# Significant Achievement



## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

The fourth driest June since year 1900 didn't help a thing with our watermelons. And, with only 3/4 inch of rain for the month, without hand watering, they'd be dead. The hand-pump water well right in the garden site made it happen. Watered them at the root zone - not the leaves - daily.

To get watermelons at all in Michigan is a good feat, but to get them in August... Dang good. And, they are dang good, too.

I put that second picture there to show another sign of ripeness. Unlike what has been mentioned about checking leaves and tendrils - which is useless in a retail setting - the yellow spot is a good clue; that's where it was touching the ground.

Today was our first day to pick any and we plucked 3 beauts.

Those big long ones take longer but they're coming along nicely.

Cooling that sucker off right now.

Off to the tractor show in the morning.


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## pokeyjeeper (Sep 5, 2013)

wow those look good


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Looking good, are those Sugar Baby watermelon.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Those look killer Glen...


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

I think they are sugar baby, Rick. And, they are sweet.

Sold a cantaloupe to a woman the other day and she was going to cut it up and put it in a bowl. Didn't happen. She ate the whole thing, scooping it out and gobbling it up. Said it was the best she ever had and wanted to give us more money for it the next day.

She's getting one of those first watermelons today. Love it!

Folks around here are used to getting fruit shipped in from who knows where. And, that usually means the stuff is picked somewhat early and allowed to ripen off the vine. Ain't the same.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Watermelons don't ripen after being picked like cantaloupe and other melons at least the ones we've grown.


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## Agney5 (Sep 28, 2013)

My wife thinks I'm crazy but I generally won't eat certain fruits unless they are in season. Or unless it's something we've canned ourselves. I can not stand tomatoes out of season, they lack any flavor and are tough.

Those watermelons look great, if you need some rain I just got 5 inches here in a two day span.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

"Watermelons don't ripen after being picked..."

So, that's why they're lousy. And, those seedless ones aren't much good, either.

Don't need any rain here anymore. As soon as July rolled around, we received plenty, thank you.


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

congrats on the melons

im not a fan of watermelons my self,but the wife loves them

me im a cantaloupe guy


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## ReidRH (Feb 1, 2010)

We Raised Melons and Cantaloupe this year, Also we harvested our 2nd Pineapple this year Vine Ripened Soooo Good! Best I have Ever Eaten!


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

ReidRH said:


> We Raised Melons and Cantaloupe this year, Also we harvested our 2nd Pineapple this year Vine Ripened Soooo Good! Best I have Ever Eaten!


 Vine ripened anything out of the garden is always so good.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Agreed. These were picked today. Sold every melon so far and they're clamoring for more. Oh yeah, we ate a few, too.

Getting some of the bigger melons now. Some pushing 30 pounds.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Looks real good, do you dry a lot of those peppers?


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Haven't dried any yet, but that's a possibility. Peppers are just coming in now but the vast majority of 27 plants are not ready yet. Most will be sold. My friend, Mike, made some salsa yesterday and we'll give it a try today.

That watermelon on the left side weighed a whopping 30 pounds 14 ounces! Didn't see any Michigan melons nearly that big at the Owosso farmer's market yesterday. A number of those long ones are over 25 lbs. and some of the (round) Sugar Babies are half that. Plenty more on the vine, as well as cantaloupe and honey dews.

My great grandson is a most finicky eater but appreciates our only rule on eating watermelon: You can eat all you want. So, I cut them in half and give him a spoon. They have a lot of seeds but I've found the really good melons are that way. Seedless = tasteless. The best way to eat watermelon is outdoors, where spitting seeds is part of the enjoyment and a seed-spitting contest has even become a big event in Michigan.

Drying onions now.

Any drying hints on the peppers? I've seen them hung with needle and thread outdoors, but don't know if that's a good way to do it.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

If you get enough hot sunny days then do them outside, we usually do our onions that way then cover them at night because of the dew, going to fire up the dehydrator and do some today because of the week of rain we're getting.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Out in the sun now, thank you.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

I cut the stem end off than cut them length wise in halve, in the sun just the stem end off should help let the moisture out


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Another 30 pounder pulled from the vine yesterday. Lots more to go but now we're in a ripening race to beat the first frost, but we should be safe for at least another 3 weeks.

Some really cool "warty" pumpkins coming, too. Never grew this variety before but they should be a hit with the Halloween crowd.

Cantaloupe have ripened all at once but since we're selling most of them, it's fine. We don't have to eat them all at once. Honeydews not ready at all yet.

Most of the peppers are still on the plants. Varieties include jalapeno, Thai, ghost, garden salsa, habanero, and bell. Sold everything to date and lots more to come.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Way to go Glen, I pick all the flowers and immature fruit off my plants( should have done it 3 weeks ago) to give the others a better chance to mature at this time of year.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Same here but I've been keeping my arm in shape flinging miniature watermelons.

Way behind with weeding and general maintenance but next week looks good - especially with cooler weather coming. Yippee!

Food plots banging.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Starting to get some pumpkins, some of which are the "warty" variety. Some big ones still on the vine. Melons are few now but it's been a great season.

That's Reese in the background.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Looking great, thanks for sharing.


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

You have quite a green thumb Glen !!!


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Thanks, Ed. Great therapy and some fine eatin'..


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Nice crop Glen ! Reese looks to be giving that pumpkin a wary look.


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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

Glen,

Hollow one out give reese and take Reese for a boat ride. Nice looking crop!

Larry


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

glenway said:


> Out in the sun now, thank you.


I've done deer that way, sliced real thin and salted and peppered real good while fresh then hung in the sun. Mind you it has to be fairly cool but not yet freezing, and the combination of salt and pepper seemed to keep any flies off it real good. Was good as long as you don't let it get overly dried, and turned a darker color as well. Bet the indians did the same thing.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

I have this new-fangled contraption called a freezer.


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

glenway said:


> I have this new-fangled contraption called a freezer.


Yea thought about that myself, but you wouldn't have the sun doing its thing to the meat vs in the dark in a humid fridge without natural air circulation to speed the drying out process. Might have to try your way and see what develops!


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

A big advancement came to freezing meat with the popular vacuum sealers. No more freezer burn and stuff lasts much longer. Worth the investment.


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