What is behind a well-grown spring onion?

A gastronomic gem with history

At Campos del Abuelo , we value each of our vegetables and fruits, and spring onions are no exception.

In this article, we will explore this vegetable that is beneficial for our health and tasty for our palate. Before we start, I want to remind you that you can now buy spring onions freshly harvested from our fields.

Well, let's get down to business!

Today we travel virtually to Xàtiva , where Javi, our expert farmer colleague at Campos Del Abuelo, reveals to us the secrets of this fundamental ingredient in our kitchen that often goes unnoticed.

The onion has come a long way throughout history. From the armies of Greeks and Romans who consumed it in the hope of gaining strength on the battlefield, to its spread throughout the Mediterranean coastal lands thanks to the expansion of the Roman empire.

During the Middle Ages, its generous bulbs were a common sight in the fields, laying the foundation for the varieties we know and enjoy today. But its journey did not end there. The onion also accompanied the Spanish on transoceanic voyages to the New World (what we now know as South America) in the 15th century.

Its ability to be preserved over long journeys made it an invaluable resource in those times of exploration and conquest. Once in America, due to the mild climate, its cultivation spread rapidly and was definitively integrated into the cuisine.

In addition to its flavor, it is also an ally for our health.

Onions are a vegetable that makes us shed more tears than a marathon of romantic comedy movies. Today I am not going to bring you tricks to avoid that inevitable festival of crying in the kitchen, but I am going to bring you some health benefits that will make you cry with emotion.

Well, I may be exaggerating, but I assure you that this vegetable can be your ally against the diseases of modern life.

Are you worried about the passage of time? Well, its antioxidants are a powerful tool against free radicals, helping us stay young for longer.

Quercetin and allylic sulfides are compounds that help protect our cells and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer.

And if your joints are making your life miserable, spring onion is your best ally. Its anti-inflammatory action can be very useful for all those who suffer from diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

And as a final fact that will make you want to use spring onions in your kitchen even more, we cannot forget that they are rich in dietary fiber , which makes our digestive system work like silk, preventing constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.

 

Our spring onion garden in Xàtiva

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, we are going to Xàtiva, where our farmer colleague Javi is waiting for us to tell us all the secrets of growing the best spring onions that many of you are already enjoying.

In Xàtiva, the history of water is as old as civilization itself, from the time of the Iberians to the present day. The ancient irrigation ditches ingeniously designed by the Muslims still irrigate these lands, providing the water that is used today for our spring onions.

How many varieties of spring onion are there?

Javi tells us about two types of spring onions , the baba or babosa onion, and the onion known as llíria . From September to July these varieties fill the fields of Xàtiva with their distinctive aroma and flavour.

It reveals the secrets of the sowing calendar, from the baba sown in September and harvested from February to March, to the llíria onion planted in January and ready to be harvested from June.

I can assure you that I am no expert in growing spring onions, but after our interview, it was clear to me that Javi is knowledgeable about both traditional and modern agricultural techniques and he gave us a very detailed guide on the care needed to ensure the success of the crop.

From caring for crops with organic fertilizers to fighting pests, Javi shows us how to balance nature and science in the field, almost as if he were a horticultural tightrope walker!

We were amazed by the modesty with which he explained a process that many people would find exhausting just by listening to it. You can't imagine how hard it is to grow a good spring onion...

How to grow spring onions?

Javi tells us that the first step is to make furrows in the ground with the help of the mule, and no, it is not the animal, imagine a bicycle, but it helps us to create furrows in the ground so that the seeds can later be placed, and once they reach a height of approximately 40 cm they are transplanted to the final location.

And so, with the final touch of fertilizer and watering , and Javi's ability to detect and eliminate any unwanted intruders, we obtain some tender onions that will not leave you indifferent with their flavor.

Diseases and insects can be a real nightmare, especially in spring, when our spring onions are more vulnerable due to the humidity from the rains.

But Javi explains that although the fusarium fungus or thrips can be the Achilles heel of our vegetables, there are organic methods to combat them. At Campos del Abuelo we grow our products organically. In this article, you can learn how organic products are grown . Now let's move on to Javier's spring onions.

As a final stage, once the bulbs reach an adequate size, it is time to harvest.

Last but not least, Javi reminds us of the importance of preserving our onions so that they reach our customers as fresh as the first day. To preserve them, the ideal is to keep them in refrigerators at 6-8 degrees , preserving their freshness and appearance.

Although supermarkets may offer impeccable-looking onions, Javi assures us that nothing compares to the authentic flavour of a freshly harvested spring onion. And this, I can attest to.

Where to buy spring onions online?