THE CLASSIC: If you like marching bands, you need to get to
Parkway Field tomorrow.
The Bradford Marching Owls will present the 30th Annual Autumn
Classic with 14 high school bands set to compete. As the host band,
the Marching Owls will perform their show, “What Happens in Vegas”
as part of the event.
Gates open at 2:30 p.m. with opening ceremonies at 3:30 p.m.
Tickets may be purchased in advance at several locations around
town.
RED GARLIC: Andy Heffner phoned the other day with some gas
prices but proceeded to tell us about his love of a particular kind
of “red garlic” that comes from Italy and, he says, has major
health benefits. He’s living proof!
The variety Andy grows came from the late Carl Ohman, a
long-time garlic grower in East Smethport.
Carl had worked for Tidewater in the 1920s when they were
bringing in Italian immigrants to dig lines by hand. One particular
workman Carl taught to speak English and, over the years, they
became friends.
Every day for lunch, this Italian worker had two red garlic
cloves, pepperoni, Italian bread and a liquid from a green bottle.
He was never sick.
Carl eventually learned that the garlic came from the Milan
region of Italy. In fact, when people came from Italy to the United
States they were told to smuggle in the garlic – men, in their
pockets, or women to sew it inside their dresses. Any garlic packed
in luggage would be found and throw away.
When Carl finally got some of these bulbs, he had to promise he
would replant half of his crop every year.
By the time Andy met him, he was peddling four tons of it. Andy
would end up buying 30-35 pounds of it to plant.
Five and a half years ago, Andy had to have open heart surgery
to get a new aortic valve. And although his cholesterol was sky
high, his arteries were “as clean as a whistle.” He was in the Erie
hospital seven days and, in that time, he was visited by five
surgeons with clipboards asking about his diet. His answer, of
course, was the special garlic.
Andy tells us he is now due for another valve replacement but
doctors doing his catheritization continue to marvel that his
arteries are “clean as a whistle.”
