About
Thaxton Family Farm
Our Farm
We began growing garlic over 25 years ago for our friends and family. In 2009, Chris saw an add for the Hudson Farmers Market in the newspaper. We decided to vend at the market that year. We only made it through the first four weeks before completely selling out of garlic! We decided to expand our fields and increase our crop production. The following year, we made it through eight weeks of markets before selling out. By the third year of markets, we had increased our growing production to sustain an entire market season as well as provide garlic for local chefs. At our peak, we grew over 20,000 bulbs per year (that's between 120,000-200,000 cloves!)
We expanded to vending at the Cleveland Garlic Festival, Hudson, Twinsburg, and Chagrin Falls Farmers Markets. We continue to vend at the Hudson Farmers Market and Cleveland Garlic Festival. In 2011, we hosted our first Outstanding In The Field dinner at our farm. This event celebrates farmers, renowned local chefs, brewers, and provides dinner guests with world-class food and drink pairings utilizing locally sourced ingredients- some of which are grown within reach of the table! We continue to host Outstanding In The Field dinners each summer.
Through the years, we have developed a relationship with Chef Vinnie Cimino, head chef and partner at Cordelia in Cleveland, Ohio. He has been the chef for the Outstanding In The Field dinners at our farm for almost a decade. The past three years, we have grown garlic and select produce for Cordelia as we develop and expand our crop offerings.
In 2023, we began working with Sarah Gretsinger, our farm manager. Sarah grew up just a mile down the road from the farm and studied Fine Arts at Kent State University. She has a diverse background with ten years working in horticulture, as well as years of gardening and farming experience. She shares our passion for growing local foods in a sustainable manner that preserves the environment for future generations, while feeding our communities today.
Sarah has helped to expand our produce offerings at the farm from garlic to heirloom tomatoes, specialty radishes, peppers, beets, carrots, squash, & more! Together, we continue to grow our favorite garlic hardneck and softneck varieties, as well as seasonal produce. We are continuing to grow using the same natural practices we have for decades, but we have chosen not to continue with our organic certification.
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