There’s an old quip that dictates: “if you can smell garlic, everything is alright.” Andrew Russell, owner of Down North Garlic Co. smells a lot of garlic. The Grey County-based farmer and father of three has been growing and selling flavourful, organic garlic for the past 3+ years and has made a name for himself as a farmers’ market staple and preferred garlic supplier to some of the region’s best restaurants and retail establishments.
Set on his family’s acreage south of Owen Sound, Andrew’s been hard at work to create his slice of agricultural and business heaven here at home. It was when he moved back to the area things started to click. So where’d the idea for garlic start?
“I didn’t even know what garlic looked like.”
“This was my grandfather’s property,” says Andrew pointing to the back 40 of a spectacular looking landscape, ladened with old growth trees and rolling hills. “It was never used as a farm. I don’t come from a family of farmers. I moved away and met my wife and got into retail management. We always used the property for recreation and hunting. I didn’t really know too much about farming and then the retail management lifestyle got more difficult when we started having kids. I was looking for a little bit of a change.”
It was Andrew’s wife, Steph, who found his first gig working with garlic.
“My wife found a job at a garlic farm that was in our area, and I kind of laughed at it. Thought that was ridiculous,” he smiles. “I didn’t even know what garlic looked like, let alone what farming entailed – but they weren’t looking for a farmer. They were looking for a manager, and long story short, it all worked out. I fell in love with it and learned the ropes. There was also a producer of garlic products as well, so I learned the retail side of it, the farming side, and the management side.”
When it came time to move back to Grey Bruce, the love for garlic followed, but working for a farm so far down country proved tough. The time to kickstart his own operation was upon him.
“During Covid we moved back up to Grey Bruce. That was always a goal, to get back here, but I couldn’t really work on that farm anymore. So I opened up my own and we’re growing it each year.”
The soil under our feet is dark, rich, and the idyllic surroundings make for a pretty slick office, of sorts. Andrew holds working his family’s land close to his heart, and it shows in the quality of his product.
“It’s such an honour man,” he says of his move home and working the family land. “I obviously grew up on this property, and I’ve walked these fields countless times and spent countless hours appreciating the land that my grandfather had bought years ago… it’s a pretty incredible thing. It’s kind of hard to put into words.”
Farming is one side of his garlic empire – the other being the brand he’s built and his growing reputation in culinary and retail circles. What Andrew has created is a growing line of offerings that are special, niche, and unique to the area.
“I quickly realized that there was an opportunity for a local option that’s ethically grown, chemical free and sold at a reasonable price point. And so, we just started out with little things. I added on black garlic and that seemed to be quite an interest to people, and then adding on garlic powders and different spice blends. And now, we just came out with our Grey County steak spice… It’s been very cool, because that keeps me away from being in competition with other garlic growers. It helps us be more on the same team where we’re not just selling the same thing and trying to outperform each other. We will always sell fresh garlic, but we’ve been able to differentiate ourselves from other garlic growers by building a product-focused brand.”
Growing up a skater, Andrew has allowed a gorgeous punk undertone to creep into this garlic business, creating a visually appealing, niche brand that’s all about personality. A branding home-run as any legit marketer worth their salt will tell you.
“It doesn’t necessarily suit every customer of mine, you know?” laughs Andrew. “But it’s me and that’s how I grew up. I was in punk bands growing up and that style, when you grow up with it, it’s just in you. When we started coming out with t-shirts, I couldn’t create a generic look. I wanted something that I was going to wear, too. And so, we have a t- shirt that’s got a little garlic bulb skateboarding. We got a little surfer garlic bulb. Also camping – we’re a very outdoorsy family. We have a fixture of being a proud Canadian brand, so we’ve got our little Canadian Beaver with a garlic bulb. We’re so proud to be a Canadian brand but we definitely have those punk undertones and we’re sticking to it.”
Down North’s growth inside of four years has been profound. The products have been adopted by a number of reputable groups in the region, who now call on Andrew to stock up regularly. That direct connection to his clientele through culinary offerings, and in homegrown environments like multiple weekly farmers’ markets, has helped the brand in new and meaningful ways.
“We’re a growing city,” he says of his home base in Owen Sound. “But this city has a very small town vibe and a small town community feel to it. I feel like once you get adopted into it, people have your back and promote you. We try to do the same with other companies and producers. We’ve just been so lucky to have supporters like The Milk Maid – who were our first store we got into! There’s also Crust & Crackle, Donald’s Honey, Rosina’s… Cobble Beach has been just a massive supporter. We’re so grateful to have these people in our corner.”
Andrew’s approach to business is exactly what the world needs right now: friendly, honest, and hard working. His collaborative, entrepreneurial spirit is a feather in the cap of what it means to be a farmer, a businessman, and a family man in Grey Bruce. Doing what you love with the people you love is a true recipe for success; a recipe that’s always made better with a little garlic.
Written by Nelson Phillips
Photos by Nelson Phillips and Andrew Russell
