I hope everybody had the opportunity to read the onion stories in our April issue of Growing. I am not a professional vegetable grower, just a novice gardener, but I gained valuable information from them, especially “7 Tips for Growing Your Best Onion” and “Onion Seed Varieties.” Growing Onions
I love onions on and in everything, but I have never grown them before because I just didn’t know which kind grew best in northern Vermont. After viewing the chart in the April issue I have a better idea – I have to pick a variety that is long-day versus short-day. I am anxious to start my garden this spring. Of course, I will reread the April Growing and highlight everything before I put that first seed in the ground.
Thinking about onions always reminds me of my great-grandmother. She lived to be 92 years old and for decades she ate an onion sandwich every night from Oct.1 through March 31, Vermont’s official winter months. She was convinced that the onions kept her healthy.
Searching for the possible health benefits of onions makes me realize that maybe Grammy was onto something. They are high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, yet low in calories. Folate found in onions can help with mood swings.
Probably the only onion not good for us is the blooming onion. They are delicious and smell so good at the county fairs. If you search the internet, there are recipes for blooming onions and even step-by-step pictures on how to make them. But at 800 calories, I decided I would not copy down any recipes. I still savor the memories of how good they tasted.
By the time you read this, I should have my onion and pumpkin seeds in the ground. I would like to thank all you readers who sent me handy hints to improve my pumpkin patch.
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