Little Seeds and Little Sprouts Produce Tulelake Onions –
These are dehydrated onion seeds. 24 seeds will be planted to the foot. 60,000
to 135,000 seeds weigh a pound. Per acre, 3.5 pounds of seed will be planted and
25 tons of onions harvested. The sprout in the bottom right photo is hours old.
All of this growth is coming from the seed’s stored energy. Photosynthesis will
begin soon. The start to the root system is called a radical. The coming second
leaf is called a true leaf.
Each Field Has Its Own Challenges – This is the Nature of Farming –
To ensure that the seed stays moist it is necessary to maintain good seed-soil contact.
To be profitable, it is critical, as always at any plant stage, not to over water.
Onions are starting to bulk-up quickly under daily hot sun.
Research On The Job, in The Field, All For Better Yields –
University of California researchers and professors gather field data to help
farmers increase onion yields and maximize efficient irrigation practices.
These Onions Will Be Dehydrated and Consumed as Onion Salt –
Tulelake Onions Are Know For Their Excellent Quality and Yield –
What has 30 wheels, two tractors, two drivers, four graders, and a follower?
It’s an onion harvest.
Modern Farming Is Logistics, Teamwork, and Endurance –
Onions Tractors and Trailers Are Coming and Going. The Harvest Is In Full Swing –
These Onions Are Headed To Gilroy for Processing –
Trucks with Tulelake onions are a daily parade down Hwy. 97 to Hwy. 5 south.
Drivers take their trailers to Sacramento. There, drivers coming from Gilroy
trade trailers and take the onions south. Drivers return north to Weed with
empty trailers and spend the night with empty trailers. In the morning they
drive back to Tulelake for more onions and head back to Sacramento.
A Look Back at Onion field Moments In the Tule Lake Basin –
This page is in progress. More content is coming.
Tulelake Potatoes
Tule Lake Basin potatoes are famous around the world. An acquaintance of Anders emailed, in the late 2000’s, that a Chilean potato shed office computer’s screen-saver displayed a anderstomlinson.com/tule-lake/ Tulelake potato harvest image. It is indeed a small world and potatoes have become an integral part of the global food supply. It is the world’s fourth-largest food crop, following maize, wheat and rice.
Tulelake Grain
Grain is cut by the header and kernels are separated and up to 5 tons stored in the combine. Chaff is sent flying out the back. These harvest photos are from the 2005. On average a grain crop may take four months from planting to harvest.
Tulelake wheat and barley have the best yield per acre in the western United States.
Tulelake Mint
The Tule Lake Basin is one of two places in California where peppermint is grown. Tulelake Peppermint is well known for its consistent flavor and excellent quality. Warm days, cool nights, rich volcanic soil and talented farmers all factor into the production quality.
Tulelake Alfalfa
Tule Lake Basin alfalfa is known for its excellent nutritional value. There are over 60,000 acres of hay, alfalfa and grass varieties, in the Upper Klamath Basin. Haying, on average, takes place from June 1 through Oct. 15. Of course, harvest timing is is related to weather conditions throughout the season.
Tulelake Onions
The last crop to be harvested in the Tule Lake Basin is usually onions. As late as mid-November trucks with Tulelake onions can be a daily parade down Hwy. 97 to Hwy. 5 south. Drivers take their trailers to Sacramento. There, drivers coming from Gilroy trade trailers and take the onions south for processing.
Tulelake Horseradish
Tulelake is known as the “Horseradish Capital of the World” and accounts for a third or more of the nation’s production. Some local fields have been in continuous horseradish production for 25 years. Horseradish has been cultivated for at least 3,000 years.
©2014 Anders Tomlinson, all rights reserved.
