Our friend and frequent photo/video/narrative contributor Robert Bell with Western Onion in Camarillo, CA, checked in recently to update us on his work in the California desert and Central Valley.
Right now, he said, “The short-days we have are from the desert by the time those run out we’re into Bakersfield intermediate onions. Then we transition to long-day in Cuyama.”
Robert said Western Onion is a few weeks out from its intermediate onions in Bakersfield. “Everyone who is already going in the Central Valley is harvesting short-day varieties,” he said. “Bakersfield is still three weeks off for us, probably the last week in June. Most other growers have started in Bakersfield; we just don’t plant short-day onions there, and that’s why we’re later.”
Judging by the photos Robert has provided, the Central Valley crops are coming along well, and he said the all-organic onions in Cuyama, his last California area, are “long-day storage type onions that are typically ready mid- to late August finishing in October.”
View Bakersfield photos
View Cuyama photos
