Texas Locavore

Last year, every watermelon I sampled was compost fodder — watery and flavorless, they went pretty directly to that food recycling pit in the backyard.  The one I got today in my Greenling Local Box?  It’s where-have-you-been-all-my-life luscious.  It’s an heirloom variety from Bikkurim Farm and yes, it has seeds. But that’s really not a problem for me.  The problem last year was too much rain.  So far, this year’s weather has been sunny and hot, so the watermelons are juicy and sweet.  Watermelons are a huge crop for Texas — the state’s largest, in fact, with 42,000 acres grown in more than 100 counties.  Nationwide, prices are up this year due to high fuel prices for transport, which is all the more reason to buy close to home.  A watermelon that travels less should cost less, too.