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Post by Turk on Feb 18, 2010 19:46:10 GMT -5
Down On The Farm
What’s happening with dirt? I receive many farm rags read a few a toss the rest. There is lots of information that goes ignored by the public. I’ll post my experiences and what’s happening in the farming community.
The exposure a farmer has for loss has gotta be one of the riskiest business on the planet. Weather, insects, disease and man can take potential profits and turn them into a season without income. Farmers are practicing what they preach and use alternative energy. Many farmers in California are relying on solar for the future. A manmade disaster, last year in Napa County 400 solar panels were stolen from farm property.
Thieves are using Google Earth to locate remote solar panels valued at $1,000+ each. Federal legislation currently on the table also aims to deter crooks by creating a national registry for solar panels that will give them each a serial number, making them easier to track.
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Post by dolphie on Feb 18, 2010 23:49:58 GMT -5
Down On The Farm What’s happening with dirt? I receive many farm rags read a few a toss the rest. There is lots of information that goes ignored by the public. I’ll post my experiences and what’s happening in the farming community. The exposure a farmer has for loss has gotta be one of the riskiest business on the planet. Weather, insects, disease and man can take potential profits and turn them into a season without income. Farmers are practicing what they preach and use alternative energy. Many farmers in California are relying on solar for the future. A manmade disaster, last year in Napa County 400 solar panels were stolen from farm property. Thieves are using Google Earth to locate remote solar panels valued at $1,000+ each. Federal legislation currently on the table also aims to deter crooks by creating a national registry for solar panels that will give them each a serial number, making them easier to track. Great thread, Turk. Thank you!
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Post by Turk on Dec 7, 2010 15:43:37 GMT -5
It’s time to dig potatoes. These are German Butterballs as the name implies they are amazingly creamy. I’ll cut them in half to three quarter inch cubes wrap in a paper towel and microwave for about 90 seconds, let them cool and fry'em up in canola oil until crispy on the outside. When you bite into one you will not expect the creamy texture and buttery taste inside. The potato plant has died back providing little protection for the tubers below. The pitch fork will loosen the ground then I'll dig them out by hand rarely damaging one. All washed up and ready to go. After washing they'll sit outside for a day or two in order for the skin to harden allowing for longer storage. I can dig about 50 pounds then my hernia starts hurting.
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Post by Turk on Dec 7, 2010 16:00:33 GMT -5
Fall has arrived.
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Post by dolphie on Dec 7, 2010 20:17:20 GMT -5
Fall has arrived. GORGEOUS!!!
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Post by Turk on Dec 7, 2010 20:31:26 GMT -5
Thanks Dolphie. The farm will be my legacy.
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Post by Jack on Dec 7, 2010 21:30:35 GMT -5
Fall has arrived. GORGEOUS!!! Ditto !!!
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Post by dolphie on Dec 7, 2010 21:57:40 GMT -5
Thanks Dolphie. The farm will be my legacy. You are leaving an incredible legacy.
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Post by nikki on Dec 8, 2010 0:01:25 GMT -5
Nice pics of your farm, Turk.
What, in your opinion, is the sweetest onion -- white, yellow, or red? I know they all sweeten up when you carmalize them, so I am asking about raw. I have been experimenting lately and I think I am finding white, but it seems to be hit and miss with what you get with all of them at the local grocery stores.
