Crookham Company Long-Day Onion Show
Story and photos by Dave Alexander, Publisher
Since 1911, Crookham Company has been producing commercial seeds. To put that into perspective, the fourth-generation, family-owned company was established the same year as American icon Chevrolet. The RMS Titanic was launched, a year prior to her fateful maiden voyage. In 1911, onions wholesaled for 65 cents a 100-pound bag. Current CEO George Crookham’s great-great-grandfather started selling popcorn seed in Idaho’s Treasure Valley that year to meet the country’s demand for its favorite munchie. Popcorn was the snack food of the day, sold on street corners and in ballparks.
How has Crookham Company survived two world wars, the Great Depression and numerous economic downturns and recessions? In addition to the company’s reputation for expertise, integrity and maintaining good customer relationships, innovation has been key to its longevity. One hundred seven years later, Crookham continues to innovate. Innovation does come at a cost, however. Over the last 20 years, the company has invested tens of millions of dollars in research and in new variety development.
A few clouds could not dampen George Crookham’s enthusiasm for new variety Caliber, which he has nicknamed “bulletproof.”
The Crookham team is most excited about a new long-day onion variety that will be available soon. During the Crookham Long-Day Onion Show in August, George Crookham said he’s nicknamed variety 162 “bulletproof,” and it has been aptly named “Caliber.” The cultivar does everything exceptionally, he says. Pink root tolerance is fabulous, tops are green and erect, it has single centers, the variety handles thrips well, it has a good shape with a hard globe, and it stores extremely well.
“When everything else was sprouting like crazy in storage, it hardly had any sprouts,” Crookham said. “As breeders, we make sure we test storage in less than ideal conditions. We want to see what does well and what doesn’t.”
Caliber has been grown in strip trials and may be in a few acres next spring. It is ideally suited for the Treasure Valley, Washington and California.
Breeders expect new Crookham variety Caldwell to ring well.
Another new Crookham variety is 105, named Caldwell. It also does well in the Treasure Valley, California and the Pacific Northwest and features a beautiful globe and high-yield potential. The variety is generating great interest from growers, and there will likely be hundreds of acres grown next year. It is described as very healthy with erect tops, great shape and good pink root resistance. Crookham Company breeder Dave Whitwood selected this variety as one that will ring well.
New variety 189, Trident, will do well in the Pacific Northwest, Midwest and Northeast. Referring to its regional flexibility, Crookham said this onion is a “switch-hitter, which is not common to the onion world.” Like Caliber and Caldwell, this variety also has erect tops. Crookham said this common trait is what they have been selecting for because plants are healthier and it is easier to control thrips. Trident has a thin neck to help combat bacterial rot and a hard green scale to store well.
Crookham cautions that until seed is “in the bag,” they won’t know if the new varieties will be widely available next spring. The company just doesn’t know how much seed it will have after drying, thrashing and conditioning. These varieties are coming, though, and growers will benefit when they do, he said.
Crookham Company breeder Dave Whitwood (right) visits with growers at the company’s long-day onion show, held in late August.
Not a lot of companies or brands still exist that are selling the same products since 1911 like Chevrolet and Crookham are. Chevrolet’s sister-brand Oldsmobile is older, but defunct. Another Chevrolet sister, Pontiac, isn’t as old and also gone. Not only do companies have to innovate to survive, but they have to remain relevant to their customers, adapting to change to give customers what they want. Chevrolet has done it. So has Crookham Company.
The Crookham Long-Day Onion Show also featured some short- and intermediate-day varieties, displayed by breeder Filippo Rimi.
Casey Crookham with Gowan Seed Company visits with an attendee in Wilder, Idaho.
