Watermelon Month

When I was growing up nothing seemed to make the day better than a cold slice of watermelon on a hot day. My dad would often call us to the back yard where he had a large melon waiting on us. There was no silverware or plate needed no we all ate the large slice that we wold receive leaving only the rind behind. Perhaps you have such stories like mine. 

Now that you know a bit of my history concerning watermelon let me share a bit of history about the melon itself. Watermelon is thought to have begun around the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. In fact a relative melon still grows there but it is has a bad bitter taste and possesses a lot of seeds. Perhaps it was a surprise to those that first raised watermelon that it tasted so grand because the melon is thought to have been cultivated for the water it possess. 

Travelers in ancient days would carry watermelons with them rather than water. It may have been easier to know that there was water in the melon rather than having the water where all could see. Egypt nearly 5,000 years ago was the first recorded use of the watermelon. In fact seeds from a watermelon were found in the tomb of King Tut. Thus for thousands of years the watermelon has been working on its taste getting sweeter as time went on. 

The watermelon may have first been cultivated in Africa but thank goodness it did not stay there. China and other parts of Asia by the late 9th and early 10th century had started to grow watermelons as well. There is also thought to be a trade route that went from Egypt to other Mediterranean countries where trading ships helped spread the good taste of the melon. African slaves and British colonist would help originate the watermelon seeds in the United States. 

Today:

• more than 1,200 varieties of watermelons are grown all over the world in 96 countries
• watermelons come in shapes of oval, round as well as flesh colors ranging from yellow to red. 
• watermelon is the most consumed melon in the U.S.
• July in National Watermelon month

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