The Garlic Farm... More Than Just Cloves
T
he trend to buy locally grown food is nothing new for Gary Cirullo, enjoying his 13th year as owner
and steward of the land at The Garlic Farm. Having been involved in farming one way or another all his life, Gary has watched the steady rise of popularity in eating fresh local produce. Nestled along the rolling hills of
West Granby, CT, The Garlic Farm spe- cializes in a delicious hardneck variety of garlic, the German White. Noted for its bite, area chefs clamor for this deli- cacy for their customers. Additionally in the spring the garlic scapes, which are the curled green stalks that grow from hardneck varieties of garlic, are harvest- ed in a labor intensive way. Snapping the scape helps the garlic clove grow larger. Workers snap off the scapes by hand on their hands and knees. Working two rows at a time, this old fashioned and patient approach to harvesting echoes Gary's approach to farming in maintain- ing the integrity of this land.
18 August 2010
Don't let the name fool you. The
Garlic Farm grows more than this tasty version of "the stinking rose". The Gar- lic Farm is pesticide free, uses only or- ganic fertilizer and offers a full line of vegetables, including tomatoes, egg- plants, squash, peppers, cucumbers and pumpkins. Gary's method of using black plastic landscaping cloth helps to inhibit any weed growth, so no herbicides are needed. Early in the planting season the cloth is laid down along the rows, cover- ing the entire field from end to end. Drip lines are incorporated into the black plastic and are in place when irrigation is needed for the crops.
Patient practicality The benefits of providing quality
vegetables that are pesticide free is what it is all about for Gary. Having grown up in Rocky Hill farm country, Gary had first hand knowledge of what it takes to be a successful farmer. "The best farms
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I know are the ones that are neat and clean with all machinery well taken care of. Everything is in its place,” he said. With beautifully maintained acreage, some bordering the Salmon River, Gary knows every part of the almost 20 acre farm well. Working as a carpenter for over 20 years also gave him the experi- ence and an eye for detail that comes in handy in running the farm. A graduate of the University of Con-
necticut's highly regarded Agricultural College, Gary knows that the more nat- ural and organic approach to farming allows consumers to be confident that what they buy is fresh, wholesome and chemical free. Working on the farm is labor intensive with the day starting be- fore sunrise and ending well after sun- set. A constantly moving force of energy, Gary's philosophy to farming is that it is a double-edged sword. "Most of the time I love it. But you have to keep moving forward. You have to adapt to constantly changing conditions that nature hands
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