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Post by nathan125 on Jan 3, 2012 21:28:20 GMT -5
Eden Gem (Rocky Ford) Dionysus Melon Grex -orange Golden Honeymoon Bidwell Casaba Rampicante Zuccherino Cantalupo di charentais tendral Valenciano Zatta Ananas Golden Jenny green nutmeg Italian Melon Mix Exotic Melon Mix Rugoso di Cosenza San Juan Valencia Winter Hales Best Sakata's Sweet Melon Old WV Heirloom Musk Collective Farm Woman Sleeping Beauty Iroquois Ames 29858 France - Melon De Luneville Ames 13261 Spain, Juen - Invernizo Ames 13267 - Spain, Huelva, De Invierno Ames 13271 Spain Canary Islands, Villaconejos Ames 13295 Spain, Cuenca Verde de Invierno Ames 13292, Spain Albacete, de Todo El Ano GREAT GREY GREEN GREASY LIMPOPO CRACKING THING I'm still waiting for the watermelons to come in from the USDA. I've done a preliminary trial design and am patiently waiting for advice from a melon master. So the point of this trial for these melons is to work on storage melons. Melons are productive here and my CSA loves them. This is my main fruit for the boxes. (Grapes only last a few weeks and no one gets more than a basket of berries a week) I have been selecting for good melons and over the years have eliminated melons that I didn't think were very good. My criteria for a melon is first, I love anything that slips (yeah! harvested on time) or changes color to announce that it is done. Second, they can't succumb to bugs. Third and this is key, anything below a brix of 10 doesn't deserve to be on the farm. Fourth, I have to be able to pack it in a box. So over 20 pounds is too big, also if bruises instantly, it's too delicate. how were your results with the bidwell casabas, iroquious, zatta and hales best? i am leaning toward those varieties for my hot, dry zone 6 summers. any info on fruit size, yield etc would be helpful. thank you
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Post by 12540dumont on Jan 3, 2012 21:43:59 GMT -5
I have previously grown the Hale's Best, Eden Gem, and Bidwell Casaba.
The Casaba will sunburn in the heat of summer. The rest do fine.
This trial that you are reading will take place this summer. Steev is doing one as well.
Regards, Holly
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Post by steev on Jan 4, 2012 21:08:49 GMT -5
steev may be doing one; it depends on whether we get even half our normal rainfall. A potentially nasty effect of seriously reduced rain this year occurred to me today: you know the bumper crop of rodentulous vermin we have this year? Well, if it's a very dry year, fodder for them is going to be much reduced. They could just starve or at least stop breeding, but I doubt they'll do either of those things any more willingly than would many people. I suspect they'll be even more avidly interested in my garden. I'm so glad I didn't start farming for a living.
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Post by 12540dumont on Jan 5, 2012 19:52:14 GMT -5
I just got a note from GRIN that my H20 Melons have been approved.
I'd better get hopping. I too am worried about the rain. Figures that I finally got the rain barrels all set up, and no rain. If it's really ugly, I'll scale back. I'm hoping that rain does come.
I know, I'll put the cushions back on the lawn chairs and wash the truck.
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Post by nathan125 on Jan 6, 2012 12:33:04 GMT -5
Schoon's hardshell muskmelon has been mentioned. never grown it but here good things. it's on my list to grow this coming year.
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Post by steev on Jan 12, 2012 14:25:42 GMT -5
Holly alert! I've just discovered that in Italy there is a product called "meloncello"; don't know if it's called that by Italians, could be a tourist word, something akin to limoncello I think. Might be good with my soon-to-hit-the-market bacon-granola bars.
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Post by castanea on Jan 12, 2012 21:18:36 GMT -5
Bacon granola?
I think Meloncello is a recognized name for an Italian melon liqueur.
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Post by steev on Jan 13, 2012 0:08:33 GMT -5
Of course bacon-granola bars! Aren't you tired of berry-granola bars?
Anyway, I looked it up, and yes, Meloncello is a commercial product. There were also pretty straightforward recipes for such, so if I get any melons this summer, I might give it a shot.
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Post by 12540dumont on Jan 13, 2012 13:06:37 GMT -5
Steev, You might be interested in this, Persimmonchello. I just put it up yesterday. In 30 days I'll send you a sample (in lieu of beer). I also put up a strawberry liqueur, which I had to hide from the monsters. Who sneak in at night and disappear whole bottles. Round about Valentines Day, I should have the first batch of Pumpkinchello. It will be time for Tangerinechello and Limonchello and Bloodchello making in a few weeks. And not not a moment to soon, Leo polished off the last of the Lemonchello a few nights ago and said...mmmmm....time to make more.... Okay point me to those seeds. Cortona! Where are you Melonchello seeds in Italy? Must have. Steev, see what you started? Definitely mellonchello next year. Attachments:
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Post by cortona on Jan 13, 2012 16:22:42 GMT -5
i donthave news of traditional use of meloncello (without h;-) )here but why not start a new mood? if it taste good it taste good! whocare if it is traditional or not?
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Post by steev on Feb 15, 2012 10:15:56 GMT -5
I wonder whether anybody ever made wine or booze from tomatoes.
Wow! I just had an epiphany! The solution to the bane of gardeners everywhere: zucchini wine.
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Post by olddog on Feb 15, 2012 10:55:39 GMT -5
Steev, You think of everything! That sounds really neat.
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Post by 12540dumont on Feb 16, 2012 0:11:30 GMT -5
Steev, This weekend I decant the persimmon chella. Of course I can't send it in the mail, so look for "Persimmon Flavoring" coming soon to your location. Apply liberally to the back of your ears before dating, or some such as would be legal in your neck of the woods.
And send recipe for melonchello.
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Post by steev on Apr 26, 2012 14:41:23 GMT -5
Seeded those twelve GRIN melons and twelve from Turkey yesterday. As soon as they sprout in the hot-box, I'll replace them with more varieties. Got to start the tomatoes and squash, should pre-seed beans and corn, cowpeas and bitter melons. I need more facilities!
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Post by steev on Apr 26, 2012 22:50:13 GMT -5
So I moved the hotbox to the basement and stacked another box on top (that's still bottom heat, right?) Now I've got 56 melons seeded, including Lil Holly (Long Island Late from Holly).
Meloncello, here I come!
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