How to make $20k on an acre....

Eldon (WA) · Jul 27, 2013

Have an onion crop like this year! We only planted about a half an acre, but the yield is unbelievable. I estimate 12-15,000 lbs of onions we have to pull and cure. I have almost half pulled. We sell roadside, last year we ran out, this year we should be about right if I can find enough room to store them till sold. Here are two hay wagon loads in the barn starting to cure. I have 5 wagons that will hold about 2000# each, we hope to sell around 2000# out of the field at half price since we get short on curing space, and we've sold a bunch fresh out of the field since the first week of June.

Average size this year is about 2 lbs! I'd say 80% of the crop is over a lb, 40% 2-3 lb each!

fatbob50 · Jul 28, 2013

Do you plant sets or bulbs? How do you get them to grow this large? I have grown them for several years and mine do not get over 1 inch in diameter. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Your onions look good. Bob

John_PA · Jul 28, 2013

I wish I could find a crop I didn't have to bend over to grow and could yield that, with a market that buys it all at harvest. Is that every farmers dream?

Oh well...

Glad you can cash in, and I LOVE those pictures!

Did you ever make a battered onion slice sandwich? I used to have those with mustard on toast all the time. Was good, but no one would stand in an elevator with me!

gtractorfan · Jul 28, 2013

I have two antique racks of them I pulled out of the garden. I would have left them in longer except the weeds were trying to take over. Next year I'll use weedblock fabric. They don't shade the ground so weeds are a problem for me.

wfw · Jul 28, 2013

you need to plant onions early. In foothills of NC
I have planted mine the last of February to get big
onions. it has to do with average outside
temperature. planted later the top will not grow as
big so the onion doesn't grow as big either.

frank

larry@stinescorner · Jul 28, 2013

beautiful!!!! What variety are they? And did you plant plants or sets? Sure is a nice crop! Some of mine got rotten,I think I waited too long to pull them and we had heavy rains,but we have been eating a lot of them and giving a lot away,

Eldon (WA) · Jul 28, 2013

(quoted from post at 00:06:21 07/28/13) Do you plant sets or bulbs? How do you get them to grow this large? I have grown them for several years and mine do not get over 1 inch in diameter. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Your onions look good. Bob

We buy the Candy onion plants in bunches from Dixondale out of Texas. We try to plant when the garlic comes up, this year it was the end of March and we had perfect growing conditions even though the plants were small. I don't plant double rows like they suggest, heck these onions aren't even recommended for out long day climate....oh well. They say 2 month storage life, but we will still be eating these into next April...go figure.

buickanddeere · Jul 28, 2013

Doing a good job there.

Leroy · Jul 28, 2013

Friends are raising the Candy onions for the produce auction. Last year bought some plants and some seed, this year all seed. Haven't talked with them lately to see how they are doing. The one just put up a big produce packing building and in a cold room hopes to keep then untill next summer. And boy are the candy onions good. This is in northeast Indiana close to where that big building is that is in a later post on here.

How to make $20k on an acre....

Eldon (WA)

Well-known Member

fatbob50

Member

John_PA

Well-known Member

gtractorfan

Well-known Member

wfw

Member

larry@stinescorner

Well-known Member

Eldon (WA)

Well-known Member

buickanddeere

Well-known Member

Leroy

Well-known Member

Similar threads