Garlic Harvest 2026

A couple of weeks ago, we started harvesting our Garlic crop. In October, we planted over 2,000 row-feet of garlic. I really enjoy growing garlic, even though it is a long, slow process. This crop has been in the ground for over half the year. A few weeks after harvesting the scapes, the bulbs are ready to be dug. They are literally hand-dug. We take a tool similar to a shovel, but it has teeth like a fork. By inserting a few inches into the ground near the garlic and lifting the dirt, the soil usually cracks around the garlic bulb, making it easy to lift out of the ground. After it's harvested from the ground, it's still not ready for market. We cure the garlic by laying it out in the shade of the barn. If there isn't a breeze, we keep a fan to provide a gentle breeze. It takes about 2 weeks for the green tops to completely dry out and for the garlic wrapper to become "paper-like". At that point, we trim the greens and roots and cure for a few more days, and finally, after 7 months, it's ready to sell. We had 2 varieties this year. The first one has already been harvested and has just finished curing; it is now online for purchase. The second variety is ready to be dug. We will be starting that process early this week. Y'all enjoy some fresh garlic.