LASALLE, CO — Growing demand for specialty items has prompted northern Colorado grower-shipper Harry Strohauer to ramp up emphasis on his fingerling potato crop and specialty onion packaging this season.

Strohauer said the fingerlings, as well as russets and Yukons, are being offered both as conventional and organic.

“Our potato category includes conventional and organic russets, Yukons, Banana Fingerlings, Rose Finn/Ruby Crescent Fingerlings, French Fingerlings and Purple Fingerlings,” he said. The operation is also a major producer of conventional and organic specialty onions, with the 2014 line-up consisting of White, Red and Gold Pearl and boiler onions, Cipollinis and shallots.

Strohauer Farms is offering three-pound bags of organic yellow, red and white onions in high-graphic packaging that features several ‘Favorite Onion Recipes’ from the National Onion Association. (Photo courtesy of Strohauer Farms)On July 1 Strohauer said he was estimating a start date for his conventional Yukons and russets grown in New Mexico during the week of July 28. Colorado-grown conventional fingerlings are expected to follow during the week of Aug. 4, and organic Yukons will start shipping the week of Aug. 11. All Strohauer specialty onions will start mid to late September, he said.

The manifest has expanded, he said, to include three-pound bags of organic yellow, red and white onions in high-graphic packaging that features several “Favorite Onion Recipes” provided by the National Onion Association.

“The packaging also includes handling, storage, health and nutrition information,” he said.

Strohauer added that his overall acreage has “increased slightly this season with emphasis on fingerlings due to market demand.”

Strohauer said, “We have expanded our farming in Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. This year we have potatoes in both New Mexico and Texas and plan to add potatoes to the ground that we are currently farming in Oklahoma. The potato crop looks good, but we were set back by a late frost in May.” There are no Strohauer onions grown outside of Colorado currently, he said.

At the LaSalle shed streamlining and upgrades were undertaken in the past 12 months, and the veteran grower-shipper said, “Last year we implemented major changes and additions to our packing warehouse, and we have been pleased with the results and the performance during the past season.”

As one of northern Colorado’s growers most affected by water shortages and regulations during the past several years, Strohauer said the current season is much improved.

“We were very blessed with a great snowpack in the mountains this past year,” he said. “The supply of surface water has been good. Also we have had quite a bit of rain this season.”

But, he added, “Unfortunately there is nothing new to add to the well pumping issues and challenges we have been facing over the past several years.”