Sorbello & Sons: A Century-Old Onion Farm Embraces the Future of Agriculture

Sorbello & Sons Farms has been growing onions since 1923, when Dylan Sorbello’s great-grandfather immigrated from Sicily and planted his first five acres in Fulton, New York. Dylan is part of the fourth-generation of the Sorbello family and works alongside his brother Rane, father, and uncle to carry that legacy forward across now 360 acres of onions and another 500 acres of grain. The team is now up to 50 people at its peak each year.

As one of the managing members, Dylan’s responsibilities range from planning seed orders and overseeing grain operations to jumping into harvest season full-throttle. The storage onions crop continues to sell through the end of April, which overlaps with the next planting season. “It’s a 14-month operation in 12 months,” Dylan says. “It’s a pretty busy job.” 

Not too busy to keep him from sharing his story! Dylan is also known for his growing social media presence, including his YouTube channel “Off the Muck,” which brings transparency to agriculture and helps share a deeper understanding of where food comes from in the United States.

Driving Change Through Smart Innovation

When Dylan took over his farm, he wanted to build a smarter, more sustainable business. After returning back to his farm from SUNY Morrisville in 2007, Dylan saw that there was a gap in technology specifically for vegetable farmers. "Vegetable production is such a small market that there wasn’t technology available. You have to take technology from outside and bring it in,” he recalls. “I started seeing the opportunity there.” He began exploring how to adapt grain-industry technology to their onion crops. 

That early experimentation paid off. From a seed-monitoring corn planter to section-controlled sprayers, the Sorbellos realized they could use better data and save money on inputs. Today, they rely on PWM (pulse-width modulation) systems to ensure ultra-precise applications. They used to order chemistry for 380 acres, but now using precision sprayers they spray 360 acres of onions and only have to buy chemistry for 365. “It has really helped boost the bottom line,” Dylan explains. “Our technology build up is the reason we’re successful today.”

One of the most cutting-edge additions to the farm? A laser weeder that uses high-resolution predict cameras to detect and eliminate weeds with surgical precision that can reduce both herbicides and hand-pulling. Though the laser weeder operates slowly (about ¾ of an acre per hour), it offers the potential for long-term savings and fewer herbicide applications.

The impact is economic and environmental. Cutting down on herbicides protects the soil and surrounding environment and also helps prevent chemical resistance in the onions. It’s a win-win.

For Sorbello, innovation is not just about precision technology. The other side of the equation was getting a great team in place. Before connecting with Seso, Sorbello filed for H-2A visas on their own and felt overwhelmed, were constantly delayed, and didn’t connect with the right team members. “We aren’t labor brokers, we’re farmers,” says Dylan. “Having Seso here to review the contracts and get people on time” has changed the game. Now Sorbello has a great community of workers who have the skills and energy to help them reach their business and farming goals. The back office innovation they found through Seso “lets us farm the way that we want to.”

Farming Smarter—On and Off the Muck

Whether it’s digital recordkeeping in the office, precise chemical applications in the field, or robotic technology-driven laser weeding, the Sorbellos are redefining what it means to run a forward-thinking farm. 

When asked what advice he’d give to other farms looking to modernize, Dylan doesn’t hesitate: “You can’t manage what’s not measured.” 

Above all, it’s about embracing change. “If you want to keep farming, you’d better take on some things that are uncomfortable. Technology isn’t just computers and sensors, it’s also things like tillage practices.” Dylan encourages other growers to keep their eyes and ears open for ways to continue improving their business and growing practices. The future of farming depends on it.