An annual fundraiser put on the Practical Farmers of Iowa uses garlic to help highlight community-based farms. Practical Farmers spokesperson, Sally Worley, says the third annual Garlic Festival will take place in central Iowa. She says the first farm is called the "Small Potatoes Farm" and is run in Minburn by Rick and Stacy Hartmann, who run the farm exclusively without any off-farm income.
The farm tour there will include information about community supported agriculture (CSA); post-harvest handling; farm efficiencies; market evaluations; and organic pest controls. The second farm is a certified organic fruit and vegetable farm.
It’s called the "Turtle Farm" and is run by Angela Tedesco. Worley says the farm has been in operation since 1996 — so it’s one of the first community supported agriculture programs in Iowa. Worley says the tour shows how locally-support farms can be successful.
Worley says it’s great for non-farm owners to get an idea of what is happening in rural Iowa, and for farmers to see how to grow vegetables locally. The tour will end up at the Corn Crib restaurant near Madrid, where they’ll have a dinner that includes heirloom varieties of garlic. Pre-registration is required for the dinner,and you can register by calling Cedar Johnson at:515-232-5661 or e-mail her at:cedar@practicalfarmers.org.