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Okay, five schools of thought. But still, according to a quick survey of the professional melon growers who were assembled on a recent afternoon at the Birmingham Farmers Market, watermelon selection techniques fall into two main categories: the lookers, and the thumpers. Clarence Kenyon, of North Birmingham, is a proud member of the thumping fraternity:
But Victor Buchanan, who grows watermelons in Cullman County, is a confirmed looker...
Jack Collins, of Hueytown, says he has an absolutely foolproof technique for judging the ripeness of a melon... By the stem. Where you pull it off the vine, itll be brown.
Watermelons are grown throughout Alabama, in just about every county. With the weather here, the hot climate, we have good growing seasons. We can enjoy them at our picnics or pool parties, and whatever, all the way up until frost. Weve very fortunate. Fortunate, too, because watermelons are good for you, says Ramsey...
And though Ramsey is hesitant to take sides on the looking-versus-thumping controversy, she says shes basically a looker, at heart... Most of the experts say you really cant tell the ripeness by thumping a watermelon. But I tell you, a lot of the old-timers disagree with that. I think its just the sound that they, themselves, have learned over the years, you know? But its not for me. Speaking of old-timers, Clarence Kenyon says he has been known to fall back on a, shall we say, cutting edge technique for determining ripeness... The best way to tell a good watermelon...you cut it and taste it, he says with a hearty chuckle.
~Dale Short, August 31, 2004 |







| Birmingham -- Its an age-old puzzle. Youre standing in front of dozens of gorgeous watermelons...how do you choose the best one? The experts say there are two schools of thought on that...
-- You want one thats not a bright, shiny green...
Its different in the sound. Thats a better watermelon, right there, than this one. Cant you tell the difference?
A lot of people also tell by looking at the bottom of the melon. If the bottom is a creamy color, then the melon will be riper. Thats how I tell. I dont thump much.
The only downside of Collins method is that the stem has a bad habit of falling off, between the field and the market, in which case youre right back to either looking, or thumping. But regardless of technique, Jackie Ramsey of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System says Alabamians live in a watermelon paradise...
They have a good source of Vitamins A and C. And most of all, theyre low in calories. You can fill up quickly on them. Theyre 98 percent water, I think, and theyre virtually fat-free. So its a really healthy food. Were always trying to encourage people to eat more fruits and vegetables. Id love to see us eat more watermelons, here in Alabama.
