Listen in as I talk with Karen about the different varieties of garlic grown on her farm and sold locally in Boulder, CO. Karen talks about how to grow garlic, which variety is best eaten raw or sautéed, and which packs the most health benefits!
WeeBee Farms is located near Boulder, CO and sells their 30 (yes, 30!) different varieties of garlic at the Boulder Farmer's Market between August - October/November each year. Karen first started growing garlic when a friend sent her 6 different types to try growing and from there she was hooked and became the garlic queen of Boulder.
On her blog, Karen says there are 4 main reasons she grows garlic:
The uniqueness and history of the different varieties. I love being a part of something that's been going on for thousands of years- it helps connect me to what's real
The sensual experience of touching and smelling the garlic, and seeing the colors and shapes of the bulbs and cloves
Being able to have and eat the different garlics and enjoy them at their peak of flavor.
The joy of sharing my love of garlic and of nature with my customers at the Farmer's Market.
An interesting fact I learned in the interview was that the garlic sold in grocery stores can be over a year old by the time you are buying it! This long storage can make the garlic too spicy and bitter, which can overpower anything you are trying to do with it.
Karen also talked about the myriad of health benefits of garlic in the interview. You can read more in-depth information about this on her blog here, but some of the highlights of the medicinal uses of garlic include anti-cancer, cardiovascular health, antibiotic, blood sugar control, and immunity boosting uses of garlic.
There is also a detailed blog post that she wrote about how to grow garlic for anyone out there that may want to try their hand this year!
Make sure to let me know in the comments below if you have every tried to grow or eat different varieties of garlic, or if you have any tips for others wanting to experiment with garlic! You can find WeeBee Farms here for more information as well.