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Madisonville, TN

My daughter and I put out a 200 foot row this year of Carolina Cross melons. I realise it's a no-no to leave multiple melons on the vine, but we just couldn't bring ourselves to pull them. We ended up with 50 over 75 pounds that we sold today for $10 each. They were grown organically using only soap as pest deterrent. One plant had a 70, a 75, and a 125 pound melon. My daughter has a few still growing, one of which will be at the TN Valley fair.

I can't wait till next season.

9/1/2012 7:10:53 PM

Muddy Waters

were they ripe??

9/1/2012 9:06:27 PM

Valencia Spain

they are not nice to eat, not sweet at all, bet they wont buy them next year

9/2/2012 4:45:36 AM

formerly RGG

Westham, some of the Carolina Cross melons I have eaten have been as good as any watermelon I have ever eaten. They certainly are not all poor tasting. Their customers may possibly be looking forward to purchasing more melons next year.

9/2/2012 8:27:43 AM

Madisonville, TN

We cut and ate 5 melons that I gave to my family for the holiday. All of them were ripe and sweet with plenty of sugar. I did get them out close to a month early this year due to early warm weather. In past years they have been all sweet. I have sold them to the same stores before. I try to grow organically as possible since I know most will be for eating instead of just for show.

Here are some pics of the first of three truckloads. A few of these were smaller than 50 lbs that I gave to family and friends.
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d102/john1995/Resizeof2012-08-30200918crop_filtered.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d102/john1995/Resizeofcheyenneswatermelons_filteredb.jpg

9/2/2012 9:44:41 AM

Manchester, TN

We always eat ours, and they are very good if not set on display too long. They are as sweet as any watermelon I've eaten

9/2/2012 10:20:55 AM

Valencia Spain

u must be right

9/2/2012 10:46:12 AM

Bethlehem CT

Cloud walker that is a really good price. The melons in the pictures are interesting to me, as they have a mostly pale skin with very thin stripes. They look a lot like the 'Dixie Queen' melons I grew this year. They are a really nice looking melon.

9/2/2012 11:55:32 AM

Madisonville, TN

The original seeds came from our local feed store several years ago in a commercial packet labeled Carolina Cross. The shape may be a product of the soil. I have two patches. In one patch they are mostly fat and short, in the other they are mostly the long and skinny shape. All of the seeds came from the same melon from last year. My daughter's fair entry is one of the longer versions.

I let the customers set the price and that is what they offered, so I took it. Both stores that I sold to, said they couldn't get any seeded watermelons this year. I had people lined up in the parking lot trying to buy them when I delivered them. I think the novelty factor and holiday timing goes a long way.

I also raise Connecticut Field pumpkins for jack-o-lanterns and they sell just as easily even though they are pretty ordinary.

9/2/2012 4:25:36 PM

Valencia Spain

oh yeah i was wrong tried a piece of 267 edwards after i broke it open to get some seeds, and it wasnt bad to eat

9/4/2012 3:17:56 PM