Onion World: The Voice of the Onion Industry

It’s a BIG Job: 13 Harvesters and 6,000 Acres

Onion World
November 2007

Harvesting the onion crop takes a serious commitment at River Point Farms, headquartered in Hermiston, Ore. In mid-September, 13 harvesters were at work from dusk to dawn helping bring in this year’s crop. Over 400 million pounds of onions were grown this year on about 6,000 acres including both processing and fresh market crops. Onions are delivered throughout most of the year. From east to west, the farm is spread out over roughly a 40- mile area.

River Point Farms is a new entity created last April by the merger of Rivergate Farms, owned by Joe Graziano, and American Onion, owned by Rick Hale, Bob Hale and Bob Levy. There also are other partners in the new operation. Because of the merger, River Point Farms is now America’s largest grower, packer, shipper and processor of onions, handling yellow, white, red, sweet and organic onions. The company’s state-of-the-art growing and storage techniques ensure a yearround supply of whole, peeled and sliced onions to various foodservice, industrial ingredient and retail customers.

River Point Farms was recently honored by the Subway® restaurant chain as its “North American Supply Chain Partner of the Year.” The designation was made Aug. 1 in Orlando, Fla., during Subway’s vendor awards ceremony, a segment of its annual franchisee convention.

Appetite for Onions
Satisfying River Point Farms’ processing plant’s year-round thirst for onions as well as orders coming in from fresh market customers requires significant harvesting capacity.

“We run the processing plant 365 days a year,” says Delbert Gehrke, River Point Farms’ general manager. “We grow everything from overwintering onions to transplants, intermediate types and long-day onions for storage. “We also grow many different varieties, depending upon the timing and needs of our facilities, whether for fresh pack or processing. Every variety is grown to fit a certain window for one
facility or the other,” the farm manager explains. “Out of a 12-month cycle, we will miss a month on yellows and about six weeks on reds. During those gaps, onions are grown under contract for River Point Farms in California.”

Bulk of Crop Mechanically Harvested
The majority of the crop is mechanically harvested, according to Gehrke. The bulk of the harvesters are “Parma” brand, an older mechanical harvester discontinued more than a decade ago. Only 13 of these machines were ever made, and of those, River Point Farms owns eight. All have been extensively modified and updated to perform more effectively in the sand and continue to do a “great job.”

The sandy soil in which the onions are grown is corrosive to harvester parts, including chains, bearings and fan blades. Replacement parts are frequently required. Earlier this year, River Point Farms
added a new Shuknecht SP-160 onion harvester to help expedite the harvest, particularly during the summer time.

“With the addition of the new processing division, our summertime onion volume needs are tremendous,” Gehrke stresses. “While some of the softer varieties continue to require hand topping, the SP-160 enables us to harvest high volumes of onions in a short period of time.”

One man can accomplish a signifi cant amount of work, the general manager notes. No windrowing is required, and the selfpropelled, high-volume onion harvester can pick up four 40-inch beds (up to 160 inches) at one time. It tops and loads up to 4 tons per minute, depending upon conditions.

Seated in an air-conditioned cab, the operator has total control of such things as pick-up elevator height and speed; topper height and speed; ground speed; blower velocity, and loading elevator height and speed. The SP-160 onion harvester comes with a 260 HP turbo diesel engine, 31-inch wide traction fl otation tires and four-wheel-drive positraction.

Also important to the equipment portfolio are two Top Air harvesters used to meet the company’s green topping needs. Added together, Gehrke feels that River Point Farms is well equipped to meet its daily onion needs, whether for the processing plant or orders from fresh market customers.

Potatoes, carrots, green peas, sugar snap peas, lima beans, sweet corn and blueberries are also important crops for the Hales and Levys, who raise them as part of other private farming operations.

“Since our onions and potatoes and other vegetables are grown on the same ground, we work on a 4-year rotation,” explains Gehrke. “All are very important crops and have individual needs that must be considered as we plan for the future, including which crops will follow.”

The majority of River Point Farms’ onion crop is under pivot irrigation, although drip has become more important than it once was.

“When grown under drip, Spanish-type onions produce more super colossal,” Gehrke observes. “We do drip and are about where we want to be.”

Start Planting in February
Located on the south side of the Columbia River, River Point Farms is ideally located for a quick start in the spring time. The planting season for its spring onion crop begins in February, well ahead of other
parts of the Columbia Basin. Mother Nature also has blessed the area with an extended fall season that occasionally continues well into November.

“We still like to be finished up harvesting by Oct. 15,” adds Gehrke, “not because of the threat of a deep frost, but because after that date we are more likely to have rainy weather.”

River Point Farms has “25 to 30” onion storages at different locations used to store the crop. Some onions are stored in bulk, while others are kept in bins. Each of the storages is equipped with modern, computerized systems that enable the managers to carefully monitor what is going on inside.

Personal History
Born in the Richfi eld, Washington area, close to Vancouver, Gehrke grew up on a dairy farm. While in grade school, his parents sold out and moved to eastern Oregon. It was there that Delbert first met and became acquainted with the Hale family.

“My dad farmed as a neighbor to the Hales, who are part owners of this organization,” Gehrke says. “While completing a degree in ag business, with a minor in crop sciences, at Oregon State University in 1994, I worked part time for the Hales and then joined them full time soon after graduating.”

Prior to the emergence of River Point Farms, Gehrke served as general manager of American Onion. This is his 18th year in the onion business, virtually all of that associated with the Hales and the Levys.

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