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A Word About Onion Seed Supplies...
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January 2007
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Dear Fellow Gardener,
Welcome to Issue 2 of The Onion Patch! We
appreciate your enthusiastic response to our first
newsletter, and look forward to keeping you updated
in 2007.
I expect you're already planning your
garden. Since last summer's extreme weather has
affected some onion seed supplies, I recommend you
order early to avoid disappointment. At this
point, we have limited quantities of a few varieties,
including 1015Y, Big Daddy, Yellow Sweet Spanish,
Mars, Red Burgermaster, and Candy. We'll fill orders
according to date received as long as supplies last,
so please order early.
The next issue will come out in February, and we
look forward to seeing you then. Meanwhile if you
have any
questions, please give us
a call at 877-367-1015 or send us your
questions
here. We'll be happy to help!
Bruce "Onionman" Frasier
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Vidalia
Sweetest of the Sweet
The Vidalia onion, a descendant of the Texas-bred
Granex variety, is probably the most famous sweet
onion in the world. We're proud to say that Dixondale
Farms had a hand in its development, having sent
the first Granex onions to Georgia in 1952. These
days, only sweet onions grown in the Vidalia region
can legally be called Vidalia onions, but all our
customers get the same variety as the official
growers. So far this year, we've shipped over 28
million. To read more about the history of the
Vidalia, click here.
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From Our Friends
One Reno, Nevada customer swept this year's onion
entries at the Nevada State Fair, with his Texas
Ringmasters taking both First Place and Grand
Champion. He also won two Third Place awards --
but only because he was competing against himself,
and his Ringmaster beat out his Walla Walla in the
white onion category.
We love hearing from customers. Send us your
favorite "onion photo" at
customerservice@dixondalefarms.com and we'll
try to include it in a future newsletter.
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From Jeanie's Kitchen
Anna’s Mexican Spanish Rice for the Crock Pot
- 1 ½ cups uncooked rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 tsp Caldo de Tomate (bouillon cube)
- 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
- 1 medium-size onion, chopped
- 1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/8 cup oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in large frying pan. Add rice and stir to coat.
Allow to brown, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.
When well browned, place in the crock pot, and add
remaining ingredients. Stir well until the Caldo de
Tomate bouillon cube is dissolved. Cover and cook on
high 3-4 hours, until rice is done. Delicious!
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Q&A: Onion Storage
Q. What's the best way to store onions? In past
years, I've had trouble with mine rotting or
sprouting.
A. Storage life depends mostly on how well your
onions are dried and cured. Pull the bulbs in the
morning, and let them air-dry in the shade until early
afternoon. Then store them on elevated screens or in
small, hanging bunches to dry. The key to successful
drying is steady air circulation for 2-3 weeks. Drying
is complete when the neck is tight, the outer scales
are dry and crackly, and the skin color is uniform.
Trim the tops to 1-2 inches, then store the onions in
a cool, dry place with good air circulation. Keep them
away from bright light. Don't store bruised, cut, or
diseased onions, or ones with green tops or thick
necks. To increase air circulation, store them in mesh
bags. Check them regularly, and remove soft and
rotting onions. NEVER store onions with potatoes,
because potatoes release moisture that can cause
onions to rot. Similarly, don't use plastic bags,
because they block air circulation.
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About Dixondale Farms
As the largest and oldest onion plant farm in the US,
Dixondale Farms offers a wide selection of
top-quality, disease-free, ready-to-plant onion
plants.
To see our complete product line, request a catalog,
or for growing tips and cultural information, visit our
web site by clicking
here.
Whether you're planting one bunch or thousands of
acres, we're committed to your success. If you have
either questions or suggestions, we'd love to hear
from you. You can reach us from 8AM to 5PM
Central Time at 877-367-1015, or email us
any time at
customerservice@dixondalefarms.com.
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