Our Story
We wanted to own a food business. The idea grew like a magic bean from our experience working together to build an elementary school garden. Although we weren't sure what the business would be, we knew that we wanted it to be grounded in community, promote soil and human health, and be sustainable as a 'second career.' We wanted to feed people good food and make a little money while we were at it.
And in 2015 when we sat down next to Don Womack at a Farm and Food Conference in Nashua, New Hampshire, everything fell into place. Don reached out his hand, the smell of garlic rising from him like morning fog, introduced himself as 'The Garlic Guy' and said he would teach us everything he knew about garlic.
We started working on our business plan on the drive home.
We called our business Backyard Garlic because that is where we started - growing garlic in our own backyards and in the yard of a generous neighbor with a patch of sunny land and a willingness to share.
In 2020 our backyard expanded when we bought land in Eliot, Maine. Now we grow garlic at the top of a meadow and peel, chop, dehydrate and package it our own licensed facility. (A converted 1940’s garage, it’s small by mighty!)
By 2021 our new neighbors were helping us plant, harvest, and peel our crop. Folks stop by to meet the “garlic farmers” that live down the street.
It has been a blast.
Margaret and I have been supported by our families, friends, and community and they have our love and gratitude in return.
“Garlic does what we all strive to do… leave a strong impression and a hankering for more.”