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Post by Turk on Dec 8, 2010 13:16:46 GMT -5
Nice pics of your farm, Turk. What, in your opinion, is the sweetest onion -- white, yellow, or red? I know they all sweeten up when you carmalize them, so I am asking about raw. I have been experimenting lately and I think I am finding white, but it seems to be hit and miss with what you get with all of them at the local grocery stores. White, brown/yellow (Spanish) and red onions are divided in three growing categories: short day (10-12 daylight hours), intermediate day (12-14 daylight hours) and long day (14-16 daylight hours.) Generally the sweetest onions come from an intermediate day growing area and storage onions are from long day growing areas. For example; New York - long day, Oklahoma City - intermediate day and San Diego - short day. You can grow a short day onion in New York but it’s difficult to grow a long day onion in San Diego. Onions grown in the appropriate area will mature in 90-110 days. A short day onion grown in New York will mature in about 75 days whereas a long day onion grown in San Diego may never mature. Daylight hours are more important than daytime temperatures. Regardless of color grocery stores will only carry onions with storage characteristics unless it’s a specialty onion. Higher brix (sugar content) means less storage days. Low brix onions will store for 270 days whereas high brix onions will only last for 30-90 days. There are literally 100’s of varieties for long and intermediate day onion growing areas, however there are few short day varieties. High brix onions are mostly the Spanish (brown/yellow) type the only white sweet onion I’m aware of is the Bermuda White, there are many semi-sweet red onions. Not all onions are what they appear to be for example; the Vidalia onion is a Yellow Granex but its called Vidalia because it’s grown in Vidalia. You pay more for the Vidalia than the Granex but get the same onion. Those marketing guys are so sharp. The same can be said about a Maui Onion which is a SuperX and not from Maui. Onions sold as Maui or Vidalia are a marketing rip off. The exception is the Walla Walla onion it’s sweet but doesn’t grow well or at all here, I’ve tried a few times. The Walla Walla is grown in Washington and it is also a specific variety, meaning seeds are available. The proof is in the pudding you cannot buy Vidalia or Maui onion seed because they don’t exist as a variety. Candy (brown) and Red (red) Candy are super sweet intermediate day varieties, I’ve tried to grow both and failed. After years of experimenting I’m only growing SuperX (brown,) Desert Sunrise (red) and Puma (brown.) SuperX is a superstar and can be eaten like an apple, there are school groups visiting the farm annually and when I see a school kid eat a raw onion it’s gotta be sweet. Desert Sunrise is okay but it’s the only red that has worked for me and Puma is a 200+ day storage onion. Unless the onion variety is specified you don’t know what you are getting in the grocery store but you are more likely to get higher brix in a brown onion than white or red. Brown, yellow and Spanish are the same thing. Lastly I avoid grocery store onions but not for the reasons above. Systemic pesticides and fertilizers are used on onions so unless you are buying are certified organic onions you are eating chemicals. How’s that for a short answer?
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Post by nikki on Dec 8, 2010 16:30:38 GMT -5
Thanx, Turk. I can see why it tends to be hit and miss. I used to always buy red onions for salads and stuff where you eat them raw. Recently, I have been getting ones that were strong and bitter so I started trying the yellow and white. Hit and miss with those too. I do most of my shopping at a local market because it is conveniently within walking distance of where I live. I will venture into Vons and maybe Whole Foods to see what they have. But, yeah, mostly they are just labeled by color and not type from what I have noticed.
The three types you mentioned seem to be the most popular with onion lovers from what I have read on the internet: Vidalia, Maui, and Walla Walla, in that order.
I would love to taste an onion so sweet that you eat it like an apple. I have only seen that in some old war movies, I think, of WWII soldiers walking through the French countryside. ;D
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Post by dolphie on Dec 9, 2010 0:34:57 GMT -5
Nice pics of your farm, Turk. What, in your opinion, is the sweetest onion -- white, yellow, or red? I know they all sweeten up when you carmalize them, so I am asking about raw. I have been experimenting lately and I think I am finding white, but it seems to be hit and miss with what you get with all of them at the local grocery stores. White, brown/yellow (Spanish) and red onions are divided in three growing categories: short day (10-12 daylight hours), intermediate day (12-14 daylight hours) and long day (14-16 daylight hours.) Generally the sweetest onions come from an intermediate day growing area and storage onions are from long day growing areas. For example; New York - long day, Oklahoma City - intermediate day and San Diego - short day. You can grow a short day onion in New York but it’s difficult to grow a long day onion in San Diego. Onions grown in the appropriate area will mature in 90-110 days. A short day onion grown in New York will mature in about 75 days whereas a long day onion grown in San Diego may never mature. Daylight hours are more important than daytime temperatures. Regardless of color grocery stores will only carry onions with storage characteristics unless it’s a specialty onion. Higher brix (sugar content) means less storage days. Low brix onions will store for 270 days whereas high brix onions will only last for 30-90 days. There are literally 100’s of varieties for long and intermediate day onion growing areas, however there are few short day varieties. High