The Smell Of Chives In The Air

Photograph by Steve F.
@fishtiger58 (29823)
Momence, Illinois
August 3, 2016 8:02am CST
My town is surrounded by farm fields. Mostly soy bean and corn, Illinois being the 2nd in the most corn grown and 1st in soy bean. However I can find no statistics for the growing of Chives. Chives are a member of the onion family and are native to North America, Britain, and Northern Europe. Flavor wise they are the mildest of all in the onion family and don't produce the typical onion bulb we are all familiar with. And they produce beautiful purple flowers. They are also hardy to minus 35 degrees, and this I know for fact as they are grown in my area extensively and I have seen them growing with snow on the ground and freezing temperatures. And while I love seeing them grow in the winter, and I love seeing the fields full of purple flowers there is one thing I thrill at about chives. The smell. Many days when I go outside my house you can smell the chives in the fields. They smell just like onions. Usually it's a pretty mild smell but smell they do. Last night at almost midnight our humidity was at 90%. Just awful. When my husband came home from fishing I was in the kitchen near the back door. When he opened the door all I could smell was chives. The strongest it's been since we moved here 15 years ago. I will take that smell over almost anything that can give odor to our air. I have a picture of the chive fields blooming their beautiful purple flowers, but for the life of me I can't find it, so I have a public domain photo of a blooming chive field to show you. Sorry all about the pic I didn't realize it was a shutterstock photo. Still looking for one to put on here. Photograph by Steve F.
24 people like this
23 responses
@LadyDuck (458976)
• Switzerland
3 Aug 16
I have chives in my garden, it is true that their purple flowers are pretty, but if you do not cut them before they turn into seed you will be inundated by chives.
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@LadyDuck (458976)
• Switzerland
4 Aug 16
@fishtiger58 They do, if you do not keep an eye on them, they fill the garden.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Aug 16
@LadyDuck I didn't know that, so I better think before I plant them close to where I don't want them to go. Thanks Anna.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Aug 16
They spread like crazy ay
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@sol_cee (38222)
• Philippines
3 Aug 16
Find that picture! lol And did you leave the door open? I can smell chives from here.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
3 Aug 16
No we had our air condition running so we closed the door, but the smell got in I love it.
@sol_cee (38222)
• Philippines
3 Aug 16
@fishtiger58 Smells like dinner.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
3 Aug 16
@sol_cee Indeed it does.
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
3 Aug 16
You prefer that smell to the smell of flowers - lavender, roses, wallflowers after rain etc? I find that surprising.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Aug 16
No I sure don't, but it's better than diesel from the trucks or someones garbage. It's pretty neat when you go outside and smell the chives though.
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@Drosophila (16573)
• Ireland
3 Aug 16
Chives are great :D I love them in a salad
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@Drosophila (16573)
• Ireland
4 Aug 16
@fishtiger58 definitely great with eggs
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Aug 16
I don't think I have ever tried them in a salad but sounds good, I will have to give that a go.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Aug 16
@Drosophila I may have to try it with eggs
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• Midland, Michigan
3 Aug 16
You may want to go out and take another picture of the chives growing near you. I love chives too, but even though my mom grew them when I was young, I don't ever remember any blooms on them.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
3 Aug 16
@fishtiger58 I think wikipedia has free ones, but not 100% sure. There's one other one that many used to use, but I don't remember the name of it. Have you tried googling that-meaning free to use pictures or something similar?
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Aug 16
@MarshaMusselman I have can't find much but I will try your suggestion. Thanks
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
3 Aug 16
Thanks Marsha I didn't notice it was shutterstock, I can't find one on Pixabay either. Do you know any other public domain site for pictures.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29218)
• United Kingdom
3 Aug 16
Wow I've never thought of a whole field of chives, but I guess they are grown commercially just like everything else. I have loads in my garden, they self-seed very easily and the bees just love their flowers.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Aug 16
Yes they are grown commercially here, they also grow cilantro which I do find overpowering.
