The Garlic Mustard Pickers band got its start in 2003 when three members began to discuss their love of music as they pulled the invasive weed, garlic mustard, out of a Grant Park natural woodlands area. Garlic Mustard was brought to this area as a culinary plant, but with recent changes in the climate, it has moved into the category of “invasive weed” as it voraciously takes over natural woodland areas, crowding out native plant life and even threatening tree regeneration. The three original band members were part of "Weed-Out!" (a volunteer-based program sponsored  by The Park People of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County Parks), working to keep invasive plants like garlic mustard from destroying the woodlands.  

Talking about their love of music lead to the three weed-pickers getting together to play, then pulling in spouses and friends who played other instruments, and voila, by August of 2003 the band was having regular rehearsals. “The Garlic Mustard Pickers” was an obvious choice for the band name! Our first “paid” gig was in December of 2003. By consensus, our earnings were turned over to a community project, and that set the tone for our mission: using profits from performances, CD sales, and tips, after band expenses, to support worthy public service projects in our own community.

Each year we had more to contribute, and by 2006 realized that we needed to incorporate as a non-profit; we were soon granted tax-exempt status by the IRS.   At the end of 2011 our cash donations to community service passed the "$15,000" milestone.  Our current "since the band was founded" total of donations is approximately $18,500.

In 2012 the band donated $3524 from gig earnings to support the following groups and programs:


In addition, in 2012, the band contributed over $1750 worth of free performance time to local fundraising events for charity.

Please note: the band does NOT solicit independent donations through its website or by any other means. Rather, we solicit paying performances and take additional donations and CD sales during those performances to be donated to specific causes at various times throughout the year.