814-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 17, 1991
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
LEOLA (Lancaster Co.) For
all the people who believe water
melon is a fruit surprise
they’re wrong. The watermelon is
a member of the cucubitacae oi
gourd family, so it’s technically a
vegetable and not a fruit
That doesn’t mean you can’t
serve it as a fruit About 72 percent
of people in a recent survey said
that they use watermelon as a snack
and 48 percent serve watermelon at
a picnic. But the National Water
melon Promotion Board doesn’t
want you to limit your watermelon
to those methods of serving. They
have a whole lot of ideas. Accord
ing to the Watermelon Board, once
you learn to regard watermelons as
kin to cucumbers and zucchinis
also cucurbits the possible pre
parations grow wild with your
imagination.
Already innovative chefs use
watermelons often in salads and
sauces. Some of these recipes are
printed with this article, but before
you try them, read about the water
melons that grow to a tremendous
size from what appears to be an
insignificant and inadequate root
system.
It is believe that watermelon cul
tivation goes back at least 4,000
years to the Egyptians whose artis
tic remains have recorded them. In
the 1850 s, David Livingston, the
famed missionary explorer, said
that Africa was the place that
watermelons originated. He found
great tracts of watermelon growing
wild in the Kalaharie Desert and
the semi-tropical regions of Africa.
Although colonists brought
watermelon to the U.S., early
French explorers found Indians
Make a watermelon fruit salad boat. Cut the rind into a
natural fruit bowl, and fill with watermelon balls and slices
of other melons, pineapple, grapes, and apples. A book
“Melon Garnishing” Is available from International Culinary
Consultants, P.O. Box 2202, Elberon Station, Long Branch,
N.J. 07740. The book has more than 30 different sculptures
to carve out of melons. Check with them about the price.
Sb-
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, hardy appearance, watermelon Is actually quite fragile and susceptible to
breakage, bruising, and temperature extremes. That’s why growers handpick water
melon. This picture was taken at the Leola Produce Auction where many Lancaster
County growers bring wagonloads of the melons to sell to wholeeale buyers.
Watermelon:
growing watermelons in the Mis
sippi Valley.
According to Don Robinson,
Eastern Lancaster County Adult
Farmer program instructor, more
people grow watermelons in the
area than previously. While many
watermelons were transported
from the South to here, that is now
changing during the watermelon
season. Now many farmers grow
them and sell them to supermarket
buyers at the Leola Produce Auc
tion and other outlets.
Watermelon plants are trailing
annuals with stems as long as IS
feet and branched tendrils. Water
melon needs large quantities of
space and nutrients to grow well.
The most popular varieties are
the Sangria, an oblong melon with
a nice rind color, and a solid, heavy
melon; the Mirage, similar to the
Sangria, has a sandier grainier
flesh that some people prefer, and
the old-time favorite Crimson
Sweet is used as a standard with
which new varieties are compared.
In keeping with smaller-sized
households, the smaller waterme
lons are popular today. The Yellow
Babies with their yellow flesh are a
novelty melon that add variety to
the menu.
Watermelons are also popular
because they are a nearly perfect
food for dieters. 100 grams of
melon has only 30 calories. They
are low in sodium and provide a
good source of vitamins A and C,
potassium, and other minerals.
Although three out of four
homes serve sliced watermelon,
those families that do not serve it
say it’s because watermelon is too
messy and seedy. For this reason
the seedless varieties are really
growing in popularity. Although
Any Way
the seedless varieties taste great,
they are a bit more expensive since
they are much harder to germinate.
The greenhouse is the best place
to germinate these melons, which
adds extra cost and time for the
required transplanting.
But new ideas for cutting the
costs for growing the seedless var
ieties are surfacing. This year, a
local grower tried something diffe
rent To create a mini-greenhouse
effect, he laid black plastic mulch
on the ground, cut holes in the plas
tic to plant the seeds, put an old tire
on top of the hole and coveted it
with the black plastic. This created
heat, which the seeds need to ger
minate, and created a mini
greenhouse effect by allowing him
to plant early.
Watermelons do meet some
obstacles while growing. The
melons need to be sprayed to pro
tect them from spider mites.
Robinson suggests Kelthanc.
