St. Patrick's Day

They say on St. Patrick's day, everyone is Irish!  Many people people think green and beer when thinking of St. Pat's Day.  Others think of Corned Beef.  When I think of St. Patrick's Day I think onions! 

This was the traditional day to plant onions in my Italian neighborhood.  Here in Central Pennsylvania, what the weather will be like on St. Patrick's day is pretty much a crap shoot, but I have managed to plant onions on this day every year.  I have gone out and poked through the snow to frozen ground and dropped the onions into little indents with the belief of Spring, and have never been disappointed!  My husband has laughed at me all bundled up out there trying to find ground to plant the onions, but low and behold, when the thaw finally hit, there were lines of delicious onions ready to serve with the dinner.

This year, like last year, was exceptional in the fact that I was able to actually turn the onion patch over before I had a chance to plant it.  Already there is a promise of Spring out there, the crocuses, and pussy willows are already accepting the gift of warmth and sun.

It doesn't take much, just go to a local Agway, or seed store, and get some onion sets.  Onions aren't really picky about the soil, but they like sun.  If you can't even prepare the soil it is OK.  Just poke some holes in the ground a couple of inches deep, and drop the onion sets in.  As I used to tell my children when they were little...just make sure the fuzzy side is down.  In a couple of weeks, you will have wonderful spring onions to serve in salads, or greens to chop into almost any meal, or just on the dinner table ready to dip in salt and eat fresh!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!