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@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
5 Aug 16
We have had wild chives grown in our yard, they do smell delciious.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Aug 16
It's wonderful, I had never smelled them in a field until we moved here.
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@sofssu (23662)
4 Aug 16
It looks so pretty. How wonderful it is to be surrounded b y farm field. To us in the city it would be heaven.
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@sofssu (23662)
5 Aug 16
@fishtiger58 Now I envy you.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Aug 16
It's so great. I lived in the southern suburbs of Chicago my whole life. To finally be in a small town is heaven.
1 person likes this
@simone10 (54189)
• Louisville, Kentucky
6 Aug 16
They really do make pretty flowers and I love purple. I can imagine a whole field full of purple.
1 person likes this
@simone10 (54189)
• Louisville, Kentucky
12 Aug 16
@fishtiger58 I bet they were beautiful! I wouldn't have known what they were either.
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Aug 16
The first time I saw them in a field blooming I had no idea what they were. Just beautiful to see.
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Aug 16
we've lil wild 'uns that grow here, particularly late spring. they're great'n recipes, though if'n ya mow 'em 'n there's lots can be quite o'erpowerin'. the horses think they're tasty treats, 's well 's the cottontails :)
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Aug 16
@fishtiger58 yes ma'am, possibly so :)
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Aug 16
I have just now heard this that they spread like mad.
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@DianneN (247191)
• United States
5 Aug 16
I have two chive plants in the herb garden. I removed those pretty pink flowers as they grow to prevent the seeds from making me more plants. My two don't smell bad, thank goodness!
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247191)
• United States
13 Aug 16
@fishtiger58 Well, pinkish purple. Lol
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Aug 16
The other day I drove past a field where they were cutting the chives, and the smell was even stronger. I had my windows up and air on and could still smell them. Your's have pink flowers? The ones around here have purple flowers.
1 person likes this
@just4him (307029)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
5 Aug 16
I love adding chives to food to enhance the flavor and give it color. It must be almost heaven with that sweet onion smell close to home.
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@just4him (307029)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
12 Aug 16
@fishtiger58 I'm sure you do. It would make me hungry.
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Aug 16
And with the humidity we have been having you smell them everyday.
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@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
5 Aug 16
nice and beautiful purple flowers. don't you have your own picture of those chives?
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Aug 16
I thought I did but can't find the picture, I have over 10,000 pics on my computer so they are hard to find.
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• Xian, China
3 Aug 16
Well, the surroundings of your house must be very beautiful.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
3 Aug 16
We like it here, we have a river next to our house and farm fields surrounding our town.
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• Xian, China
3 Aug 16
@fishtiger58 And the air must be fresh all the year around.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
3 Aug 16
@transcendent yes mostly
@Teep11 (7674)
• United States
3 Aug 16
Sounds as if the chives generate joy. Certain smells generates better moods. Keep enjoying the outdoors.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
3 Aug 16
I love smelling them thanks
@Juliaacv (48537)
• Canada
3 Aug 16
I haven't seen any chive fields, here its mostly winter wheat, soybeans, corn and a variety of cash crops-carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and sugar beets.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Aug 16
Yes mostly we have soybeans and corn around here but I do so love the chive fields.
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@Beatburn (4287)
• Philippines
5 Aug 16
That smell is definitely better than the smog we have here especially during heavy traffic.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Aug 16
Oh yea thankfully we don't have bad air quality around here, occasionally I will smell the semi trucks rolling through
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• United States
3 Aug 16
I never knew that chives produced so many beautiful flowers
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
3 Aug 16
I didn't either until we moved here. And they grow all year round even in the cold dark winter. Just amazing.
@puddleglum (1380)
• United States
3 Aug 16
I love the smell of chives. It must be a treat to experience all that natural beauty so close to your home.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Aug 16
Some say the smell is too much but I haven't found that to be true for me, I love it.
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@AutumnSnow (4584)
3 Aug 16
While the flower itself is beautiful I can imagine how overwhelming the smell must be.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
3 Aug 16
My nephew says it to much but I love it.
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