The Most Unexpected Place You Should Visit In New York State Smells Like Onions

What's that smell? It could possibly be a Hudson Valley town that truly smells like onions.

While driving on roads in New York state, we could smell a lot of different scents. From fresh cut grass to farmland scents, smoke from a bonfire or even the smell from someone's outdoor barbeque are all pleasant scents to experience on roads.

For Hudson Valley locals, smelling onions in a specific area just makes sense. However, for visitors who drive through this Hudson Valley town, they may wonder what the smell is and where it is coming from.

The Most Unexpected Place You Should Visit In New York State Smells Like Onions

This summer, I had the opportunity to smell onions on my way to a farm in the Hudson Valley. I quickly remembered that I was in an Orange County town where onions are the everyday smell and that this is normal.

The New York Times shard that this area is

"22 square miles of Orange County, N.Y., known as the “Black Dirt” region."

Where Is The Black Dirt Region In New York State?

The Pine Island, NY Chamber of Commerce shared information about the Black Dirt Region and its history in New York state.

The Town of Warwick is where the hamlet of Pine Island, NY is located. This area may also be referred to as the Black Dirt Region.

They shared,

"Today, the fertile black dirt farming region, located in Orange County, NY, consists of thousands of very flat acres of deep and richly organic soil, dissected by rivers, drainage ditches, and farm roads."

It's fascinating to see the miles of acres and farmland while driving through the Black Dirt Region, especially on a warm and sunny day.

The New York Times also shared, 

"the area has been known for onions, producing some of the spiciest alliums available, thanks to the soil’s high sulfur content, which boosts pyruvic acid, that irritating and delicious compound that makes eyes well up at the cutting board."

How Do Glaciers From Over 10,000 Years Ago Relate To The Black Dirt Region's Soil?

The Pine Island, NY Chamber of Commerce continued to share,

"This unique valley formed from the decay of plants and the remains of a great shallow swamp as a result of glaciers melting away over 10,000 years ago."

 

"These “drowned lands”, as they were once called, were recognized by early Polish settlers to the region to be the same soil that had been commissioned for farming in their homeland."

Today, this historic region is still home to hundreds of small and large farm lands. These local farms provide markets, stands and even supermarkets.

The Pine Island, NY Chamber of Commerce explained that the Black Dirt Region is mainly known for its onion production. However, this region grows carrots, sweet corn, pumpkins, lettuce greens and more.

Do You Remember This Onion Inspired Eatery In The Hudson Valley?

The Jolly Onion was a popular restaurant located near the Black Dirt Region of Pine Island, NY. They are permanently closed but maybe another business will open with a similar idea of honoring this Orange County area that smells like onions.

The Jolly Onion was known for being a trademark in Pine Island, the Black Dirt Region area since the 1960's. They had over 9,000 followers on Facebook and over 8,300 likes.

Have you ever been to the Black Dirt Region around County Route 6 before to smell the onion fields? Will you visit this area near Pine Island, NY in the future? Tell us more below.