Garlic! Planting and Tasting Workshop

Grow it. Taste it. Understand it.

A practical and flavour-filled workshop for gardeners, growers and garlic lovers.

Moruya | Saturday 18 April 2026 | 9:30am – 12:30pm | Book Now

SAGE is delighted to welcome Vele from Garlic Kingdom Australia to Moruya for a hands-on three-hour workshop exploring how to grow great garlic — and how to taste it properly.

Whether you’re a backyard gardener, small-scale grower, or simply someone who loves good food, this workshop will give you practical knowledge, new flavours to explore, and the confidence to grow garlic suited to our local climate.

Meet the Grower

Vele is a small to medium-scale garlic producer who plants around 12,000 plants each year at Badja Forest Farm in the Snowy Mountains. He specialises in rare and cool-climate garlic varieties and has extensive experience growing garlic in temperate regions.

Through Garlic Kingdom Australia, Vele also distributes garlic seed for other small growers, mentors new producers, and delivers training workshops across the country. His work has helped many people successfully begin growing garlic and improve their harvests.

Most recently, Vele was appointed to the board of the Australian Garlic Industry Association, where he works alongside other experts to help strengthen and grow Australia’s garlic industry.

Garlic Kingdom has also received multiple awards at the Australian Garlic Awards in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Workshop Program

Garlic Planting – How to Grow Great Garlic

This group training session is designed for beginner backyard growers through to small-scale commercial producers. Topics include:

• Understanding garlic types – including the 11 recognised sub-groups
• Choosing the right garlic varieties for your local climate
• When and how to plant garlic
• The truth behind the “Plant on Anzac Day, harvest on Remembrance Day” myth
• Fertilising and soil preparation
• Harvesting, curing and storage techniques
• Helpful growing information sheets to take home

Garlic Tasting – Discover the Flavour of Garlic

Garlic isn’t just garlic — different varieties have distinct heat levels, flavour profiles and intensity. In this guided tasting session, you will:

• Taste a wide range of garlic varieties, including examples from each sub-group
• Learn how to identify heat, spice and flavour intensity
• Explore different ways garlic can be used raw for flavour and health benefits
• Discover why you shouldn’t judge a bulb by its wrapper
• Use a self-scoring sheet to identify your favourite garlic varieties
• Perfect for growers, cooks and curious food lovers alike.

Garlic Seed Available

Garlic seed will be available for purchase on the day.

The varieties offered by Garlic Kingdom are grown in high-altitude, cool-climate conditions, meaning they are well suited to our region and do not require an acclimatisation period before planting.

Cost 

$35 – SAGE members | $45 – Non-SAGE members
If you're not a member, that's OK - you can become a member here.

Your ticket includes:

• Workshop participation
• Expert garlic growing advice
• Garlic tasting session
• Workshop notes
• Morning tea

Venue: Kirsti and Fraser’s veggie patch in town, Moruya

Date: Saturday 18 April 2026

Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm

Limited places available.  BOOK NOW!