Growing up, one of my favorite memories that I have with my parents was driving to Costco on our way back from the city and going on these huge grocery trips. We would shop for both their restaurant and our house, buying everything from meats and vegetables to instant coffee and sweatshirts.
And during the summer, without fail on every single trip, my parents and I would at some point stumble upon the big cardboard boxes of ripe watermelons to pick one out together. My mom and I would each knock on the watermelons, pretending like we knew what we were supposed to be listening for, and then present them to my dad for approval. And every time, we would be rejected and ultimately settle on one that my dad picked out. But of course, it was okay that my watermelon never got picked because my parents would always buy me a churro (rest in peace) or a sundae for the ride home.
Watermelon has earned its spot on my rankings of my favorite fruits, and I’m sure many of you can say the same. Though, have you ever wondered how the watermelon really gets to our homes? What is really the process of the production of watermelons, and how does it get from the farm to the grocery store?
How are watermelons grown and harvested?
The life of a watermelon often starts in a greenhouse in a nursery. Seeds are first planted here in trays during March, where they will grow until they’re big enough to be transported to the field around late May. Once it’s in the fields, it’s grown in rows and in raised beds with “well drained sandy soils.” Within 3 months, the watermelons are ready to be harvested.
Something that really sets the watermelon industry apart from other fruits and vegetables is the large presence of physical human labor in its production process. Unlike many other fruits, all watermelons must be harvested by hand, as heavy machinery can easily bruise the fruit. Workers will go through the field of ripe watermelons, harvesting them by cutting them from the vine and loading them into trucks.
These trucks transport the watermelons to the packing shed, where they are quality checked, washed, and separated by size. After this, the watermelons are ready to be distributed to the public.
How do harvested watermelons get to your grocery stores?
After the watermelons are cleaned, they are loaded into large cardboard containers, where one container can hold 400 to 500 pounds of the fruit. Forklifts are then used to move these boxes directly into semi-trucks that will then drive out and distribute the watermelons to your grocery stores. And believe it or not, the same large cardboard containers used to transport the watermelon will be the exact same box that they sell the watermelons out of at the store. From there, the process will be up to you, as you can choose your desired watermelon and take it home to enjoy!
What are some delicious watermelon recipes?
Now, I know all this talk of watermelon is making you crave it so let me tell you about some delicious watermelon recipes that you can try.
If you’re looking for a healthy precursor to a meal, watermelon goes great in a salad with strawberries, feta, cucumber, and mint. Add a little vinaigrette and it becomes an amazing, flavorful starter.
Or if you’re looking for a different way to cool off on a hot day, some homemade watermelon popsicles are absolutely perfect. They’re super easy to make and insanely refreshing.
But how about those late summer nights with your friends? You know, those nights where you end up getting a little tipsy around a fire and laugh about nothing for hours. Well in that case, you’ll need to make a watermelon frose to sip on during your conversations. All you need is watermelon, sugar, water, and a bit of your favorite wine to have a great time.