Someone is confusing Kelsey Giant with Kelsae. Kelsey Giant and Ailsa Craig Exhibition are one and the same. Kelsae is a separate variety altogether. I note that Dixondale is claiming that they are the same. That is apparently an error!

Martin

Here is a link that might be useful: The Kelsae Onion

Geezer,

Martin and yourself are both correct, Kelsa Exhibition and Ailsa Craig are two different strains. In the late 1990's the rights to Kelsae were purchased by a company in the United Kingdom outside of Cambridge call Johnson's Seeds. Due to this acquisition companies like Stokes and others in Canada and suppliers in England could not supply an longer the Kelsae strain to seed houses and catalog companies in the U.S. and elsewhere. They turned to Ailsa Craig, another fine exhibition type onion to replace Kelsae. Somehow many seed companies now call them one in the same.
Kelsae is the world record holder at 15lb 5.5 oz and 33 inches diameter. Ailsa Craig is an heirloom from the Scottish region of the UK dating back to 1887. Its possible that Kelsae is a stabilized cross of Ailsa and another variety, but nonetheless they are two different strains with Kelsae averaging twice the size of Ailsa Craig with a much milder flavor in my personal opinion. There is only 2 companies due to Johnson's licensing agreement that has the rights to sell Kelsae in the U.S. via mailorder, one is their own U.S. based website and the other is Harvest Moon Farms & Seed their distributor here.
Ive personally have spoken with Bruce Frasier at Dixondale Farms in TX and they are aware of this mix-up and have told me their supplier here in the U.S. for the seed told them they are the same variety and would not elaborate any further with him about it. I have a hunch that has happened alot as the Kelsae name is famous and they dont wish to lose the business. Dixondale assured me they will be changing their listing in the near future.
Last I heard was that Johnson's is aware of this and have started contacting several companies to remove the name or face legal actions, I assume their licensing agreement works much like a PVP (Plant Variety Patent) and is enforcable here in the U.S. as it is in the UK and Canada.

Thats the jist of it.
- DaSeedman

Martin,

By the way, forgot to mention there is no other Kelsae Giant strains. Kelsae, Kelsae Exhibition, and Kelsae Giant are merely names given in slang to the same variety. The spelling "Kelsey" is a take on the Kelsae name and is to be meant to be the same variety. Happens when people hear names of varieties and never learn how to correctly spell it. Its official title is Kelsae Exhibition and is known and recognized as such in the EU (European Union)official listing of varieties.

-DaSeedman