hello Tim, if you haven't already found it, there's a thread about growing bulbils where I've included several links to informative blogs and various sites about growing garlic from bulbils. One of them mentions that they are no longer bothering to separate the umbels and planting the entire capsule. the resulting rounds are of a similar size to the separated ones. Your bulbils should remain viable until autumn, although some of the very smallest ones may dehydrate before then. If you can be bothered, plant the very smallest ones straight away and just use them as greens. Planatus, there are several good reasons for growing bulbils, it's an inexpensive way to dramatically increase your stock at a very low cost and the bulbs that were left to mature fully are still viable planting and/or eating stock so nothing is actually lost; subsequent bulbs will be fully acclimated to your environment and are often more vigourous and it is a safe way to swap garlic as you are reducing the risk of contaminating your garden with fungal diseases and/or nematodes etc. If they are grown in containers, the weeding is not such a problem although I grow the bulk of my bulbils in the open ground at a plot in a community garden. Here is a link that might be useful: bulbil thread

Unless someone here lives in the same area and frequents the Farmer's Markets I doubt you'll get an answer. Can't you just call the local FM and ask them? That's what we do here. All the local markets here keep a list of currently offered products. Late for them down here. Last Saturday only one vendor had them and only a small amount. Otherwise you can order them online from garlic growers like BJ 's Gourmet Garlic Farm. Dave

Annie -- the Pterodactyl story is just too funny. Would looooooooove to watch all the raptor going ons at your place. thunk -- a snowy owl????? Be still my heart, no lie. The fact that you saw Bald Eagles taking care of road kill is something I would enjoy watching more than 99.9% than whats on tv (and pretty much anywhere else) It's a bit of hazard driving with me if there are "flight" issues:) I ask my husband if he sees "that" and he'll say "Oh, that's a TV (short for Turkey Vulture)" and laugh, because he has no clue. I love turkeys 2Many! Don't you think it is utterly bizarre that they roost in trees HA! I've never seen them mating, but we did have a rogue guy who was going after people's wheels (image problems:) My husband wasn't going to move, and I'm like "are you're kidding me" and grabbed a coat from the back and began running at the turkey swinging it like a lasso :) not kidding -- not waiting for a turkey. Watched the vid of eaglets and could be such a HUGE TIME SUCK FOR ME! I love this stuff (we have some popular Peregrines in Pittsburgh) Utterly blows my mind how large the talons and beaks of the adult BEs are next to the eaglets. Would LOVE to watch them hunt! My goodness -- Smoky Mountains as backdrop -- spending ALL MY TIME OUTSIDE, 2Many. Not kidding. And you know what, I know people like your "acquaintance," which made me love your tomatoes even more HAHAHA! BTW, somehow I'm not surprised you have an artistic streak. That kind of stuff gives energy, doesn't it? CathyinSWPA

I've never canned garlic scapes, only made refrigerator pickles from them. However, I think nearly anything can be pickled, or at least it seems like that. My only concern would be that the garlic scapes have a different texture, they are not as tender or porous as some other vegetables like cucumbers. I also note that approved recipes for harder vegetables like pickled beets or carrots have a greater proportion of vinegar to water, so if I were going to can the pickled garlic scapes I'd be more likely to choose one of those recipes as my "base". That still won't make it approved or tested, of course, so only you can decide if the risk is worth the reward! Annie