Watermelon

[mnmtranching]

How they doing? Just eating my first of the season. Can't tell where it's grown. The label is worn from all it's travels. Somewhere South of the Equator I guess. :frowns:

 

[Jogeephus]

They have been ready here for about three weeks. I like mellons. Specially the seeded ones as they seem sweeter to me.

 

[Fred]

They've been ready about 3 weeks down here. They are sweet since they haven't had much rain. I stopped at a local grower's stand and he was selling them for $8,$10 and $12 each.

 

[mnmtranching]

Maybe it was from the USA. I always like to know. This one was $7 and weighed about 12 pounds. A seeded one [I like best also]. Just a bit over ripe. Surprising cause they are usually crappy, not vine ripened until we can get them closer.

 

[Jogeephus]

Maybe it was from the USA. I always like to know. This one was $7 and weighed about 12 pounds. A seeded one [I like best also]. Just a bit over ripe. Surprising cause they are usually crappy, not vine ripened until we can get them closer.

I can load you up with some 25 pounders for for $1.50 apiece. Freight?

 

[mnmtranching]

Maybe it was from the USA. I always like to know. This one was $7 and weighed about 12 pounds. A seeded one [I like best also]. Just a bit over ripe. Surprising cause they are usually crappy, not vine ripened until we can get them closer.

I can load you up with some 25 pounders for for $1.50 apiece. Freight?

Joe, You could sell truckloads, for sure. For a lot more then $1.50. People do it, truck produce up here, put up a stand by a busy road, sell like crazy.

 

[Jogeephus]

A lot of these mellons are going your way but you will probably have $1.70/melon in freight and this is before it is redistributed. Freight, brokers, repacking, redistribution all runs the cost up. What's amazing is that our local grocery store sells them for $5.50 - $6.00. Some of them are even shipped away from here to a distribution center then shipped right back to local grocery stores. Not very efficient but I can't begin to imagine the logistical nightmare someone would have if they didn't centralize things. I know a few young boys who make some serious pocket money by loading their pickup trucks with melons, cantalopes and other seasonal things and selling them. What amazes me is how few actually do it. Heck, I'd do it if I had the time.

 

[MikeC]

I sold a few thousand last year retail for $5 each (on a trailer in front of the office - roadside) and enjoyed every minute of the cash. Had some brokers offer $1.50 each and informed them I'd rather feed them to the cows.

As in almost every farming venture......there is more money made by the middlemen than by the producers.

My melons are about softball size now. We got a freeze the end of April and it set planting back.

 

[Jogeephus]

Mike, I know a guy who does the same thing but he has a lock box bolted in the back of his truck and works on the honor code about paying. Though I'm sure some people might slip one here and there he makes a pretty penny doing it that way cause most folks are basically honest. I tried to get my son to do it but he got a regular job instead. I told him he would make more money this way but he is at the age he isn't going to listen to his old man. Now my daughter is a true capitalist and she would do it in a heartbeat but she is too young. She does however have her own business and is doing pretty well with it considering she is only eleven.

 

[MistyMorning]

Maybe it was from the USA. I always like to know. This one was $7 and weighed about 12 pounds. A seeded one [I like best also]. Just a bit over ripe. Surprising cause they are usually crappy, not vine ripened until we can get them closer.

I bought one this week that had the label "produce of USA" paid $5.00 and it weighed about 7 pounds. It was terrible! So to you watermelon guys, how does one pick out a good one?

 

[mnmtranching]

My Dad always said "the stem has got to be dry"

I had the guy at the stand pick one out for me. Told him if it wasn't perfect I would need it replaced.

He said not a chance, no guarantees. :roll:

 

[MikeC]

My Dad always said "the stem has got to be dry"

I had the guy at the stand pick one out for me. Told him if it wasn't perfect I would need it replaced.

He said not a chance, no guarantees. :roll:

The dry stem ones are the ones to stay away from. All that means is they have been picked too long ago.

Unlike Tomatoes, Melons do not ripen after being picked, they only get "mealy" after picking.
Watermelons will never get any sweeter than at picking.

I thump mine to determine ripeness.

The guy at a fruitstand probably can't tell. In all likelihood he's never grown melons.

