Welcome to the 2021 GroEat Farm newsletter ! Our hope is to keep you up -to date with what has been happening on our Montana garlic farm.
Our 2021 Garlic is Available for Purchase. We will begin shipping in September 2021.
Click Here to see the list of garlic available from GroEat.
At GROeat Farm, growing hardneck garlic is a labor of love that spans nine magical months, from autumn’s golden days to summer’s fragrant crescendo. Nestled in the heart of Montana’s big-sky country, our garlic thrives in the embrace of beautiful organic soil—rich, dark, and teeming with life. Each clove is a promise, planted with care and anticipation, transforming over months into a robust bulb bursting with flavor and possibilities.
In the fall of 2021, as the crispness of Halloween filled the air, we began this journey by planting seed garlic into raised beds. These rows weren’t just practical—they were sculpted with creativity and ingenuity, thanks to our hand-crafted “soil carver,” a masterpiece pulled behind our tiller that shaped the earth into perfect ridges for planting. This marked the beginning of a seasonal ritual, where the land whispered its quiet rhythms as we tucked each clove into its winter home.
Through the frosty silence of Montana’s winter, our garlic slept under a blanket of snow, dreaming of spring. And when the warmth of the sun returned, tender green shoots emerged, reaching skyward, heralding a season of growth and vitality. We nurtured them with patience and care, knowing the secret: garlic rewards those who tend it with devotion.
The harvest of 2021 was nothing short of a celebration. We laughed, danced, and listened to audiobooks as we brought in the bounty of approximately 10,000 plants. Harvesting garlic isn’t just work; it’s an act of joy, even when it means putting your whole body into the task. Feet dug into the earth as hands pulled each fragrant bulb from the soil. We wielded garden forks and reveled in the efficiency of a sweet, custom-welded broad fork—a gift of craftsmanship from Jere.
The air filled with the heady aroma of garlic as we unearthed our treasure. Each bulb told a story of the land, the sun, the rain, and our unwavering commitment. Every step of the process, from planting to harvesting, was an artful blend of tradition, innovation, and a whole lot of heart.
At GROeat Farm, garlic isn’t just a crop—it’s a celebration of life, a connection to the earth, and a fragrant delight that brings people together. Whether it’s the laughter of the harvest or the shared joy of a meal infused with its flavor, our garlic reminds us of the beauty in simplicity and the magic in hard work.
Please contact me if you have questions, or would like a custom order. I'm here to help! Let's make your garlic thrive!
Click here to Contact me.
Jere Folgert
Worm Castings
This spring we integrated organic, liquid worm casting fluid into our garlic fields. Liquid Worm Castings are a 100% All Natural Ingredient and are designed for true natural gardening. We used an Organic Liquid Concentrate which had the potential of boosting and providing long-term nourishment to our garlic plants and soil. The liquid is pure, premium worm castings. Worm castings help garlic plants and soil be at their best conditions. We use it as a soil conditioner for improving soil structure (water retention will improve).
Garlic growers have known for years that adding compost and manure to their soil results in better garlic plants. The decomposing organic materials mixed into the soil creates an atmosphere that worms are extremely attracted to. Drawing additional worms to your garden increases aeration of soil, and at the same time, the smorgasbord of decaying matter is devoured and deposited in the form of worm castings.
Worm Castings
Custom Broad Fork
Welding metal is an art, a dance of sparks and steel where raw materials transform into something purposeful and enduring. There’s a thrill in taking humble scraps of metal and coaxing them into tools that not only solve problems but carry a story of ingenuity and resilience. This year, as we prepared for the garlic harvest at GROeat Farm, I channeled the spirit of my grandfather Tony, crafting a simple but invaluable broad fork to bring our hardneck garlic from soil to table.
Tony was more than a farmer; he was an inventor with a boundless curiosity. On his cranberry farm in the Midwest, he turned scraps of metal into ingenious tools that simplified the planting, weeding, and harvesting of his beloved crops. His creations weren’t just practical—they embodied his love for the land and his commitment to hard work. Watching him weld as a child, I saw how creativity and utility could come together in sparks of molten steel.
Stepping, in my own way, into Tony’s big boots, I decided to create a custom broad fork for our garlic harvest. The goal was simple: to design a tool that worked as hard as we do, without breaking the bank. Armed with two garden forks ($21 each) and a single steel concrete pin ($3.98), I set to work. With the welder hissing and glowing, I bridged the forks with the pin, creating an extra-wide, sturdy broad fork. The rebar not only joined the two forks but doubled as a foothold, giving us a secure grip with each press into the soil.
To make the tool even more effective, I sharpened the fork tines, ensuring they would pierce the earth effortlessly. The result? A strong, simple, and utterly satisfying creation that cost less than $50 but made harvesting 10,000 garlic plants feel achievable—and dare I say—enjoyable. Every time the broad fork slid into the soil and lifted a bulb, I felt a connection to Tony’s legacy: innovation born of necessity, seasoned with a touch of pride. This broad fork wasn’t just a tool; it was a reflection of something deeper—a reminder of the resourcefulness and creativity that farming inspires. Welding it together felt like more than a project; it was a tribute to my grandfather’s spirit, a nod to the ingenuity that runs in the family. And the reward? Watching the garlic emerge from the soil, row by fragrant row, made the effort sweeter than I could have imagined.
Here’s to honoring tradition, embracing creativity, and crafting tools that are as hardworking as the hands that wield them. If Tony could see this broad fork, I think he’d smile—maybe even offer a suggestion or two for the next design.
Seed Garlic vs Culinary Garlic
Culinary garlic is typically comprised of the prettier, smaller bulbs of the season. Seed garlic is the selected, larger bulbs of the harvest. Seed garlic can be used in the kitchen and culinary garlic can be planted.
Growers of garlic typically plant the larger garlic, as the larger seeds (cloves) can produce even larger bulbs in the next harvest.
Some growers allow their "seed garlic" to grow for a couple more weeks longer than garlic that will be sold as food. The reason for this is to allow for as much growth of the cloves as possible, as larger seeds (cloves) can produce larger bulbs in the next harvest. Because the garlic will be placed back into the soil, degradation of the garlic's paper-thin wrappers are accepted as a consequence. The resulting bulbs are often larger. This later harvest is not necessary bad for the garlic as seed, and, keeping the bulbs in the ground longer result in larger seed which is desirable for planting!
A Cappella Song about Having a Garden
Imagine a vibrant tapestry woven with sound, where voices intertwine like vines, creating a harmonious garden of sound. This a cappella masterpiece paints a vivid picture of a zone 4 garden, each note a brushstroke of color and flavor.
The song begins with a gentle hum, like the soft earth awakening in spring. As the voices rise, so do the radishes, their crimson hue mirrored in the rich tones of the bass. The melody dances with the grace of lettuce leaves, crisp and refreshing, carried by the soaring sopranos.
The middle section bursts forth with a riot of sound, like a summer garden in full bloom. The deep, earthy tones of the basses ground the arrangement as the tenors and baritones weave intricate patterns, representing the intertwining vines of peas and beans. The sopranos soar above, capturing the vibrant colors of carrots and beets.
As the seasons change, the music shifts. The harmonies deepen, reflecting the rich hues of autumn squashes. The voices intertwine, creating a sense of warmth and abundance. The final notes linger, like the sweet taste of a ripe tomato, leaving a lasting impression.
This a cappella song is more than just a musical performance; it's an immersive experience, transporting the listener to a world of vibrant colors and delicious flavors. It's a celebration of the bounty of a zone 4 garden, captured in the beauty of human voices.