Two weeks ago, I harvested our Italian Softneck garlic, and this week the Music and Silverwhite Silverskin were finally ready to join their precocious siblings on the curing racks.  It's shaping up to be a mediocre year for alliums, probably because of a cold winter, lack of sun during the critical bulking up period this spring, and perhaps mineral burn.  Although I'm a bit disappointed that my garlic heads are only 75% to 100% as large as storebought rather than 100% to 200% as large, we plant extra to hedge our bets, so we'll still enjoy a garlicky season.

Half of the potato onions were also ready this week (with the ones closer to the shady hill needing a bit more time).  Again, the bulbs were smaller than last year, but larger than the year before when I gave up on one variety and changed over to this one.  With the curing racks completely full of garlic, I had to cobble together makeshift arrangements for the onions.  Most went into old freezer baskets propped off the ground, but I'm hoping even the ones on this gutter downspout (not under the gutter) have enough airflow to dry well.

Completely unrelated, we're making the transition to raspberries, and loving every minute of it.  At the peak of strawberry season, I can't imagine wanting any other berries, but now that the quality is declining in the strawberry beds, the raspberries become my favorites.  A delicious quart full!