Georgia Trend Magazine. May 2025.
What began in the mid-1980s as a small family farm in Reidsville today is one of the largest growers and shippers of sweet onions in North America. Shuman Farms is dedicated to growing and delivering world-famous Vidalia onions through brands like RealSweet and Mr. Bucks. Currently, there are about 60 Vidalia onion growers across 20 counties, but Tattnall County accounts for more than half of all Vidalia onion productions.
Nicknamed the “champagne of onions,” Vidalia onions look flatter on top, are yellow in color, and won’t make you cry like the pungent onions often used for cooking. Celebrity chefs and restauranteurs prize them for their sweet and mild flavor, unmatched by any other onion. The perfect combination of the region’s mild weather, regular moisture and low sulfur in the soil gives this specialized onion variety its uniquely sweet taste. Production of Vidalia onions is rather limited, and they are available seasonally (generally from April to September) at grocery stores around the country. Look for the official Georgia Department of Agriculture trademark on the label.
Cooking With Vidalia Onions
The premium quality onions are versatile. Slice and eat them raw over salads, top on burgers, sauté on to a steak, grill and caramelize as a side. John Shuman, president and CEO of Shuman Farms recommends peeling and coring the onion, adding a pat of butter, a bouillon cube and salt and pepper into the core, wrapping it up in foil, and grilling it on the oven until you get the texture you like.
Vidalia onions are deeply rooted in Georgia’s vital agriculture economy. Shuman grew up watching his father work on their family farm and is leading the next generation of onion farmers in southeast Georgia. In 2020, he was named Grower of the Year by the Vidalia Onion Committee. Shuman says that sustainability is always on top of his mind as the farming community faces climate changes, technological advances and international tariffs. His main goal is to be a “good steward of the land to protect it for future generations,” which is why his farm invests in water and electricity conservation, and recycled packaging.
Every year onion-lovers are invited to celebrate and honor the growers and harvest of new crops at the Vidalia Onion Festival. This year’s occurred in late April. Shuman and his family are among many of the residents near Vidalia who attend regularly. The four-day, family-friendly festival features concerts, dancing, fireworks, golf, a movie under the stars, a daily carnival and vendors selling food and crafts. There are also cooking demonstrations and tastings, an onion eating contest, and an onion run.
Nearby, the town of Glenville celebrated its 49th sweet onion festival on May 10th. The annual extravaganza includes arts and crafts, vendors and a parade.
During the Champagne of Onions Restaurant Week (May 17-24, 2025), Vidalia onion growers partner with leading chefs across the state to showcase creative ways to cook with onions. The week helps bring awareness to the versatile bulb, and Shuman donates $500 to a food-focused nonprofit selected by each participating restaurant.
A Full Circle
Shuman Farms and sister company Healthy Family Project help families facing food insecurity by donating meals to the national hunger-relief organization Feeding America, and also raise awareness about the importance of buying fresh produce, eating balanced meals and having healthy habits