Vidalia Onion Farm Tour (#VisforVidalia) + $500.00 Visa Gift Card Giveaway!

Learn more about Georgia grown Vidalia Onions.  Sweet, delicious and perfect in so many recipes!  

a day on the farm - Vidalia Onions | Mother Thyme

 A few weeks ago I visited the Vidalia onion farms located in none other than Vidalia, Georgia.

There were fields and fields of sweet Vidalia onions everywhere.

I was in Vidalia heaven.

Georgia grown Vidalia Onions are a personal favorite.  These sweet and delicious onions are available seasonally from late April until September.

a day on the farm - Vidalia Onions | Mother Thyme

a day on the farm - Vidalia Onions | Mother Thyme
I was getting up close and personal with these beautiful Vidalia’s that were ready to burst from the soil.

DID YOU KNOW?

Keep your Vidalia onions fresh by wrapping them in a paper towel and placing them in your refrigerator crisper with the vents closed and they will last for a long time!  Trust me, it works!  Give it a try!  

If you store some of your produce together in a bin, don’t keep your Vidalia’s with potatoes, which will make them go bad quicker.

WHAT MAKES A VIDALIA ONION A VIDALIA ONION?

Vidalia onions are grown in Southeast Georgia where you will find the right climate and soil with a low amount of sulfur to produce these sweet and delicious onions.  The majority of Vidalia onion farms are multi-generational, family-owned and operated.  

a day on the farm - Vidalia Onions | Mother Thyme
MEET THE GROUP! 

From left to right  — Brenda from a farmgirl’s dabbles, Alyce Head, Editorial Director for Cooking with Paula Deen, Julie from the little kitchen, Maria, mom of Stacie from The Divine Miss Mommy, Susan Waters, Executive Director of the Vidalia Onion Committee, Liz from A Nut in a Nutshell, Paula from bell’alimento, Karen from In the Kitchen with KP, me hiding in the back, Crystal from Mrs. Happy Homemaker, Susan from Doughmesstic, Meredith from In Sock Monkey Slippers, Christine from Cook the Story, Julia, Associate Editor for Cooking with Paula Deen.  

vidaliaonions

HOW SWEET IT IS!

I was honored to attend the weekend long event with 10 other talented food bloggers and writers.  We had the opportunity to tour the Vidalia fields of the McLain Family who have been growing Vidalia onions since 1986.  They gave us an insider tour of the day to day operations.  I love being able to connect with the farmers and getting a chance to learn more about the production, it’s fascinating.

Next time you are at the grocery store and you pick up a bag of Vidalia Onions, just think they came from here…

A PEEK INSIDE THE VIDALIA ONION MUSEUM

With a visit to the Vidalia Onion Museum, you can learn more about where Georgia’s official vegetable began.  Believe it or not, it started in the 1930’s when farmers were looking to create a new crop during the Great Depression.  Farmers began selling them at the farmers’ market.  Buzz began to spread about “those sweet onions from Vidalia” and the name was born.  Piggly Wiggly grocery store started selling Vidalia Onions in their stores, and before you know it everyone fell in love with sweet Vidalia’s.  

a day on the farm - Vidalia Onions | Mother Thyme

a day on the farm - Vidalia Onions | Mother Thyme

I love this!  Piggly Wiggly reminds me of family vacations to the Outer Banks when I was young.

 EVEN SHREK LOVES VIDALIA ONIONS!  

a day on the farm - Vidalia Onions | Mother Thyme

a day on the farm - Vidalia Onions | Mother Thyme
AND OF COURSE THERE WAS FOOD…

a day on the farm - Vidalia Onions | Mother Thyme

Oh, the food.

Applebee’s prepared a delicious luncheon that featured The Grilled Vidalia Sirlion that is now available on Applebee’s summer menu.  A must try!

And I am still dreaming of the most delicious Vidalia Onion Cheesecake.  Trust me, I think we all wanted to lick our plates, it was so good!

a day on the farm - Vidalia Onions | Mother Thyme

We were treated to an amazing variety of Vidalia inspired dishes and even attended the Vidalia Onion Festival where we had a chance to listen to some great music under the stars in Vidalia.  

