Anyone can grow garlic. It's the "cleaning" process that comes with growing garlic in which many people may not find very enjoyable and would rather have someone else grow it for them.  I guess it's all about having a positive attitude while going about it (especially if you're growing 28,000 plants) that will help a person see the light at the end of the tunnel.

We start off by cutting the bundles of garlic hanging up down from the barn rafters,  We cut the stems off and leave about 1.5" to 2" of stem and then sort the garlic by different sizes: culinary, kitchen grade, seed stock, and premium jumbo sizes, ranging from about 1.5" in diameter to more than 3" diameter in size.

Then each garlic gets the roots cut to 1/4" to 3/8" in length. Each garlic's remaining roots get brushed to get any remaining dust and dirt out.  We then peel away the outside layer (or two) to make the bulb look clean.  Sometimes the wrapper falls right off...and sometimes it is a tedious process... which can vary from bulb to bulb. We will spend most of the next 2 weeks going through this "cleaning" process.

From start of planting a clove until the customer opens up a box of gourmet garlic, the plant may be touched up to 14 times from start to finish...and that's not including weeding four or five times!

Our garlic braids turned out great, and have been popular with our "pre-sale" so far this spring and summer! We use our New York (Polish) White garlic for making braids.  Of our 11 varieties, this is our only softneck, which is obviously more pliable and soft in the neck of the plant, making it easier for the braiding process.  Not only does each braid contain 13 heads of garlic, each bulb has at least 12 per bulbs (some may have upwards of 20!)  You're looking at least 156 cloves of garlic with each braid! How 'bout them apples? Er... I mean garlic?...