oklahoma Living with Karen Keith," on KJRH Channel 2. Karen, Pat Kroblin and I organized last year's festival. Karen was chief everything. Without her efforts it would not have happened. It is largely through her perseverance it was so hugely successful and in garlic circles became the most talked about "garlic event" of the year. She's back! KJRH Oklahoma Living

Tony Lia: Beverly Hills, CA.
General Manager of the Blue Note Jazz Supper Club, a 750 table facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. Formerly Executive Chef of The Stinking Rose restaurant chain headquartered in San Francisco, the most famous garlic restaurant in the world.

Walt & Liv Lyons: Ft. Collins, CO.
Walt is a former Chicago TV weatherman. Author of The Handy Weather Answer Book. Owns and operates his own weather forecasting company. Also grows garlic at his Yucca Ridge Farm near Ft. Collins. Sells his garlic over the internet through his company "The Garlic Store." Currently producing a video on garlic.

Darrell Merrell: Tulsa, OK.
"The Tomato Man with Garlic Breath." "The Tomato Man with Garlic Breath." Founder of The Garlic Is Life Symposium & Festival. Grows and sells heirloom vegetable plants and garlic. Collector of over 800+ open-pollinated & heirloom tomatoes. Currently maintaining 206 varieties of garlic. In the process of growing out the Seed Savers Exchange collection of garlic in order to evaluate and distribute to members. Promoter of the organic method of growing and market growing for local consumption. More on Darrell and the origin of the Garlic is Life Festival and Symposium.

Jeff Nekola, Ph.D.: Green Bay, WI.
Professor of Conservation Biology at the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay. Brilliant guy. Gave the opening talk at last year's symposium and it couldn't have been better. Like so many others that attended, he had personality plus! This year, he has offered his services to be a field guide during our trip to the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve. He will explain to us how the participants in this unique ecosystem fit together.

Dean & Mary Sue Sedinger: Vineland, CO.
Retired Colonel, U.S. Army Reserves. Retired High School Chemistry teacher. Owns and operates Garlic King Farms. A premier grower of "gourmet" garlic.

Philipp W. Simon, Ph.D.: Madison, WI.
Professor of Horticulture at the University of Wisconsin. The world's premier researcher of garlic genetics. Currently working to produce a true seed garlic. Through the USDA, one of the world's foremost "plant explorers." He has made explorations to several countries searching for the progenitors of various species of plants. Made several expeditions to the home center of garlic -- North Central Asia. He, along with John Swenson, is responsible for over half the garlic varieties we now grow in the U.S. Everyone in garlic circles wants to meet Dr. Phil Simon. If the carrot crop evaluation in California permits, he will be here again this year. psimon@facstaff.wisc.edu

Gowsala P. Sivam, Ph.D.: Kenmore, WA.
Laboratory Director, Research Institute of Bastyr University. Recognized authority on the health benefits of garlic. Has researched and written several scientific papers published in numerous scientific and medical journals on various beneficial health aspects of garlic. Her personality and talks were a big hit at our first festival. We were impressed. She was impressed. She has taken it on herself to recruit other scientific researchers to attend our next symposium. gowsalas@bastyr.edu

Richard & Miki Smith: Kettle Falls, WA.
Formerly a land developer and home constructor. World traveler. Richard and Miki built their own modest mansion on the side of a mountain in North Western Washington. Through their "Garlicsmiths" company they sell the finest "gourmet" garlic grown organically by them, on the side of their mountain. My daughter, Lisa, and I were their guest late last November. Their 100+ acres are surrounded by spectacular views in every direction. Wonderful, wonderful, warm, loving and intelligent folks. When I sell garlic that I haven't grown myself, it is usually theirs.

David Stern: Rose, NY.
Founder and Director of The Garlic Seed Foundation. From his "Rose Valley Farm," David is a market grower of vegetable produce. For over 20 years his foundation has been experimenting with and introducing garlic to Northeastern growers. He has worked extensively with Cornell University. The foundation's publication, a quarterly newsletter called "The Garlic Press" is one of the first and leading publications for garlic information. The editor, Bob Dunkel, attended last year's event and along with David will be here this year.

Doug & Linda Urig: Milan, OH.
Former Air Force pilot. Restaurant owner, "The Milan Inn." Garlic grower. Founder, publisher and editor of the only national magazine devoted to garlic -- Mostly Garlic. His magazine has provided a much needed national forum for garlic lovers, backyard gardeners, market growers, produce wholesalers, researchers and authors. Doug and Linda are first rate!!

Louis & Marie Van Deven: Carrolton, IL.
Author of Onions and Garlic Forever.

Bob Zimmerman & Wendy Douglas: Marshallville, OH.
Bobba-Mike's Garlic Farm. Vendor at last year's festival. Founders of "Northern Ohio Garlic Festival," Wellington (Cleveland), OH.

I'd like to join you!