Most people do not know the name of Mose Coleman, but a historical marker (1) bearing his name sits on his property in Toombs County. Here is where Mose planted onions in 1931. But oddly, they turned out sweet, not hot like he had predicted. Nevertheless, the Toombs County farmer got a decent price for his novelty onions at the market. He managed to sell each 50-pound bag for $3.50. Over the years other farmers in the region tried their luck with the onions, which sold well in the Toombs County seat of Vidalia. Motorists traveling on nearby US 280 and Route 1 who tried the onions liked their sweet, mild taste. They bought them by the bagload and referred to them by the name of the town. Soon Vidalia onions appeared on the shelves of Piggly Wiggly and A&P grocery stores all over the East.
Today, the Vidalia onion industry is worth an estimated $30 million. Each autumn and winter more than 200 farmers plant the sweet onions on about 14,000 acres. When harvested in the spring and early summer, each acre produces up to 70,000 plants.
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