Growing the Braidwood Garlic Growers
Upper Shoalhaven Landcare Group has sponsored the Braidwood Garlic Growers Group in a project funded by the 25th Anniversary Landcare Grant Program.
Braidwood is the potential garlic capital of Australia. The soils, seasons and water availability all lend themselves to excellent cold climate annual crops. We also have a highly altered natural environment from intensive farming and mining through the 1800s and early 1900s. Most of the agricultural land is used for broad acre grazing, with relatively low value-per-hectare produce. This project will demonstrate the potential for garlic to enhance economic resilience, agricultural profitability and sustainability around Braidwood. It will establish field trials of different varieties and growing regimes, generate knowledge about disease-free seed sources, balance profitability with the protection of natural heritage, and communicate results effectively. It will also involve biodiversity plantings and management of ecosystem values alongside garlic crops.
Garlic being processed:Photo by Carol Kindrachuk.