Market Farming

[Allan Balliett <aballiett AT frontiernet.net>]

These things are driving me nuts in determining ripeness!! Should the 
whole patch come on 'ripe' at once? I have such thick vine/leaf cover 
that it's all but impossible to check individual melons without 
destroying vines, etc. It seems the only sure way to determine 'ripe' 
is to wait for a mouse attack, by the, of course, it's too late.

What is the rule you successful folks follow for harvesting? I got 
the 'dried first leaf' thing. At that point, though, would you 
consider the bulk of the planting (at least by size of fruit) to be 
close enough to harvest?

Thanks -Allan