A farmer is drawing attention online for harvesting one of the most underrated parts of the garlic plant — giant spring scapes that most grocery shoppers rarely get the chance to see.
In a recent Instagram reel, the grower showed how the curly shoots can be snapped off and turned into a fresh seasonal ingredient.
In a reel posted on May 24, regenerative farm account Do Good Things (@dogoodthings_farm) shared a quick harvest of elephant garlic scapes, the tender flower stalks that emerge in spring. The farmer said in the caption that they mostly grow the plant for perennial leeks and its giant spring scapes, even though they are "not a big fan" of the bulbs.
As the caption explains, removing the scapes can encourage more plant growth. The farmer added that the shoots can be eaten raw, though they prefer to cook them like asparagus by seasoning, oiling, and grilling them.
The farmer then added them to some fresh lettuce leaves they pulled, tossed on some burrata, and drizzled honey mustard dressing over the top. One viewer wrote that the scapes were "indeed delicious," while another called the reel "the perfect commercial to start growing your food."
Garlic scapes are highly seasonal, delicate, and often overlooked in mainstream retail, meaning people who grow food at home can sometimes get fresher, more flavorful produce than they could easily buy.
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A small garden can help cut spending on herbs, greens, and specialty vegetables while giving people the chance to harvest food at peak freshness instead of paying premium prices for niche produce.
Gardening can provide light exercise, time outdoors, and a mental reset that many people find grounding. Growing food is not only about self-sufficiency — it can also mean discovering better-tasting ingredients and building a stronger connection to the seasons.
Garlic, herbs, leafy greens, tomatoes, and other crops can taste noticeably better fresh from the garden than they do out of a package. Growing food at home can open the door to unusual seasonal ingredients, help cut waste, and make meals more exciting.
As the farmer put it in the caption, "Why can't you buy this in the shops? Seriously, why not? They're soooo good!"
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They added: "Growing our own food has always felt like a somewhat rebellious act but when you get to eat things so good, so seasonal that you simply can't buy anywhere you feel like you've just hacked the system!"
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