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The Fellowship of the Holland Onion - Part 5: The Onion Processing Season
In the fifth installment of "The Fellowship of the Holland Onion," we continue to follow the charismatic Dutch onion grower Co van den Dries and his daily rituals. Even as his bountiful onion harvest rests in quiet storage, Co remains vigilant in his care.
Every two or three days, Co visits the onion storage shed to ensure the onions are well-preserved. He tosses an onion onto the pile, listening for the distinct pop that confirms the onions are still dry. As he walks carefully across the heap, the welcoming crispy sound of the outer onion layers reassures him. Demonstrating his expertise, Co digs an arm's length into the pile to inspect the onions' condition and checks for any signs of fusarium, a dreaded mold that can seriously contaminate the batch.
Experienced Dutch onion growers, like Co, habitually cut open their onions to assess quality. A well-formed onion will display many concentric rings, indicating good structure. If Co has any doubts about the drying process, he sets an onion aside to check later whether the rings have separated, which indicates proper drying. However, he must ensure the onions do not become too dry, as losing outer layers, known as "falling bald," can reduce the final yield.
Final Yield
The final yield is determined during the crucial moment of taring at the buyer's facility. The tare weight (non-usable weight) is agreed upon as a fixed percentage between the grower and the processor. To ensure accurate taring, the inspecting processor conducts pre-sampling three times during each unloading of a trailer batch of onions.
When the last trailer is unloaded and the onions are processed, Co arrives at the processor's yard. The onions move through the automated processing line, being sieved multiple times before reaching the top tailing machine. They are then graded and sorted with millimeter precision.
After about an hour, the entire 35-ton trailer load is processed, leading to the crucial joint taring of the Dutch onion batch. The outcome here is a minimal tare percentage.
Co's meticulously stored onions perfectly align with the quality ambition of the Holland Onion!