Every fall for the past 12 years here in western Massachusetts, the smell of garlic wafts through the air in what is becoming a new tradition




The North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival, Begun in 1999 at Seeds of Solidarity Farm in Orange MA, by farmer Ricky Baruc to create a market for the organic garlic we was growing in his reclaimed fields and woodworker Jim Fountain to create a showplace for regional artists. 



With about $100 in startup funding, the first North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival was held in 1999 at Seeds of Solidarity Farm. From a few hundred attendees the first year, the Festival has grown to 12,000+ visitors every year. So far this story might be any local or regional festival anywhere in the land. But one unique thing about the Garlic and Arts Festival is the commitment to composting, recycling, and zero waste. As a result, with over 12,000 people eating, drinking and making merry over the two days of the festival, this mob only generates 3 bags of trash that must go to landfill, while recapturing 40 bags of recyclables and over 100 bags of compostable material.



The North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival makes it a point every year to have a minimal impact on the environment, by mimicking nature and reusing, recycling, or composting virtually everything. The dinnerware and flatware are all corn and potato starch products that are compostable; all food vendors are required to use this material. But the story doesn’t end there. In true cradle to cradle fashion a local business, Clearview Compost, helps transform the festival compostables into fertile soil for local gardens. This soil is on display at the festival- last year’s food and organic scraps growing next year’s.



The festival also relies on solar energy to generate green electricity for their two music and entertainment stages.



The tables and performance stages at the Festival are built with reused and locally harvested wood, conserving fuel used to transport lumber to the area and supporting local foresters, loggers, and sawmills. They also instituted a “water for the people” policy, providing free potable local water rather than selling bottled water. 



All the food vendors are encouraged to use as many locally produced, farm raised products as possible in the delicious dishes they prepare, and the Festival hosts demonstration gardens and workshops on site to help people learn to grow their own food, locally, organically, and deliciously.  We’ve already featured one vendor from the festival, sculptor Jim Kitchen who recycles old iron into compelling art pieces. We’ll feature other artists and craftspeople that turn silverware, packaging, and old French fry oil into artistic or practical products. Sometimes both!



So if you are planning a trip to New England in the fall, make sure to add the Garlic and Arts Festival to your schedule. Come and dance, try the wide variety of foods, including incredible garlic dishes, dance, play and leave very little footprint. With the zero waste policy and practices here, the chances are, whatever you leave behind will back in one form or another to greet you the next time you visit!