In heraldry, a garb is a stylized sheaf of grain, most commonly wheat, though it can also represent rye or barley unless the blazon specifies otherwise. This symbol is one of the most significant representations of agriculture, fertility, and the bounty of the earth. It suggests that the armiger’s wealth or status is rooted in the land, marking a legacy of providing for the community and ensuring prosperity. Beyond mere farming, the garb is often interpreted as a sign of sustenance, plenty, and the reward of diligent labor, making it a popular choice for civic heraldry in rural regions and families with deep agrarian ties (Mistholme: Garb).

The design of a garb is traditionally shown with the stalks gathered and bound by a band, which is often of a different tincture to create visual contrast. A key convention in heraldic art is that the garb reflects a harvested state, symbolizing the completion of work and the transition from effort to result (Wikipedia: Garb). In English armory, a gold garb on a blue field is famously associated with the Earldom of Chester, a motif that has spread into the civic arms of many towns in Cheshire to denote regional loyalty and shared history. This specific "wheat sheaf" imagery serves as a visual shorthand for stable, ground-level power and the vital necessity of food production in a feudal society.

For those researching variations of this charge, such as its use as a crest or its placement among other agrarian tools, Wikimedia Commons offers an extensive gallery (Category: Garbs in heraldry). You can also find technical drawings that show how the stalks and grain heads are detailed in different heraldic styles via Traceable Heraldic Art (image). For a deeper look into the medieval laws and traditions surrounding the use of agricultural charges in different European regional traditions, the Heraldry Society of Scotland provides excellent resources on how these "harvest symbols" were integrated into the arms of the landed gentry.