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In
1931 Mose Coleman, a local farmer, decided to plant some onion
seeds. When the
onions were ready to harvest, he was surprised to find that the
onions had a mild, odorless
flavor and
were white in color. When Coleman went to the market, he placed a higher price
than usual on his pretty onions. Within three years, he had to enlist
the help of neighboring farms to plant and harvest his increasingly
popular onions. Since the Vidalia Sweet Onion has to be slowly nurtured through
a nine-month growing season, it is available only in the spring, so the
supply cannot meet the constant demand. Therefore, some area growers
have invested in controlled atmosphere storage for onions which
allows Vidalia Sweet Onions to be available in the fall, as well as the
spring. More than fifty years after its humble beginning, the
Vidalia Sweet Onion is a valuable industry for the state. In 1990 it was
named Georgia's official vegetable. Onions contribute over $50 million
to Georgia’s economy annually. |
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