May/June 2003

Tarheel Onions
This North Carolina grower hopes to copy a page from the Vidalia onion growers' playbook.

When Wilson Daughtry started growing onions in 1994, area observers probably questioned his judgment. After all, several local farmers had tried getting into onion production, only to have their enterprises fail. The reasons were varied, but the result was the same: Those who tried couldn’t make the crop profitable.

“I saw potential for onions in this area,” the Engelhard, N.C., grower says. “The mild climate and high organic soil here in eastern North Carolina are ideal for onions.”

To help avoid some risk from the new crop, Daughtry started small, planting several traditional varieties over 4 acres. But he also tried a few nontraditional varieties.

After several years of experience, Daughtry found the key to what he believes is a successful future in the onion business. “We’ve found a commercially available variety from a Japanese company that, when planted in our area, produces a very mild, large onion,” he says. “Although it hasn’t been grown by many farmers in the U.S., it’s similar in taste to Vidalias but has a more globular shape. Most important, it has a better shelf life.”

Daughtry now plants more than 100 acres of onions, expanding each year to meet a growing demand. He relies on Gardner Smith, a Southern States field sales associate in eastern North Carolina, for many of his crop inputs.

“We start the crop from seed rather than sets, so fertility needs are important in establishing the crop,” he explains. “I use products from Southern States, varying from lime to nitrogen, phosphate and potassium. Much of that is applied at variable rates, using the co-op’s GPS-driven Precision Farming Services Program.”

Although Daughtry isn’t marketing his onions as a branded product like Vidalias, that’s his goal. So far, the business has depended heavily on word of mouth from satisfied customers, he reports.

As business grew locally, requests started coming in from customers who wanted to ship onions out of the area. Daughtry says he’s working to expand his mail-order business. That includes establishing a Web site, which will be up and running later this year.

Who knows? Maybe someday Daughtry’s onions will be as well known as Vidalias.

For information or to order Daughtry’s onions, call 252-925-9731.