Baloian Farms, Fresno, Calif., is beginning its 40th season of shipping heirloom Fresno Flat Sweet Red Onions.
Harvest starts in mid-May for the variety, exclusive to Baloian Farms, according to a news release. The variety was once popular in the Fresno area, but over the years, no seed companies offered the variety as growers retired. Six years ago, Baloian Farms moved to keep the variety from disappearing.
““If we did not do something, this amazing variety would have disappeared forever,” CEO Tim Baloian said in the release. “That was not something we were going to let happen.”
The onions are harvested by hand and cure in burlap sacks before being packed into 40-pound cartons.
“We have customers from Fresno all the way to Eastern Canada and everywhere in between that enjoy this flat sweet red onion every year,” Jeremy Lane, sales manager, said in the release. “It is truly a one of a kind variety and I am thankful for all of our customers who share an appreciation for it.”
The growing conditions have been favorable this season, according to Reiley Johnstone, salesman and commodity manager.
“We are opening up the first burlap sacks to start packing, and the size, color and condition look excellent,” Johnstone said in the release.
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