12,058 Bulbs of Garlic
I am at the family farm looking over the garlic field we planted last October.
12,058 cloves are now 12,058 beautiful bulbs!
History of the Farm
In 2015 my sisters and I inherited the 110 acre organic family farm. This is the farm my maternal great grandparents homesteaded in 1901.
Our first major decision was to keep the farm and continue the legacy. None of us, though, are ready to move to northern Minnesota. All 5 of us live within a 10 mile radius of each other in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis, surrounded by our families, and fully involved in careers and church.
What can 5 city women do with a farm?
We currently rent out the farmhouse to a family who has a heart for farming and an appreciation of the land. We also rent out the upper 100 acres of pastures and fields to a local farmer.
In the 10 acres of field space surrounding the farmhouse we have 3 - one quarter acre fields for garlic. We rotate between these 3 fields: 1 year for planting and 2 years with soil improvements through cover crops.
Why Garlic?
- It gets our hands in the dirt.
- It brings family together.
- It is so good for you.
It gets our hands in the dirt
There is something so wonderful to dig in the dirt where my grandparents grew their "famous" corn and the milk cows grazed. I remember Grandma Christianson tell me how they would be in the fields and look to heaven, wondering if this was the day Jesus would return to earth. We still look up expectantly and add our prayers to the thousands that have been prayed from this farm.
It Brings Family Together
This isn't really about garlic - it's about family!
We started on our garlic adventure from an entrepreneurial point of view, but then very quickly realized this is about being in a place of legacy and history and sharing that with our entire family.
We bought a 5-sisters camper for the farm and have a cottage that houses those who dare sleep without a bathroom, so there is always a place to stay as we take turns with weeding and upkeep on the weekends. Our children and grandchildren join us when they can - enjoying the space to roam and remembering holidays with Grandpa and Grandma Vaughn.
It is so good for you.
Garlic is delicious and easy to add to your diet. You can use it in savory dishes, soups, sauces, dressings and more. It is low in calories and rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6 and manganese. Garlic is known to be good for your health and many experts agree that it helps prevent and reduce the severity of common illnesses like the flu and the common cold.
Not all garlic is the same.
The New York Post, Washington Post, and other news outlets have reported that 90% of garlic sold in America is actually grown in China and imported into the United States. What you find in most grocery stores is polluted with heavy metals from the unregulated soil and bleached to look bright white.
Look for the local grown garlic.
We encourage you to buy from your local farmer. Find a farmers market and meet the people who are growing garlic. Ask about the variety and their growing processes. Be confident that it is clean, healthy and grown with care.
For more information and to stay up-to-date on our 5 Sisters Organic garlic join our Facebook page and keep an eye on our website.
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