A MELON REASONS TO LOVE SUMMER AT YOUR LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS
By Laurie James
Summer, especially July, produces some of the best days for farmers markets. There is an abundance of seasonal tomatoes, peppers, squash, and beans and other early summer crops like melons! Those cantaloupes that your local growers started as seeds in late spring are at their peak this month. Honeydew and rainbow varieties of watermelon – not just pink! – abound.
Texas has a love affair with melons –– the state ranks third in overall production of the fruit. Most of the melons grown here are cantaloupes, with honeydew melons coming in second. Watermelons and exotic kinds like Dragon Melons are also in our markets, as the crop can grow just about anywhere in the state. That’s a plus for our growers –– whether you’re a farmer or you have a small garden in your yard.
Melons are a crop that’s good for the recipient, the grower, and the community! They’re a good source of vitamins A and C and other nutrients. The hard rind protects the fruit from pesticide contamination, although you should plan to wash melons before cutting into them.
Nutrition-wise, melons are a healthy bet as well. A cup of cantaloupe has about 60 calories, 14 grams of carbohydrate, and about 2 grams of insoluble fiber. Because melons are mostly water, they have a lower glycemic index, so the natural fructose won’t spike your blood sugar. Cantaloupes are also a good source of beta carotene and the electrolytes potassium, and magnesium –– they’re the fruit that works like a sports drink, but with more nutrition. Honeydew melons are similar in nutritional value, and also include a significant amount of folate, which is needed by pregnant women and those who are trying to become pregnant.
If you’re trying to buy melons at your local farmers’ market, odds are that they’re picked at the peak of their ripeness and juicy goodness. In general, melons are shiny when they’re underripe, so you want to look for a dull color. Check for bruising, moldy spots, or cracks. When you smell the area of the melon where it was attached to the vine, a pronounced melon-y smell usually means sweetness inside.
And if you didn’t know, grilling fruit, especially watermelon, causes a tasty caramelization on the outside of the fruit. Just pop the sliced melon on your grill and keep it there just until you see the grill marks. The sweetness of melon pairs nicely with goat cheese, feta cheese, or a little balsamic vinegar.
You can get produce straight from the growers at many local markets, including Cowtown Farmers Market, Saginaw Farmers Market, Lake Worth Farmers Market, and For Oak Cliff Farmers Market, just to name a few. The great thing about these particular markets is that, in addition to most produce being locally grown and sourced, each market offers Double Up Food Bucks, which doubles purchases of fresh produce for anyone receiving SNAP benefits. Sponsored by North Texas Healthy Communities (a non-profit arm of Texas Health that locally implements Blue Zones Project and other well-being initiatives), Double Up matches fresh produce purchases up to $30 a day when using a Lone Star Card (EBT). Learn more about Double Up and find additional locations at DoubleUpTexas.org.
If you want to plant your own melons, start your cantaloupe and watermelon seeds outdoors in mid-July in Fort Worth, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. For more ways to enjoy summer’s bounty, visit LiveLongFortWorth.com where you’ll find plant-forward summer recipes and a full list of DFW farmers markets.