brix onions are mostly the Spanish (brown/yellow) type the only white sweet onion I’m aware of is the Bermuda White, there are many semi-sweet red onions. Not all onions are what they appear to be for example; the Vidalia onion is a Yellow Granex but its called Vidalia because it’s grown in Vidalia. You pay more for the Vidalia than the Granex but get the same onion. Those marketing guys are so sharp. The same can be said about a Maui Onion which is a SuperX and not from Maui. Onions sold as Maui or Vidalia are a marketing rip off. The exception is the Walla Walla onion it’s sweet but doesn’t grow well or at all here, I’ve tried a few times. The Walla Walla is grown in Washington and it is also a specific variety, meaning seeds are available. The proof is in the pudding you cannot buy Vidalia or Maui onion seed because they don’t exist as a variety. Candy (brown) and Red (red) Candy are super sweet intermediate day varieties, I’ve tried to grow both and failed. After years of experimenting I’m only growing SuperX (brown,) Desert Sunrise (red) and Puma (brown.) SuperX is a superstar and can be eaten like an apple, there are school groups visiting the farm annually and when I see a school kid eat a raw onion it’s gotta be sweet. Desert Sunrise is okay but it’s the only red that has worked for me and Puma is a 200+ day storage onion. Unless the onion variety is specified you don’t know what you are getting in the grocery store but you are more likely to get higher brix in a brown onion than white or red. Brown, yellow and Spanish are the same thing. Lastly I avoid grocery store onions but not for the reasons above. Systemic pesticides and fertilizers are used on onions so unless you are buying are certified organic onions you are eating chemicals. How’s that for a short answer? Thank you, Turk. I just learned a lot with this response. I LOVE learning - and even more, I love learning about good food products. That is interesting about the superX and yellow granex.... I will be looking for generic from now on! My grandmother spoke of eating onions like fruit. The onions I have tasted - I could not see myself eating them that way. lolol Thank you again! If you get in the mood for more schooling - keep on posting. I love to learn new things!
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Post by nikki on Dec 9, 2010 1:13:02 GMT -5
Dolphie,
Funny you bring up your grandmother. When I was in college and my family had moved away, I would occasionally drive down and spend the weekend with my dad's mother. She grew up on a farm. She would always fix me her legendary fried chicken and she would eat a bite of a raw onion with ever bite of chicken. I remember cringing and we would laugh about it because I would not eat onions back then no matter what.
Now I love onions ............. especially raw, and for some reason especially lately.
Speaking of apples and onions, I think I might try a new recipe. Diced sweet onions and apples mixed with a little bit of peanut butter. Weird, but may be really yummy.
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Post by Turk on Dec 9, 2010 2:23:29 GMT -5
Thanx, Turk. I can see why it tends to be hit and miss. I used to always buy red onions for salads and stuff where you eat them raw. Recently, I have been getting ones that were strong and bitter so I started trying the yellow and white. Hit and miss with those too. I do most of my shopping at a local market because it is conveniently within walking distance of where I live. I will venture into Vons and maybe Whole Foods to see what they have. But, yeah, mostly they are just labeled by color and not type from what I have noticed. The three types you mentioned seem to be the most popular with onion lovers from what I have read on the internet: Vidalia, Maui, and Walla Walla, in that order. I would love to taste an onion so sweet that you eat it like an apple. I have only seen that in some old war movies, I think, of WWII soldiers walking through the French countryside. ;D Bitterness is attributable to systemic pesticides and fertilizers. The few responsible non-organic farmers will flush their crops with clean water 2-4 weeks prior to harvest unfortunately many pesticides and fertilizers are time-released making flushing superfluous. The organic farmer will not experience bitterness. When you cut an onion (any kind of onion) in half, if a thick milky substance appears, you got a good onion. It’s the milky substance where the sugars are located (It surprised me the first time I witnessed it.) Llightly sautéed in olive oil with a pinch of salt is what I’ll eat 3-5 days per week, either for lunch or dinner. Good onions are amazing, the taste and texture is off the chart. High brix onions caramelrized equals onion candy. Toss that on some paste with a healthily handful of Parmigiano-Reggiano (that might be an oxymoron) on top and ya good a great meal. I made it tonight as a bed for a piece of grilled salmon. Almost forgot, there’s another variety the 1015Y AKA Texas Super Sweet, I’ve grown it with moderate success. Onions are a little tricky to grown, they are very susceptible to mildew, wilt, brown rot and rust, things the chemical farmers don’t deal with. Last year I was not pleased with my crop, the year before it was a bonanza. If all goes well the first harvest should be early June with the second crop maturing late September. I’d be happy to give ya a 50lb bag. I’ve failed and almost gave up on shallots, 2010 was the first year of amazing shallots. They were better raw than cook, too good to cook.
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Post by nikki on Dec 9, 2010 15:17:54 GMT -5
Wow, thanks for the tip on the milky white substance. First I have heard of that. I will look out for it. When I read that, it jogged my memory back to a few times I remember observing that. Never hearing of it before, I think I just thought something was wrong with the onion!!
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