Watermelon

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Watermelon, known scientifically as "Citrullus lanatus", is a fruit and vegetable. It grows from a vine which spreads across the ground. Watermelon is a popular fruit; it is grown in nearly every state.

Watermelons are a crop that is resistant to insects because of its hard shell. There are some simple ways to prevent and control weed and insect infestation.

Watermelon is a favorite with many people, especially kids. Sizes of watermelons range from the small - about the size of a grapefruit - to over 45 pounds. While many people prefer the convenience of seedless watermelons, the seed ones are often sweeter (At least in my opinion). The flesh of the melon can be red, orange, or yellow. Watermelon is composed mostly of water.

So should you buy organic or non organic? When buying watermelon, it is best, if possible, to purchase it organic to avoid the extra chemicals and sprays.

Tip for selecting a watermelon:

This may have happened to you: you're at the store, searching through an enourmous crate of melons; looking for that perfect one: not too big, not too small, not too dark, not too light. It doesn't sound high pitched when hit with the palm of the hand, or sound too deep. It doesn't have any bruises or cuts (a few insect bites are ok though). Also, it shouldn't have too large of a brown spot on the bottom (where the melon rested as it grew). And most importantly, it isn't too heavy to lift out of the crate. Once this melon has been secured, you head home for a delicious meal. If this sounds familiar, you must be a watermelon lover!


Uses for watermelon:

1. Eat it.
2. Eat it fresh in a fruit salad
3. Eat it by itself
4. Eat it cooked (Let me know how this tastes!)
5. Share it with your neighbor, it will bring a smile to their face.


Ways to eat watermelon:

1. I will entitle this the "Dig in but don't cave in" method for eating a watermelon. Select a large watermelon; and cut it in quarters. Wrap up the other parts (with plastic wrap or paper towel) and put them in the refrigerator, or share them with your friends and family. Select a quarter for yourself; make sure you are hungry! Find a clean place to work; preferably a table or countertop. Set your quarter piece of watermelon on a large plate or pan. Find some napkins or paper towel (this may get messy). Find a medium sized spoon and set it alongside the napkin.

You should now be ready to begin your adventure. Tightly grip your spoon in one hand, and secure the melon in the other hand. If you have cut your watermelon in quarters, your piece should look similiar to Figure B.

Choose a side (one of the faces of the flesh of the melon), and begin by inserting the spoon into the melon at the center point of the face of that side. Rotate your spoon 360 degrees clockwise. After the turn is complete, carefully remove the piece. With your piece of melon in spoon, and spoon in hand, enjoy your first bite of melon.

Once you are done eating your first piece, resume work on the rest. Keep digging in, switching your spoons direction from clockwise to counterclockwise. Once you have dug in about a third of the way through one side, begin work on another side. After all three sides are dug through, they should connect in the middle, just beneath the apex (top of the melon).

At this point, a word of caution must be given: While digging through the melon, beware lest you cut off one of the supporting walls leading to the apex; which would result in the total collapse of the heart of your melon! The intent is to leave the heart till the very last, after all the rest of the melon has been enjoyed.

If you should encounter any seeds along the way, you have one of three choices: 1. If you have a strong anti-choke mechanism in your throat, you may attempt to swallow the seeds (note: this site does not recommend this action), or you may chew the seeds and swallow them (note: this site is not responsible for any damage incurred in attempting this process), or the safest way may be to throw them away (watermelon spitting contests are not mentioned here).

When you are completed, the watermelon should look somewhat like the Figure C.

After you have cleaned out your melon, and eaten all that can be eaten, minus the three supports for your watermelon's heart, and the heart itself; you may then decide in what way you wish to devour the heart. The preferable way is to cut off two of the supporting legs, while leaving it standing on the third leg. After doing this, you may then chomp down on the whole heart, or, if others are present and would consider such an action unhuman (take human bites), you may place it on a plate, and meticulously disect it and enjoy it.

2. Same as 1, except for sprinkling salt across all three faces of the watermelon prior to beginning (Not necessarily a recommended way, however; some do prefer this way).


Resources:

Organic Production of Watermelons (http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/periodicals/commhort/pulledarticles/july03-2.html)

Watermelon info (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watermelon)

Other Watermelon Info (http://www.hormel.com/templates/knowledge/knowledge.asp?catitemid=113&id=838)