This year I will be growing two varieties of onions.
Red Wethersfield {Seed Savers}
Listed as Large Red in 1834 by Hovey & Co. of Boston; the name Wethersfield was first ascribed to this onion around 1852 by the American Seed Garden of Wethersfield, Connecticut. Large flattened globes with purple-red skin. Mildly pungent flesh with red concentric circles. Best used for salads and garnishes, not for extended storage. Long-day type. 100 days from transplant.
Walla Walla Sweet Onions {Ed Hume}
One of the sweetest of globe type onions. Large in size they are ideal for slicing, cooking, frying, salads, soups and stews. Although they do not keep for a long storage period, they are hardy in growth and mild in taste. Award winning for sweetness nationwide. Approximately 110 days to maturity.
I grew up eating Walla Walla Sweets. My grandmother’s brother farmed onions and peppers in the town of Walla Walla, Washington and each year my grandparents would drive out to visit him and come home with a truckload of produce. I remember the onions were a source of great pride for her and we were always reminded where they came from. My grandmother kept the onions in unheated room down in the basement. I remember there was a hand painted sign on the door that read “Root Cellar.” The room was filled with cobweb covered canning jars filled with outdated food, wooden boxes and newspapers. It smelled old and damp and I don’t remember there ever being a light in the room.
It’s funny what we remember from our childhoods. When I think of onions, I always remember the Walla Walla Sweets. They are, in my opinion the best onion out there.
*I’m growing the red onions for salsa.
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