The Stinking Rose

The Stinking Rose. . Garlic is believed to have originated in the mountainous Central Asian region, from where it spread all over the world. , The average crop yield is 8,000-10,000 pounds per acre., Inset Images: , Jimmy Hirasaki was the first to grow garlic commercially and became one of the largest growers. Joe Gubser, Sr. was known for his expertise in growing garlic and water conservation. His son Joseph Jr. expanded the business with marketing garlic worldwide. , Joe Gubser, Jr. , Hirasaki: First to grow garlic in the 1920s , Topping garlic in the fields., Christopher Ranch produces the largest supply of fresh garlic in the United States., Inset Images: , Carrying on his grandfather’s farming traditions, Don Christopher started by planting garlic on 10 of the 130 acres at Christopher Ranch in 1955. , By 1963, the company grew, packed , shipped and sold their own garlic. Christopher Ranch is the first company to peel garlic commercially offering many jarred products which are sold worldwide., Garlic bulbs are harvested when the lower leaves turn yellow and show signs of dryness. The bulbs are air dried in the fields for a few weeks before being packed for the market. , Christopher Ranch now manages over 4,000 acres of garlic and row crops. Using sustainable farming practices, the Ranch grows, packs and ships over 70 million pounds of fresh California garlic annually., The heart of the Garlic Festival is Gourmet Alley, the gigantic outdoor kitchen where the world-famous pyro chefs put on a spectacular flame-up show., Inset Image: , The Gilroy Garlic Festival began in 1979 as the brainchild of Don Christopher, Val Filice, and Dr. Rudy Malone. It is now a world renowned Food and Entertainment Festival. More than 4,000 Gilroy citizens volunteer to host this fabulous party, with an annual attendance of over 100,000 visitors for three days every July.