It was the perfect weekend of southern hospitality at its finest!

A big thank you to the Vidalia Onion Committee for the “sweet” weekend!

a day on the farm - Vidalia Onions | Mother Thyme

Keep in touch with the latest updates about Vidalia onions and follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

Looking for some yummy Vidalia onion recipes?  Stay tuned!  I have a delicious Vidalia Onion and Bacon Cheese Dip and Campfire Burgers topped with Vidalia Onions and a killer Campfire Sauce coming up that you will certainly want to whip up this Memorial Day weekend!

 

Vidalia Onion and Bacon Cheese Dip | Mother Thyme

Campfire Burgers | Mother Thyme

a day on the farm - Vidalia Onions | Mother Thyme

WIN A $500.00 VISA GIFT CARD + A SWAG BAG FROM THE VIDALIA ONION COMMITTEE!   

The Vidalia Onion Committee is giving away a $500.00 VISA GIFT CARD to one lucky MT reader! 

Yes, that’s right friends, $500.00 VISA GIFT CARD!

To enter, simply use the entry form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you Vidalia Onion Committee for sponsoring this generous giveaway! 

EARN EXTRA ENTRIES!

A few of my amazing blogging friends have teamed up so you have MORE CHANCES TO WIN!  Each of them are also giving away a GIFT CARDS thanks to the Vidalia Onion Committee!   Make sure you visit their blogs to enter their giveaways and earn additional entries here!  That means more chances for you to win! 

In the Kitchen with KP

Mrs. Happy Homemaker

A Nut in a Nutshell

The Divine Miss Mommy

Thank you Christine from Cook the Story for capturing great photos of the weekend! 

Disclosure-  Vidalia Onion Committee paid for my travel and expenses to Vidalia, but I was not compensated for this post.  All opinions, as always are my own.  

 

 

 

 

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321 Comments

  1. I love to saute Vidalia onions for topping burgers, or saute them with mushrooms and place atop a chicken breast.

  2. I use Vidalia onions in almost everything — in place of white or yellow onions. They are perfect for onion soup or sautéed and added to almost any dish.

  3. My favorite way to use Vidalia onions is by making a homemade bloomin onion and making a onion dipping sauce. Best way to eat them!

  4. I use Vidalia onions raw in salads, even my husband who can’t stand onions if they are hot loves these raw. We go through a bag a week, love onions for flavor.

  5. they are very good cut up with soy sauce, brown sugar, and maple syrup baked in the oven. seriously, though, what isn’t good with vidallia onions!! i wait patiently every year for them to be available here in northern maine.

  6. Using Vidalias raw is absolutely my favorite way to let their flavor shine through, although I do use them in cooking, too. Still, you can’t beat a potato or pasta salad loaded with sliced Vidalias.

  7. I like to use them in salads or sauteed with portobella mushrooms with a splash of balsamic vinegar and cherry tomatoes then topped with some feta. Sometimes I’ll add some kale or spinach too

  8. I LOVE onions! I don’t care how I have them, honestly. But, if I were to pick a favorite way, I’d say caramelizing them and placing on steaks, burgers or any meat 🙂

  9. Ooh, how yummy! I didn’t even know about these onions until about 2 years ago, when I saw them in a dip recipe on tv. Yummo! And that’s been my favorite way to make them since. 😉

  10. For a Ginger salad dressing and fried vidalia onions in Chicken biryani or lentil and rice.

  11. I love Vidalia onion season. They taste so sweet on salads and in all the summer salads we have so often at picnics. yummy to my tummy for sure!

  12. Hi! There is a second entry option to “Follow @ on Twitter”, but there’s no name or link in it as to whom to follow!? Thanks for your help! 🙂

  13. My favorite way to use Vidalia Oniions is to eat in salad,onionrings,on burgers,grilled with chicken n like to add in sandwiches

  14. I like Vidalia Onions on pizza and in sandwiches. I usually overload a turkey sandwich with onions and a thick piece of cheese.

