1 Star - Absolutely Horrific Experience…read more
I came to GJ Farm with every intention of supporting a local business, but instead I walked away shaken, humiliated, and furious. The man in charge of the store (an older gentleman) was not only accusatory, condescending, and hostile--he was downright disrespectful, arrogant, and deceitful.
I specifically visited for Red Russian garlic to plant in my yard. I've grown this variety before and researched prices for organic Red Russian garlic nearby --typically $8-15/lb depending on size. GJ Farm was charging a steep $19.99/lb, but since I was already there, I decided to pick through and purchase.
I spent about 5-8 minutes selecting bulbs, carefully looking for the largest and firmest ones for planting. As I was doing so, the man approached me and accused me of peeling garlic, while repeatedly insisting that all of the garlic had been harvested this year. After I had already chosen my final selection and was about to pay, I did gently crack the skin of one bulb to confirm quality, but during selection I only examined size and firmness, occasionally through skins that were already cracked.
After purchasing, I inspected the garlic in my car and immediately noticed serious defects: one bulb was shriveled, and another had white mold between cloves. Considering garlic harvest season had only ended 1-2 months ago, this was shocking. None of my own homegrown garlic looked like that. Within 3 minutes, I returned to politely request a refund.
The man then came out, yelling at me in front of other customers. He accused me of lying about how long I spent choosing (claiming "30 minutes," when it was under 10). He further accused me of only wanting a refund because I "realized the price was too high." He dismissed the obvious defects in his product and insisted that because he sells "thousands of pounds of garlic," my complaint was invalid--classic deflection instead of accountability.
As I stood there shaking from his aggression, he never once offered a professional solution like an exchange or apology. Instead, he ripped the garlic apart with his hands--damaging product that I had paid for--while still refusing any resolution. When I pointed out the mold, he claimed not to see any, however, he removed all the mold as he aggressively peeled the bulbs apart. He continued to insist I take the garlic home and plant it, berating me loudly the entire time. Not only did he refuse a refund, he further damaged the garlic himself, rendering it unsuitable for planting.
In the end, as he refused a refund and continued berating me, I suggested an exchange simply to end the confrontation. I did not want an exchange, as I had already selected the best bulbs available and the remaining garlic was of poor quality.
This was never about the money--it was about basic respect and principle. A business owner should stand by their products, listen to valid concerns, and treat customers with dignity. Instead, I was met with hostility, gaslighting, and bullying from someone who clearly has no regard for customer service or honesty.
If you value quality produce, integrity, or even basic decency, avoid GJ Farm at all costs.
