Lindon Garlic Farm, Gilmanton, NH

Lindon Garlic Farm’s story began in 2004, when founder Don planted garlic in the family garden in Massachusetts. A few cloves became a fascination, that fascination became a family business, and eventually the little backyard venture found room to stretch its roots on a 100-acre farm in Gilmanton, New Hampshire.

Today, Lindon Garlic Farm is a second-generation family operation where garlic is very much the star of the show. The family grows its crop naturally in New Hampshire soil, without chemicals, tending primarily to three varieties: Music, German White, and Russian Red.

Life on a garlic farm follows its own dependable rhythm. Planting begins in the fall, when cloves are tucked into the earth before winter arrives. Green shoots announce themselves in spring, and by late June the curling garlic scapes are ready to be gathered. Then comes the moment everyone has been waiting for: around late July and early August, the bulbs themselves are harvested.

Of course, the story doesn’t end when the garlic leaves the ground. The family turns its harvest into an assortment of flavorful pantry goods, including garlic jams, powders, grinders, granules, and specialties made with both white and black garlic.

These days, the next generation is helping carry the farm forward. Don’s son-in-law, Jon, affectionately known as “The Garlic Guy Jr.”, brings a lifetime of agricultural experience to the fields. His farming roots go back to working at Swain Family Farm, a dairy farm in Sanbornton. He later studied agriculture at Winnisquam Regional High School, participated in FFA, and continued his education in horticulture at the University of New Hampshire.

Jon’s wife, Allison, is Don’s oldest daughter and an essential part of the operation. As the farm’s chief financial officer and resident family chef, she keeps things humming behind the scenes, and makes sure a long day in the fields ends with something delicious on the table. Garlic pesto pizza is a particular family favorite.

Their daughter Grace represents yet another generation bringing her talents to the farm. Inspired by the landscape around her, she photographs farm life, manages social media, and created the family’s website. She has also started an art business of her own, proving that the family’s entrepreneurial spirit is growing right alongside the garlic.

At Lindon Garlic Farm, there’s a family member behind nearly every part of the journey: from planting cloves and harvesting scapes to creating garlic products, balancing the books, taking photographs, and sharing the farm’s story. What started in one family garden more than two decades ago has become a distinctly New Hampshire farm story: a little curiosity, a lot of learning, plenty of hard work, and acres of garlic growing in Gilmanton soil.

Primary Season: Garlic, Gourmet Garlic Powder