Dengel_Camrin_WORKWEAR_230706_SundriesFarm-1671-2
Robert Krapfel harvests garlic on his farm above the Snake River in the Hagerman Valley of Idaho. The soil in the area is an ancient flood plain, rich volcanic loam, perfect for garlic. Idaho has the most restrictive garlic seed requirements of anywhere in the USA. In order to plant any garlic cloves in the Idaho Allium Quarantine area the grower must document that all original seed was certified white-rot free and grown within the Quarantine area. There are only a handful of garlic seed producers in Idaho who are certified to ship seed garlic within the Idaho Quarantine area. Sundries Farm grows a variety of hard neck and soft neck garlic regeneratively. No herbicides or pesticides are used, only natural fertilizers. Weed control is achieved using mechanical weeding techniques (burning, tine weeder, hand weeding) and with the use of mulches. Adequate Soil nutrients are achieved using a 4 year cover crop rotation (legume biomass crops followed by a mustard crop) and the use of bloodmeal, fish emulsion and liquid kelp. A former smoke jumper for 15 years, Robert was looking into plants that could be grown around his busy summer fire season: garlic is planted in the late fall. Robert has spent the last six years of planting and replanting his own seed garlic , always holding back the very best to replant. If you really want to geek out on garlic varieties just ask Robert a question.