Our Garlic
While we produce a wide range of products at Orie’s Farm Fresh, there’s no doubt that garlic is our specialty. Each year, we grow about twenty varieties, with our total harvest ranging from 10 to 20 thousand bulbs. Our garlic is grown on our 8 acre urban farm in Wichita, Kansas using regenerative practices.
Our 2024 Grow List
There are two sub-groups of Allium sativum: hardneck garlic (subspecies ophioscorodon) and softneck garlic (subspecies sativum).
Hardnecks form an edible flower stalk — called a garlic scape — in the springtime. Softnecks do not. Within each sub-group, there are several types of garlic. Four types have grown well consistently for us in Kansas: Porcelain & Purple Stripe (both hardnecks) and Artichoke & Silverskin (both softnecks). Each of these types has several varieties. See our gallery below for more information about the varieties we are currently growing.
Green garlic is the first fresh garlic of the season!
Hyper-seasonal and unique to early spring, green garlic is the immature garlic plant that’s harvested before individual cloves form. Available now!
Porcelain Type
This hardneck type is prized for its large cloves and high allicin content. Porcelains store about 6 months from harvest, typically contain 4-7 cloves per bulb, and are considered the easiest to peel among garlic types. Varieties within this type have mostly robust, punchy flavor profiles.
GERMAN EXTRA HARDY
Super robust flavor with an aftertaste that sticks around. Try it in chili!
MONTANA ZEMO
Strong yet pleasant when raw; rich and nutty when cooked. Try it raw in salad dressings or sliced with slow-cooked brisket!
MUSIC
Somewhat hot when raw; starchy & sweet when roasted. Try it roasted and smeared on a baguette!
Purple Stripe Type
This hardneck type is notable for its purple streaking and blotching on both the clove skins and bulb wrappers. Purple Stripes store about 4 months from harvest, typically contain 4-12 cloves per bulb, and are pretty easy to peel. Varieties within this type are especially well suited to roasting, developing a rich, creamy and sweet texture and taste.
CHESNOK RED
Considered the best variety for roasting with its ultra sweet flavor and creamy texture. Perennially a best-seller. Try it roasted and stirred into aioli, hummus, or mashed potatoes!
Elephant Garlic
Elephant garlic is actually not garlic at all, but rather a member of the leek family. It has the same fairly mild flavor that a leek has, but forms mega-sized bulbs that look very similar to garlic. Try it in everyday cooking!
Our Garlic Scapes
Garlic scapes are the edible flower stalks that form on hardneck varieties of garlic in mid to late spring, approximately 3 to 4 weeks before bulbs are ready to harvest. They’re removed from the plant to ensure a larger, more nutrient dense bulb can develop. Scapes are a delicious bonus crop in their own right. They have a mellow, bright garlicky flavor and can be used in recipes just like the clove!
Artichoke Type
This softneck type is known for its ease to grow and its dynamic flavor profiles. Artichokes store about 8 months from harvest, typically contain 10-20 cloves per bulb, and have more tightly adhered clove wrappers. Varieties within this type range from mild and light to strong and zingy.
CALIFORNIA EARLY
Semi-rich, fairly light flavor is suitable for a variety of uses - roasted, everyday cooking, even raw. Originally from Gilroy, California and has grown consistently well for us in our Kansas climate.
EARLY RED ITALIAN
A little pungent with semi-robust flavor and a light bite. Earlier to harvest than many garlic strains. Try it in pestos, sauces, and even raw!
INCHELIUM RED
Mild yet flavorful and is a top-rated softneck for taste. A consistent best-seller. Try it in a marinade for salmon!
KETTLE RIVER GIANT
A garlic prized for its consistent large size and well-rounded flavor. Try it in coconut curry!
LORZ ITALIAN
An heirloom with bold, lasting flavor. Considered “a real garlic lover’s garlic”. Try it in pomodoro sauce with pasta!
MADRID
Very mild flavor with the slightest touch of heat. Originally from Spain as the name suggests. Try it in paella!
SICILIAN
Somewhat spicy flavor - especially for an artichoke type. Try it in homemade bruschetta topping!
SONORAN
SUSANVILLE
Well-rounded yet mellow flavor. Originally from northern California. Try using it in pickles!
TRANSYLVANIA
It boasts a spicy, sharp bite. Originally from Romania. Try it to keep vampires away (or meatballs, it’s good in meatballs too)!
Silverskin Type
This softneck type is the last to be harvested each year and the longest storing. Silverskins store about 10 months from harvest, typically contain 10-20 cloves per bulb, and have creamy white bulb wrappers. Varieties within this type range from mild and warm to robust and pungent.
IDAHO SILVER
Zingy and hot when used raw, but the flavor mellows considerably when cooked or roasted. Try mincing and sprinkling it over hasselback potatoes!
MILD FRENCH
Bold, rich flavor and moderately pungent. A creamy white bulb with gorgeously contrasting caramel colored clove wrappers. Try it with pot roast!
NOOTKA ROSE
Strong, garlicky flavor. Rosy hued clove wrappers contrast beautifully with the milky white outer bulb wrappers. An heirloom variety originally from Washington. The longest storing garlic we grow and an annual best seller. Try it in everyday cooking anywhere a strong yet pleasant garlicky flavor is desired!
SILVER WHITE
Mild, well-rounded flavor that makes this one a lovely all-purpose garlic. Try it grated into your favorite recipes!
Our Garlic Storage Tips
Ample air circulation can help you store garlic for as long as possible. Keep in mind some varieties store longer than others.
Store garlic in wide bowls, baskets, net bags or open paper sacks, where bulbs have plenty of room to breathe.
Garlic that will be used within a couple of months can be stored on the kitchen counter, a nearby shelf, or pantry under normal household temperatures.
For longterm storage, consider a darkened location with cooler temps (about 50°F) and low humidity.
Regular, cured, uncooked garlic should never be stored in the refrigerator. These cold temperatures can cause premature sprouting which will deminish the shelf-life of your garlic.
Keep Track Of Your Garlic Varieties
If you are purchasing several kinds at once, be cognizant of using shorter storing garlics first, or at least within their ideal storage timeframes given below.
Purple Stripe types are the shortest storing, usually keeping for about 4 months from harvest. Porcelains store 6 months from harvest. Artichokes store 8 months from harvest. Silverskins are the longest storing, typically keeping for roughly 10 months to up to a year until ideal conditions.
Garlic is a Superfood
Garlic is literally chock full of nutrition. These are only a few highlights.
To Get the Most Benefit, Chop & Stop
After chopping, grating, or mincing garlic, let it sit for ten minutes before adding it to your meal.
Garlic’s superstar compound is allicin, which is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties.
Allicin is created when the amino acid alliin and the enzyme alliinase come into contact with each other when garlic cloves are cut.
Alliinase is super sensitive to heat, so allicin doesn’t have a chance to fully form if garlic is immediately added to a hot pan.
The solution? Chop and stop.
