The past weekend we processed the last batch or broilers for the year. In the past we have grown both the conventional white Cornish Cross and the upscale European “yard bird” known as Label Rouge. The CC grows out quickly and yields a blockly white carcass. The Red Labels take almost twice as long to grow and yield a more elongated carcass with a little more dark meat. The slow birds are also harder to process as they are more heavily feathered . The slow birds have a little more flavor to them, I think. The birds we did this time were something in between. They are the slow variety and have the good flavor of a 12 week old bird but they are not quite so heavily feathered. Lacking the heavy breast of the CC they still have a decent amount of white meat. So unless the customer feedback is really bad I think this will be our “bird of the future”. These will come from the hatchery in South Alabama.
A few weeks ago we made a sketch of what we wanted to grow in the garden next year. I wanted to grow some onions different from the regular varieties found in the store. So I thought it would be easy to pick a couple of onions – one bulb type and one bunching type. Looking at the selection of seeds is mind boggling. Onions. Long or short day? Globe onions? Big bulbs? mini bulbs or green scallions? White, yellow, purple, red or what? Large and sweet or spicy and mellow? Onions are among the first seeds we will start so we need to decide right away. Growing just below a latitude of 35 degrees means for bulb onions we must grow “short day” types. Further north they grow long day varieties. If that sound backwards to you think about the long summer days of Alaska legends. Their summer days are very long. So, we will grow these selections:
From the Cipollini onions, probably the Bianco Di Maggio, an Italian cipollini with solid white flesh and sweet, mild flavor. A Classic white cipollini, can also be grown out to a small early season onion.
Spring Onion Barletta, Another wonderful small onion, perfect for salads, kabobs, or pickling. Can be used as an early small bulb scallion or cipollini.
From the globe onions- Rossa Savonese Translucent, semi-flat, red, sweet onion originating from Spain. Mild, excellent taste. Beautiful onion, excellent for salads and as a fresh slicer.
Onion Tropeana Tonda Famous European onion with large, violet-red top-shaped bulbs. Excellent flavor that has become almost legendary for fresh market.
A summer mini – Purpleete (JSS) a glossy rich burgundy changing to a pastel pink when cooked or pickled. This is a flavorful specialty onion.
For the bunching/scallions we will grow: Spring Onion Rossa Di Lucca Mid-Early variety of small bulbed red spring scallion for salads, kabobs, and other dishes. Sweet and mild with excellent flavor. Short storage ability, a premium fresh variety.
Red Bunching Onion (Rossi)Another wonderful heirloom onion. This is the pink and red tinged traditional ‘ciboule’ or French scallion. When lightly washed and peeled it has a beautiful pink look. A masterpiece for market growers and gourmets when matched up side by side with the more traditional green onion.
Now to look at the myriad of lettuce and tomato seeds. Then peppers and melons.
Blessings,
Stanley