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Walla Walla Sweet
Onion Tradition |
____Corsica
The Walla Walla Sweet Onion story began
nearly a century ago on the Island of
Corsica, off the west coast of Italy. It
was there that a French soldier, Peter
Pieri, found a sweet onion seed and
brought it to Walla Walla in the late
1800's. At the time, Italian immigrant
gardeners comprised the core of
WallaWalla's gardening industry, and
several were Pieri's neighbors.
Impressed by the new onion's winter
hardiness, they and Pieri harvested the
seed.
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This "French" onion developed over
several generations through the process
of carefully hand selecting onions from
each year's crop, ensuring exceptional
sweetness, jumbo size, and round shape.
Today's growers realize they're not just
raising sweet onions, but cultivating a
tradition.
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____Walla Walla |
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Walla Walla is actually Native American
for "many waters." Located in the
southeast corner of Washington state and
nestled at the foot of the Blue
Mountains, Walla Walla is a community
steeped in history and blessed with
natural beauty. Walla Walla has often
been called an "oasis in the desert"
because of the abundance of trees in
this generally arid region. The climate
is moderate, with average annual
temperatures from 32.4 to 88.9 degrees.
Average annual precipitation is 15.96
inches with approximately 20 inches of
snow during the winter months. Walla
Wallans enjoy a wide variety of cultural
and recreation opportunities, with a
world-renowned symphony, three colleges,
and a population of nearly 29,000. |
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