  15. Onions improve most things and I use them in a variety of ways. My favorite is simple: a slice of raw Vidalia onion on a grilled hamburger.

  16. My favorite way to use them is to make onion rings. They are so good, I could eat them every day.

  17. I love to use these onions in breaded onions rings, or in a large stew with carrots, rice and celery.

  18. I love using them to make imitation bloomin’ onions, like those from outback.

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  19. LOL, I’ll eat Vidalia onions any way I can, but my all time favorite is to caramelize them, and eat them plain and unadorned, so I get that wonderful flavor all by itself . SO good!

  20. I love to use them to make blooming onions, just like the one’s you get at the fair.

  21. Making homemade fried onion rings with them! Just a little bit of seasoning in the flour, and it turns it into a delicious treat

  22. We love vidalia onions! They are so good just panfried and a bit of butter and sea salt and we serve them on anything and everything. I like them by themselves and love them grilled in foil!

  23. I love them in so many ways! One of my favorites is to grill them with other veggies and have them on steak 🙂

  24. I have been known to sautee Vidalia onions and then smother them in marinara sauce as a substitute for the spaghetti and its carbs!

  25. One of my favorite ways to use Vidalia Onions is in a veggie stir fry. I love the flavor they add when combined with green peppers, broccoli, zucchini and yellow squash, yum! 🙂

  26. I was born and raised in GA and have always loved Vidalia Onions!
    I like them as onion rings or on top of steak with mushrooms!

  27. I love eating Vidalia Onions raw on hamburgers, on tacos, on Kebabs, and in and on beef dishes and roasts. every which way I suppose 🙂

    callawishes(at)hotmail(dot)com

  28. I love to make onion rings with them but I also love to chop them up and use them in my burritos or any other burger recipe!

  29. Hello!

    The Vidalia Farm and the event looks fun! I would love to visit the farm some day!

    Thank you!

  30. Love vidalia onions!! I like having them caramalized to add to my burgers or make onions rings out of them.

  31. Oh I really love them in fajitas and tacos! We bake chicken with peppers and onions and they are always so good!

  32. My favorite way to use onions is with pico de gallo, onion rings and I like to pickle onions with lemon and habanero peppers, Thank you!

  33. Vidalia onions are perfect in salads! Thanks for the chance to win!
    mrsmchappell at gmail dot com

  34. Vidalia onions are perfect for any food i can say,bocz my wife use it for making indian curry,use in burgers as a salad,crispy onion rings r simply awesome,use as a pickle,boiled n purred vidalia onion is used to make Silky sauce by adding tomato n cashew nuts,so many tips n tricks can be used to make food delicious using Vidalia Onions

  35. I love using vidalia onions as onion rings or caramelized on a patty melt, either way they are awesome.

  36. We are a family that loves onions!! My kids love onion rings but I have a yummy homemade potato soup that I like to include onions in.

  37. I like to grill Vidalia Onions with mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. Thanks.
    partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com

  38. I love Vidalia Onions on my burgers on my steak, and roasted in the oven, and they also flavor my pasta dishes.

  39. i like them in a soup, i like them on a burger, i like them sam i am,
    even with green eggs and ham….hard to choose a favorite.

  40. I love them as onion rings because of how sweet they are. They really make the best onion rings.

  41. My husband’s onions and tomatoes marinated in balsamic is to die for. We have it every week in the summer.

  42. We also love to cut a slice into a baking potato, stuff it with slices of Vidalia Onions and butter, wrap and bake. Delicious.

  43. I use vidalias (carmelized) with garlic, mushrooms an spinach in my omelet every morning!

  44. We like to grill onions and mushrooms together and put them sandwiches. Or, better yet, just eat them. My favorite is grilled onions and mushrooms on foccacia with cream cheese! Oh Heaven!

  45. I’ve been eating Vidalia’s for over thirty some years now. We had a brief stint in Jacksonville, Fl then, and they sold them on the side of the road. I love onions so I was a happy camper when i discovered them. I have no favorite way to eat them, but by God, I eat them!

