It’s Melon Time

It’s melon time!

I started picking cantaloupes today.  The cantaloupe we grow is Athena.  It’s a reliable producer with a strong rind and great flavor.  I haven’t found a smaller melon that I like as much.  And some of the Athena are real whoppers!

But we managed to pick enough melons to put them in all the shares today.  Hopefully that will be the case on Friday as well.  Five inches of rain isn’t exactly what you want as the melons are ripening.  It can cause splitting and contribute to rot.  Rain is like that.  Even when you really need it, and we have been needing it, there is always something that suffers.

Watermelon on the way!

We picked and ate one of our Cathay Belle watermelons, too, warm from the field and super sweet.  There are a few that are ripe, but not enough to justify picking just yet.  Picking cantaloupe is pretty easy.   You just look for the warm yellowy color of a ripening melon.  You can just ignore all the ones that are still green.  Watermelons are harder because the rind doesn’t change color.  So you have to look at every single one.

Outsmarted by Crows

For years we have thought coyotes were eating the watermelons.  But this year it is CROWS.  Maybe it’s been crows all these years I’ve been blaming the coyotes.  Last week we hung shiny aluminum foil panels all through the watermelon.  It worked!  For five days.  Alas, the crows are back at it.   I will take any and all advise for deterring crows.  I have a feeling this is going to be a real challenge.   Even with the crow buffet, I expect to be able to put watermelons in the shares next week.

Full Shares
Slicing tomatoes
Juliet tomatoes
Cantaloupe
Onions
Carrots
Sweet peppers
Butternut squash

Small Shares
Slicing tomatoes
Juliet tomatoes
Cantaloupe
Onions
Carrots
Basil