Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Harvesting Onions




The onion patch got pretty weedy this year, as a result of being planted in a  field that's a bit removed from the house.   Also we had a very rainy spring, and the field was underwater for quite a while, leaving the soil dense and soggy.
As a result, the onions were smaller than usual this year.  But smaller onions tend to keep well, so we should be all set for the year.

The onions are now laid out to dry.  We put them on racks in a shed which provides a dry, shaded environment with good air circulation.

The drying rack is made of chicken wire stretched on a wooden frame, and held up by cinder blocks, allowing free circulation of air under the onions.
To facilitate the drying process, the onions are spread
 out carefully, with plenty of space around them. 

When the tops dry out, in about a month, we will trim them off and store the onions in bushel baskets in our basement. 
Optimal environment for storage is dry and 50 degrees.  

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