  46. My favorite way to use Vidalia onions is on the grill – it really brings out the sweetness. I have to say, though, that I’m loving the idea of Vidalia onion cheesecake. I may have to try it.

  47. I’ve never had the pleasure of using Vidalia onions, but I’m definitely an onion fan period! lol. My fave way to have onions is via onion rings! So yummy.

  48. I love Vidalia onions fresh in my salads, sauteed with grated carrots for my soups, and on burgers!

  49. I loved my Vidalia stewed with butter and beef boullion and mushrooms served over a great rib eye steak, oh so yummy

  50. We like to use them on our shish kabobs but I would love to try the onion and bacon dip shown above! It looks delicious!

  51. I love Sautéed Vidalia Onions with my Pierogies! Yum! I also love using raw Vidalia onions in sandwiches and salads. Plus, they make the BEST onion rings!

  52. One of many is putting a beef boullion in the center, butter on top, wrapping in foil and either putting on the grill or baking in the oven

  53. I love slicing them into slivers, adding them to some tomato slices and marinating them in a cool vinagrette dressing!

  54. Oh it’s hard to choose just one way. I add these to so many dishes I cook. I suppose a favorite would be adding them to soups to enhance flavor without adding salt. Also great in stir frys!

  55. My favorite is fried apples and onions just like my grandma used to make and ONLY vidalias will do! YUM!!

  56. I always use Vialia onions in my Thanksgiving stuffing recipe; wouldn’t be the same without them!

  57. I am a country girl, we love onions for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I love to fry my own onions for casseroles as well. I also love them with wilted salads

  58. My husband and I like to add chopped Vidalia onions to our hamburgers – in the meat before making the patties.

  59. My favorite way to use Vidalia Onions is to cook them on the grill, put them in salads, and I also want to try a new recipe I found on Pinterest the other day called Onion Bombs!!

  60. My favorite way to use vidalia onions is in my homemade potato salad – but onion rings is a close second!

  61. My favorite way to use Vidalia onions is in making homemade onion rings or baking on top of a pot roast.

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  62. To me nothing is better then throwing them on the BBQ grill and serving them on top of a grilled burger! This is a huge favorite of my whole family!

  63. We love making what we call “greasy” onion burgers. They’re just down and dirty, butter on the grill goodness. We even like to “toast” our buns in the onion drippings!

  64. This time of year we use our outside grill more often than we cook indoors. My favorite way to prepare vidalia onions is to marinate them and grill them over charcoal.

  65. MMM I love them all caramelized in the pan and put on top of my burger with mushrooms and hellmans mayo LOL

  66. I love Vidalias ~ they’ve completely replaced yellow and white onions in our kitchen. I use them daily / all the time ~ I love the sweet yet oniony flavor.

    One recipe I use them in where the VIDALIA’s themselves actually steal the show is a variation I can up with on Chopped Chicken Livers:

    I saute a sliced Vidalias and cleaned chicken livers in a mix of unsalted butter and olive oil ~ and here is the key: in a ratio of 3 to 1 (i.e. 3 lbs Vidalias to 1 lb chicken livers!) Season to taste with S & P and sprinkle with a little sugar to help caramelize. When the livers are lightly browned and cooked through (barely pink and NOT raw in the center) and the onions are translucent. Allow to cool (about 10 minutes) and then pulse (in batches if necessary) in a food processor along with a few diced HB eggs until ALMOST smooth (or desired consistency for a spread/dip. At this point I sometimes add other seasonings – or thin with a splash of Port or (Dry) Sherry wine (or broth. Scrape into a servering bowl and chill at least three hours.

    EVERYONE LOVES THIS – and the sweet onionly flavor of the Vidalias actually make it so no one seems to really know exactly what’s in it. I often serve this at parties (and for casual catering) and it’s always a big hit. One very sophisticated foodie guest actually asked me if it was made of CRABMEAT!

    In other words: I REALLY love Vidalias!

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