Every year around late summer we have garlic available for purchase! Ten different varieties of local, heirloom, organic garlic. Our garlic is excellent for eating and as seed garlic for planting.
At Ecological Gardens we do not separate food and landscaping. Understanding the importance of ecological systems and our human connection to food and the landscape, we have grown our own gourmet garlic for the past 11 years. Growing food on a larger level allows us to be in tune not only with the farming cycles, food cycles and weather patterns but also with the changing cultural attitudes towards local food.
We harvest our crop late July, and it cures through August. We planted 10 different varieties; 8 hardneck and 2 softneck. Our heirloom garlic is locally grown in Brooklyn Park Minnesota. We farm with organic growing practices, chemical free and with lots of care.
Garlic is planted in the fall, typically September/October. The cloves are planted and straw is put down for overwintering. In early spring as the snow melts the garlic begins to sprout through the straw. In June the garlic scapes are ready to be harvested. The scapes are the flower stalk of the garlic and are a very tasty treat for salads, stir-frys, and pesto. Harvesting the scape before it flowers helps the garlic plant devote it's energy on the growing bulb below ground. In July the garlic bulbs are ready to be harvested. We harvest the garlic and separate the plants into bundles by variety. We hang the bundles to cure at our drying shed, located at Garden Farme, in Ramsey MN. Drying garlic increases its flavor and shelf life. We hang the garlic to dry for app. 3 weeks. Our garilc is available mid-August.
Based on our experience, the bulbs last six to ten months under optimal storage conditions – softneck varieties tend to have a slightly longer shelf life. Optimal storage conditions include storing the garlic away from direct sunlight at room temperature or 10 degrees cooler with good air circulation and humidity levels of 40%- 60%.
Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good. ~ Alice May Brock
Garlic is a member of the allium family that includes onions and shallots. There are two subspecies of garlic – ophioscorodon (commonly known as hardneck) and sativum (commonly known as softneck). Over 95% of the garlic sold in grocery stores is softneck since it can be easily grown in warm climates. Garlic connoisseurs, however, contend that “you haven’t tasted garlic until you taste the “ophios” (Growing Great Garlic). The ophio garlic evolved directly from wild garlic and remains close to its character and flavor. Fortunately for us, the ophio garlic performs best in cold winter climates.
Garlic has a long history of use for a wide variety of ailments given its outstanding germicidal and antibacterial properties. Garlic aids in detoxification of chronic lead poisoning. Daily use of garlic in the diet has been shown to have a very beneficial effect on the body, especially the blood system and the heart. Recent research has also indicated that garlic reduces glucose metabolism in diabetics, slows the development of arteriosclerosis, and lowers the risk of further heart attacks in myocardial infarct patients. Externally, the expressed juice is an excellent antiseptic for treating wounds.
Committed to restoring health & abundance to the land while reconnecting humans with their food and the natural world.
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