Market Farming

["Tradingpost" <tradingpost AT lobo.net>]

Can you refer us to a good source of the authentic charantais melon?  Your
picking advice sounds right. 

paul tradingpost AT lobo.net

Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes. 
--Henry David Thoreau 

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 8/8/2006 at 1:17 PM Bill Shoemaker wrote:

>Adriana
>
>I first tried growing them when Vilmorin seed first came to the US. They 
>provided seed of several varieties, including 'Savor', an older one. Their

>seedsmen taught me how to pick them, which is different that other 
>orange-fleshed melons. I think they are the tastiest of all melons.
>Growing 
>them shouldn't be any more difficult than muskmelons (cantaloupe if you 
>prefer). The tricky part comes when they mature. Look at the little branch

>coming from the stem of the fruit. It will have a small leaf at the end of

>it. Before the fruit turns color on the outside, the leaf will fade and 
>begin to die back. That is when the fruit is ready. It will not "slip"
>from 
>the stem at that stage. Just cut the stem. If you wait for the fruit to 
>change color on the outside or to slip, it will be overripe.
>
>Be aware that there are "charantais" varieties that are not full-blooded 
>charantais. They've been crossed with muskmelon and won't have that great 
>flavor. Also, if your plants are infected with bacterial wilt or viruses 
>they won't have good flavor either.
>
>Bill Shoemaker, Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
>University of Illinois - St Charles Horticulture Research Center
>www.nres.uiuc.edu/faculty/directory/shoemaker_wh.html
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Adriana" <adriana AT chefsgreens.com>
>To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2006 12:11 PM
>Subject: [Market-farming] Charentais melons
>
>
>>
>> If you've studied the catalogs I'm sure you've heard about the famous 
>> French
>> Charentais melons.
>>
>> I grew some a couple of years ago and was not impressed by the taste -
>the
>> aroma was fabulous but the taste was bland and watery.  I wondered what 
>> the
>> fuss was all about.
>>
>> Well, let me tell you what the fuss is all about - I just got back from
2
>> weeks in Provence and got to taste the real thing, fresh form the local
>> farmer's markets. OH, MY GOD!!!!  It was like eating concentrated
>perfume!
>>
>> So, what's the trick, has anybody grown them successfully in the US?  I
>> suspect Alabama may be too warm for them, but I'm more than willing to
>> experiment to see if I can come close to Nirvana.
>>
>> For those of you who are interested, seeds are available from Cooks at
>>
>http://www.cooksgarden.com/prodinfo.asp?number=665&variation=&aitem=2&mitem
=4Adriana
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>> 
>
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