10/13/2026
So this afternoon and evening, I am working on “cracking” garlic for planting.
Some varieties of hard neck garlic, you can hold the bulb upside down and hit the neck on a hard surface, and it cracks the garlic open. Those are pictures three and four.
The stems have to be very straight in order to do that, some of our varieties, the necks are curved so you’re using your fingers/hands to pry it all apart, breaking each clove from the head.
I’m glad I have a hot paraffin bath for my hands this time of year! Between cleaning the garlic and breaking apart the garlic, the hands get very sore.
Farm life
The Farmer’s Wife 👩🌾