August 2022 - 5

MCLAIN
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he said. " We worked ridiculous amounts
of hours, which is what it took to get
this whole thing rolling and growing to
the point where it has been. You have
to maintain that dedication to feed the
monster, so to speak. "
That dedication requires meticulous
attention to detail. Brett McLain handles a
lot of field work and his brother runs the
packing shed.
" We would rather be hands-on, " Brett
McLain said. " It's really neat being in a
field working on a tractor and looking
over and seeing your son right beside you
on another tractor. It's one of the coolest
things I've ever seen. "
Farming heritage
The brothers grew up farming
alongside their father, James. When
he was 10, Brett McLain started
working on the family's tobacco farm,
as did his younger brother later. Their
grandparents also grew cotton, row
crops and raised livestock. Spring breaks,
summers and other times away from
school found the brothers working the
farm. In 1991, while in his early 20s,
Brett joined full-time, and Rusty started
full-time in 1992, packing onions.
The farming family planted its first
crop of Vidalias in 1986, and until 1994,
when it constructed its first controlledatmosphere
cooler, focused on onions
and tobacco. Because of the stress of
producing both crops, the sons asked
their dad to choose one. From then on, it
was all onions.
In 2010, the brothers took over
the family business. with their father
becoming a consultant. James McLain
died in 2018; he was 77.
McLain Farms was recognized as
Vidalia Grower of the Year award in 2014,
2018 and 2021.
The McLain brothers are teaching
their children - Brett's son and daughter
and Rusty's son - about running
the farm, and they are considering
agricultural careers. Jessica, Rusty's
wife, handles human resources and
compliance, while Kim, Brett's wife,
manages farm accounting and payroll.
Family involvement is important in
southeast Georgia, where the number of
Vidalia onion growers has declined by
more than half over the past 30 years.
" The future really depends on this
next generation, " Rusty McLain said.
" Someone has to grow the food for all
these people to eat. It's a really tough life. I
honestly don't know what things will look
like 20 years from now. "
Keeping it manageable
One key to success is making sure
acreage doesn't get out of control.
" It's always a competition amongst
ourselves to see the least number of
rejections in a year, " Brett McLain said.
" We don't want to have any complaints
or problems. That involves keeping your
acreage reasonable so you can keep up
with it.
" If you get too big and get too many
From left: Chase, Allison and Peyton, the newest generation at
McLain Farms, are considering ag careers. In southeast Georgia, the
number of Vidalia growers has declined by more than half over the
past 30 years.
acres and get too spread out, you can't get
the detail you need to make quality topnotch
onions, " he said.
Timing is critical, from planting to
spraying, harvesting and packing.
" Everything has to be done in a timely
manner, " Brett McLain said. " If you
over-extend yourself and get more of
what you can, then something's going to
start to slip. It's tough keeping yourself
reigned in. "
While planting and harvesting remain
similar to the past, the McLains have
taken steps to streamline other processes.
Unlike other onion crops that can be
seeded and harvested mechanically,
Vidalias require hand-planting.
The McLains reduced fertilizer
and spray applications. They apply
fertilizer and lime through variable
rates, to areas requiring more or less
volume. Technology has also improved
soil sampling.
" What we have seen over the years and
one thing we strive for is a more uniform
crop, more consistent sizing and better
yields, " Brett McLain said.
The McLains cooperate with seed
companies to grow better varieties
through test plot trials. " The seed
companies keep bringing us new and
improved varieties that help us across the
board, " he said. " We couldn't do what we
do if we were using the same varieties
we planted 20 years ago which just don't
work anymore. "
A graveyard of failed experimental
equipment is a testament to the McLains'
openness to new ideas.
Vidalia onions require manual harvesting. At McLain Farms, the
family operation uses competition between the brother-owners to
produce quality onions with fewer defects.
" We have a lot of homemade
(equipment) that did work, but have
never been afraid to try something, "
Brett McLain said.
As harvest nears every spring, Vidalia
onion growers keep a close eye on the crop.
" Things can change so fast, especially in
the springtime, when you're close to being
ready for harvest, " he said. " You could have
a really good crop today, but tomorrow
you could be in a lot of trouble. "
Family is the defining characteristic of
McLain Farms.
" We couldn't do this alone, " Brett
McLain. " It's too big with too much
going on with way too much to do.
Family is the most important thing
to us anyway. All this could go away
tomorrow, but our families would stay
together. " VGN
Workers harvesting Vidalia onions at McLain Farms in southeast Georgia. The
McLains won the Vidalia Grower of the Year award in 2014, 2018 and 2021.
Photos: McLain Farms
Rusty McLain, co-owner of McLain Farms in Lyons,
Georgia, walks the Vidalia fields.
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VGN | AUGUST 2022 | 5
http://www.hillsidecultivator.com
August 2022

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