Melons ate also susceptible to
mildew disease. Regular sprays
control the mildew disea sethat is
more prevalent in larger fields.
Growers seldom have a problem
with watermelons splitting. If the
melons do split, it is a result of
heavy rains that produce too rapid
growth.
Generally, the prime harvest for
melons is from July 10 to Labor
Day. This year, the weather
induced earlier melons.
Prices vary depending upon the
watermelon crop in the South. Last
year, area watermelons brought
high prices because the South
didn’t have much rain. This year
drought in Pennsylvania has pro
duced significantly smaller water
melons, although the flavor is
good.
Customers often ask the age on
question: How can I tell if a water
melon is ripe? There are no easy
answers for the store customer, but
for the grower, several methods are
reliable.
An instrument called a refrac
tometer tests the sweetness of
melons. It costs about $lOO, too
steep for individual use, but
researchers, growers and buyers
for grocery stores use them. The
refractometer measures the per
centage of sucrose, which enables
the grower to determine when the
melon is ready to pick. To test the
sucrose, the melon must be cut and
a piece of the flesh placed on the
glass of the refractometer. Within a
few seconds, the percentage can be
read similar to a thermomen ter
Recently Robinson tested melons
at the Leola Produce Auction in
Leola. The melons registered
between a 10 to 12 reading, which
You Slice It
Don Robinson checks the tendrils on the watermelon to
see If it is ripe.
i.
Mi
with a refractometer.
is good. An excellent reading may
go as high as 14, although that is
unusual.
Generally, growers check the
ripeness of melons by examining
the tendrils on the vine. If the ten
drils next to the watermelon are
dead, that indicates the melon is
ripe. The underbelly, where the
melon lies against the soil, of the
melon also changes from a light
green color to yellow to white
when ready to pick.
Watermelon sugar content does
not increase after it comes off the
vine. Melons are like books you
can’t always tell the content by the
cover. When you buy a waterme
lon, lot* for symmetric shape and
a velvety bloom a dull, rather
than shiny surface.
Thumping will get you nowhere.
“Most people really don’t know
what they are thumping for,”
Robinson said. “Some think it
should sound hollow, but that is
how an unripe melon sounds.”
Many consumers believe the
only sure way to tell if a waterme
lon is ripe is to cut it. It’s often
worth the extra cost to make sure
they have top quality. If a waterme
lon is fully mature, seeds are usual
ly dark brown or black. Avoid
white heart a hard white streak
running lengthwise through a
watermelon.
After melons are picked, they
should be kept at room tempera
ture, as chilling affects flavor and
color. They are best consumed
within a few days of purchase.
If you eager to give watermelon
a new twist, here are some recipes
worth trying.
MELON SEEDS
Melon seeds are edible. Dry
them, put them in a fry pan, and
pour some salted water over them.
Stir over the heat until the water
has evaporated. Eat them for a
snack.
WATERMELON ONION
FRESCO SALAD
4 cups cubed watermelon
'A cup thinly sliced and quar
tered sweet onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
basil
'A cup raspberry and blueberry
vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
to taste
Lettuce leaves
If seeds are present, remove
from the watermelon; toss water
melon, onions, and basil until well
mixed. Pour vinegar over water
melon mixture; toss gently to com
bine mixture. Season to taste with
salt and pepper. Save on lettuce.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
WATERMELON FIRE AND
ICE SALSA
3 cups chopped watermelon
'A cup green peppers
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon green onion
1 to 2 tablespoons Jalapenc
peppers
A tablespoon garlic salt
Combine all ingredients in
melon shell; mix well. Cover and
refrigerate at least 1 hour. Makes 3
cups. Serve with chips or on sliced
oranges or cheese-filled manicotti.
FROZEN WATERMELON
Melon can be frozen to last all year
long. Cut firm melon into balls or
cubes and place them in freezer
containers. For each pint, mix
'A cup sugar with VA cups water
and heat until the sugar dissolves.
Chill this mixture, then pour over
the melon pieces and freeze.
If you grow or sell waterme
lons, the National Watermelon
Promotion Board has tips to help
increase your profits. Send for
information: NWPB. P.O. Bo*
140065, Orlando, FL 32814-0065
or call (407) 895-5100.