History of Purple Haze

Owners Sven and Elsie with daughter Olivia showing off their 'home braid' at the Purple Haze Garlic farm.

Purple Haze has been grown on Redlands Mesa since the 1930’s. 

It was brought to the mesa by Archie Ware who passed away in the early 1990s.

Archie’s next-door neighbor, Nancy Horn began organically growing his garlic in 1986. Nancy and her husband Mark Welsh started selling braids in the early 90s after friends and neighbors started requesting them.

In college, we became addicted to Purple Haze and splurged on gourmet garlic despite college wages. When Nancy and Mark, long time friends of my family, decided they were ready to reclaim their summers and looking for someone to pass the labor of love, we stepped forward. 

With Nancy and Mark’s guidance and support, we planted our first cloves in 2004- in a field just a mile from where it ws originally grown - and immediately fell in love with the crop. Purple Haze has also cast its spell on a variety of our friends and family who travel from distances long and short to help in the annual garlic camp harvest.

We hope you will find Purple Haze as much of a delight as we do.

Elsie and Sven