Fewer farmers keeping Estonia's Peipus onion tradition alive
Peipus onions remain a popular regional staple in Estonia, but each year, fewer farmers can keep up with the demanding work of growing them.
On September 13, the Onion Route will host its 10th Buffet Day along the Estonian shore of Lake Peipus, featuring a contest to crown the best onion pie — all made with locally grown Peipus onions.
Liis Lainemäe, one of the main promoters of the Onion Route, says growing Peipus onions is physically demanding, and younger generations are less willing to take on the labor-intensive work.
"Right now, the good old-fashioned culture of onion growing is still alive, but every year we see fewer sellers in Kolkja, Kasepää and Varnja, where a lot of Peipus onions are grown and sold at roadside stands in the fall," Lainemäe acknowledged.
Growing the onions is a multi-year process. "The beds are tall, dug by hand with long shovels, and young people aren't really keen on manual labor," she explained. "Onion cultivation is unfortunately declining, but we hope the tradition won't disappear entirely."
Peipus onions are pricey, reflecting the hours of work required to produce even a kilogram of well-dried bulbs.
"For many, onion farming is the only way to earn a little extra alongside their pensions," Lainemäe said. "Fortunately, locals no longer have to travel to Tallinn or Tartu as often to sell them; visitors now come to the Onion Route to buy onions."
Though Lainemäe lives in Tartu, she has made promoting the culture of the Lake Peipus region her mission — simply, she said, because the locals are so incredible.
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Editor: Annika Remmel, Aili Vahtla
