Garlic Drying: The Story Behind the Shot

Garlic Drying brings back memories of Sicily more than any other photo in my collection because, to me, it sums up what life is all about in Sicily. You take your time, do things the old and time-tested way, and reap the benefits of a simple existence.

Since before the pandemic started, my wife and I haven’t been home to our apartment in Favara, but we keep in touch with the landlord. I took this photo at his family farm back in 2019. Because we rent the top floor in his family home, he says we are now part of the family. So when they go to the farm to enjoy the fruits of their labors, we’re invited. We even help harvest peas and fava beans.

It’s common in the city of Favara for families to live in town and have a family home in the country attached to a large farm where the family grows enough food to live off of and share with others. Some families even have a third home in a community near the beach that they only use in the last two weeks of August.

A flat in the city, a country home, and a beach house is what most Americans would consider wealth. But this is just everyday life in western Sicily. Unemployment is more than 20%, but when every family has a field to work, there is always something to do and food on the table.

This photo is all about the simple and good life – la dolce vita. I hope you enjoy looking at the picture as much as I do now.

The full-size, non-watermarked NFT: Garlic Drying

The Collection: Travel Photographer

My OpenSea Referral Link: OpenSea