MELON ''RINGLEADER'' from Sweden

[canadamike]

Here is a picture of another green fleshed melon, RINGLEADER, from Sweden. It is a delicious melon with firm flesh, that can give a run for its money to any honeydew, being far more flavorful. This is a melon that could be used in the restaurant and hotel trade where firmness is desired, and most of the time to the detriment of flavor. It is not as hard as a honeydew, but quite enough to make firm and beautiful slices, I would not hesitate to cover it with a good prosciuto or Parma ham. Trying to do the same thing with STREIT FREILAND GRUNGENETZT would require to slice it before full ripeness.

Farmers like Alan who supply restaurants would find a great friend in this melon better suited for expedient manipulation that Jenny Lind, Sarah, SF grungenetzt, Green Nutmeg and Green Machine.

And again, flavor is there. You don't have to agree with me on taste, but if SFG and Sarah are 10/10, this is an 8. And I have NEVER tasted a honeydew that would be more than a 6/10 at the top of its game. Not to my palate anyway. Even in South America, with lots of sun, my best one would be about there. Most here, especially the restaurant and grocery ones could barely make a 3/10, and that's after a lot of wine...

But I am a bit fussy. I once gave a full wheelbarrow of Jenny Lind and Haogen to a chef that was extatic about their taste. They were only partly ripe at the end of the season when picked, and I had gorged myself in pure ambrosia for weeks.

It's hard to be content with Joan Rivers after you've had Salma Hayek ;D ;D

[grungy]

I hope that you save seeds for me, Mike. It looks a nice moist green fleshed melon, that is can be sliced or diced into fruit salads, and retain it's shape.

[bluelacedredhead]

I bought the 2009 Harrowsmith Almanac yesterday, mostly because it had an article on the Giant Vegetable Growers of Ontario, a club near and dear to my heart .
There is an article in the book about melon growing in Canada. IMO, Ms. Wayland, who lives in the eastern townships of QC and has been doing trials for Harrowsmith for a few years now, could use some assistance with sourcing heirlooms as well as varieties suitable to her climate.

Michel, I was thinking reading this that perhaps you could ask her if she's interested in trying some of the varieties that you've been familiarizing with??

[canadamike]

That is an excellent idea. Can you give me her co=ordinates, I am moving...if I buy the almanach now it will be boxed in a mather of days...

Edited: Forget about it Blue, I went to Home hardware and it was at the counter.

You just have joined the ranks of women costing me money ;D

And speaking of melons, I found a guy in Bourget, about 15 minutes from here who is growing heirloom melons and watermelons for sale at an Ottawa market. When I arrived at his small farm, I saw the melons and went right there of course. When I started naming them his eye balls almost fell. He said : Finally, I find a guy who knows that stuff, or something of that nature.

I had plan to stay there 5-10 minutes, but none of us could stop talking, we were so delighted to have found a kindred spirit. He is coming to the farm next week.

He is an immigrant from KYRGYSTAN, former Soviet Union, and lived 10 years in Germany. He speaks both german and russian.

He should join us soon...

[bluelacedredhead]

Your Welcome Michel. I always like it when folks spend money at HH

And you found a new friend as well? Great! Which market does he sell at? Byward or the other one? I can't remember where it is