Go for a melon with a fresh stem.

North, South, East, or West, wherever you grow your watermelon, this summer you'll face the daunting task of determining its ripeness. We've heard all sorts of advice, including the fact that a ripe melon, when thumped, will feel more like a human head than a human chest. Dr. Bill Rhodes, professor of horticulture at Clemson University, offers the following but warns that for the past 20 years, he's been hoping for better insight.

1. Thump it. If the watermelon sounds hollow, it's ripe. This is difficult for less-gifted ears.

2. Look at the color on the top. The watermelon is ripe when there is little contrast between the stripes.

3. Look at the color on the bottom. A green watermelon will have a white bottom; a ripe melon will have a cream- or yellow-colored bottom.

4. Press on it. If the watermelon sounds like it gives a little, it's ripe. (Rhodes doesn't like this method because it can ruin the quality of the fruit.)

5. Check the tendril. If it's half-dead, it could mean that the watermelon is nearly ripe or ripe. If the tendril is fully dead, it could mean that anthracnose or some other fungus killed the melon, or that it's ripe or overripe. If the tendril is green, you should wait to pick the melon.

6. Count the number of days from anthesis (flowering) or the number of days from planting. This works pretty well if you know the variety of watermelon and how many days it's supposed to take for that variety to ripen under normal temperature and fertilizer regimes.

7. Check the size. It's not necessarily true that when a watermelon is big enough, it's ready; but under good conditions, it should be normal size. If it's not, you're probably too anxious.

8. Crack a few. You've got a whole field of watermelons, and you can practice a little, right?

9. Is the vine dead or dying? Well, the watermelon is not going to get any riper, so you might as well pick it.

 

[iowahawkeyes]

My Dad always said "the stem has got to be dry"

I had the guy at the stand pick one out for me. Told him if it wasn't perfect I would need it replaced.

He said not a chance, no guarantees. :roll:

I always guarentee (sp) my produce. Word of mouth is one thing, BAD word of mouth is a whole other story.
Good tips for MikeC too BTW.

 

[grannysoo]

We've got a lot of them coming up from Florida now. Haven't seen many of our GA ones ripe yet, but they're close!

 

[mnmtranching]

Got a BIG one yesterday, $8. I think the best watermelon ever. Absolutely perfect.

 

[MistyMorning]

Got a BIG one yesterday, $8. I think the best watermelon ever. Absolutely perfect.

Did ya give it a big thwack before you bought it? ;-)

Was over at some friends yesterday afternoon and one of them was going to cut up a watermelon to take on a boat ride, I sat there thwacking on it until he made me a margarita in a go cup. He than told me to get my butt on the pontoon or he was going to start thumping me on the head.

It made that good sound and was a very good watermelon indeed!

 

[Jogeephus]

Got a BIG one yesterday, $8. I think the best watermelon ever. Absolutely perfect.

$8!!!!. I think we need to look into the possibility of setting up a watermellon stand up there. :mrgreen:

 

[mnmtranching]

Misty, this melon is really BIG, maybe should get a pic. I like a slice, 2-3 inches thick on a plate. Won't come close to fitting.
Joe, this was the same stand, same kid selling. Asked how was the melon, told him " not bad, little overripe" He said "got to try one of these" So I did. The Kid told me if I wasn't happy with it he would give my money back out of his pay. Good Kid. Knows his melons, and by the way the stem is as dry as can be. :nod:

 

[Jogeephus]

Sounds like the kid is also a good salesman. Many have forgotten that guarantees on quality is guarantees on repeat business and loyalty.

I don't slice mellons. Just split them in half and go for the heart. I got some good ones chilling now. They are as sweet as can be. I like a good mellon and can make them a meal in itself.

 

[1982vett]

Sounds like the kid is also a good salesman. Many have forgotten that guarantees on quality is guarantees on repeat business and loyalty.

I don't slice mellons. Just split them in half and go for the heart. I got some good ones chilling now. They are as sweet as can be. I like a good mellon and can make them a meal in itself.

Just ripping the heart out :?: Thats the way we used to eat hog melons :lol: I bet if you paid $8 for a watermelon you would eat it down to the green of the rind and pickle the rest. :lol2: :nod: