Green onion growers in the Midwest have begun their green onion harvest. The season began at the end of June and is expected to extend until the middle of fall. Rainfall at the end of spring resulted in a slow start, with limited volumes in the first few weeks of harvest. However, the Midwest has experienced above average temperatures and no rain since the start of summer, which has boosted production.
"At Buurma Farms, we have two growing locations - one in Gregory, Michigan, and the other in Willard, Ohio," shared Chadd Buurma of Buurma Farms. "We grow green onions in our Ohio location. We began the season two and a half weeks ago and expect to continue harvesting through to October 20, depending on the weather."
"We had above average rainfall in May and June, but since then it has dried up and temperatures have increased, a cycle that is quite typical for Ohio," he continued. "Production began slowly due to the rain, but we have now really ramped up production and quality is excellent."
Limited local supplies
Buurma said there are not many growers of green onions in the Midwest region and as a result, the market is strong. Prices are higher than usual, thanks to limited supplies in general. Additionally, Buurma pointed out that the company has opportunities in meeting demand for locally-grown produce.
"The green onion market is good and prices are higher than normal," he observed. "There are not that many growing green onions and as a result, there is a limited supply of locally grown green onions. We stay mostly local and ship to two or three states where we enjoy excellent support for our product."
"Tweaking the planting schedule"
As far as growing green onions in Ohio, Buurma Farms has fine-tuned their program. According to Chadd Buurma, the company is continually working on their green onion and other vegetable programs to ensure the most favorable window.
"There is always improvement happening, whether its investing in equipment upgrades or tweaking the planting schedule," he said. "99 percent of our green onions are shipped in a 48ct, and in this we offer the choice of a corrugated cardboard box or an RPC."
For more information:
Chadd Buurma
Buurma Farms
Ph: +1 (419) 935-6411
chadd@buurmafarms.com
www.buurmafarms.com