Back in March, I received a package from Johnny's. Inside of a small box were about 110 tiny onion plants. I hurried out into my yard, and dug into the soil, which had barely been warmed by the first rays promising spring. I planted them, more tightly than recommended, knowing that I would eat several long before they reached maturity.
A week later they were covered by three inches of snow. Despite my doubts, spring did eventually arrive. With it came unprecedented rains, and my onions loved 'em. They burst, sending greens some four feet high. I delighted and harvested several just for those very greens, adding them to stir fry, mashed potatoes, and omelets. As Spring pushed toward summer, I plucked a dozen or so onions, just as their bulbs started to swell. I doused them with olive oil and balsamic and tossed them on the grill. Soon, they were big enough to pull for proper use as onions, and since early July that's just what we've been doing.
But in recent weeks the rains of spring have become a thing of memory. Late July and August had, until yesterday, been mostly dry. The heat also arrived two weeks ago. With it, my onions, about 130 days in the ground, began their winter preparations. The green slowly drained into the bulbs leaving brown tufts behind, and skins began to form wrapping around the bulbs with their thin paper.
It was time to harvest. Our final haul was 67 onions. I haven't weighed then, but they are weighty. I have braided them, and left them outside in the hot sun for several days to dry. Yesterday I moved them inside. I'll let them finish in the basement, then I'll store them. If I'm lucky, they will carry me through November. If they do, I'll get four months of onions for $11.80.
Take that, Budget!
Comments