The Accidental Watermelons
How an unexpected bumper crop instigated a jolly good time.
A couple episodes back, I mentioned a volunteer watermelon vine that took over half my garden space. Well, prepare yourself for the whole story of…
The Accidental Watermelons
Last year around this time, I was cooking up a brainstorm which involved growing a massive amount of flowers on our land to sell by the road. Jonathon tilled up a plot of ground behind our house in October or November, and because we have Bermuda grass everywhere, we tilled it at regular intervals all the way until planting time in the spring.
As per usual, I worked hard on this project all the days I could work hard. Other days, my body decided to throw hissy fits and I’d end up in bed or just down for the day. So, try as I might, I wasn’t able to get the entire plot planted. A third of the plot lay bare, and rather than let the Bermuda grass and assorted weeds take it over again, I started throwing all my kitchen compost on top along with other assorted compostable items…cardboard, paper scraps, grass clippings, the remains of flower bouquets that didn’t sell, etc…
On the 4th of July, we had a little family get together with all the usual Independence Day fixings like hamburgers and pasta salad and plenty of watermelon! In fact, we had a slight breakdown in communication concerning the watermelon. My husband bought one and then my mother-in-law brought another massive watermelon. So, we were nearly drowning in the delicious stuff.
After the meal was over and it was time to clean up, I gathered up the rinds and seeds and tossed them on the garden with all the other compostables and gave it no more thought. We were at the tail end of a long drought. It was broiling hot and dry as a bone. Thankfully, the drought finally ended and the Lord sent rain in abundance a little ways into July.
By the end of the month, a little watermelon vine appeared. I let it grow, but didn’t take any further notice or care of it. I had too much to do to spend any time on it. I had a big trip to Colorado to prepare for and a lot of logistics to square away so we could leave without the whole property and my many enterprises falling apart at the seams. So, other than lay down a thick layer of grass clippings under the vine and all over that bare piece of garden, that’s all I did for the vine.
We were gone for nearly a month. Imagine my absolute shock when I came back to find the vine had taken over the remainder of the garden. There were watermelons everywhere in every stage of development. I couldn’t believe it. But I still didn’t imagine there would be enough time for the melons to ripen properly. The growing season is pretty long in South Carolina, but I’ve never heard of watermelons being planted as late as July. So, we just watched and waited. I maintained my hands off approach and did nothing for them.
The melons got bigger and bigger and BIGGER. Finally, last week, Jonathon reported that they were ready to pick. The little curly-cue that dies off about the time watermelons are ripe, turned brown. So, Jonathon brought them in, huffing and puffing, one after the other. Ten watermelons, each about 30 pounds or more!
On Sunday, we cut one open, the moment of truth. I chose the biggest one and lugged it over to the cutting board. I’m pretty sure that one weighed at least 40 pounds. It was massive. I split it straight down the middle and gasped with delight. This is what I saw:
It was the most gorgeous red and it tasted even better than it looked—sweet, firm, crisp!
Now the problem was how to eat ten massive watermelons with only two people in the house. That night, an idea hit upon Jonathon. A watermelon party! As quick as we could put it together while the melons were nice and fresh. So, I sat down and created a Facebook event called “The Great Watermelon Festival at Jonathan and Amanda’s House” for Tuesday night at 7:00 PM. We invited a bunch of people. Neighbors, family, friends from church and friends from here and there.
Being that it was a last minute idea, we weren’t sure how many would show up. But once 7:00 PM hit, a nice steady stream of cars rolled into our driveway and a pleasing crowd of folks filled up our house. We had such a nice time, chatting and eating watermelon. The last person didn’t leave until 9:30, I think.
As all this went down, I couldn’t help but feel happy that one of the themes in my writing was being realized. I often write about the need to get to know your neighbors, and related to that, the absolute necessity taking deliberate action to spend more time with flesh and blood people instead of living online amongst the angry rhetoric and the paranoid theories.
Online “communities” are not real communities. The only way to build real relationships with people is by investing time in in-person interactions. One of the best ways to do this, I have found, is by inviting people into my home and putting them at their ease. And doing it simply and without a lot of fanfare.
This little party of ours didn’t require any expense, a big fancy menu, or a house right out of the pages of Southern Living magazine. (In fact, the lawn was downright untidy that night and still is because we haven’t had a chance to mow it!) Party favors consisted of sending folks out the door on their way home with gallon zip lock bags full of chunked up watermelon!
As I stood in the kitchen in my sticky dress and apron, slicing watermelon, I looked around at all the folks chowing down, talking, laughing. I realized once again, that all it took to bring this about was an unexpected opportunity, the eyes to see the opportunity, and the will to act upon it.
And my goal is to continue having these planned or impromptu gatherings as often as I possibly can. Because…life is hard and getting harder. I want the people in my area to know me and feel at home and at peace in my home. I went them to feel loved and cared for. And when times get much harder, as I think they likely will, I want them to remember that they are always welcome at Jonathon and Amanda’s house and to feel certain that if they need help, they can come here and receive it.
So…that is the story of the accidental watermelons. I hope you’ve enjoyed it, that you’ll remember it, and open your eyes to see those unexpected opportunities to befriend the people in your own area. The only way to weather the gathering storm is through cooperation and loving the people around you in word, deed and truth.
As is becoming my weekly tradition, I will close the recording of this story by singing one of my favorite harvest time hymns, Come, Ye People Come, which you can listen to by clicking “play” at the top of this page.
That’s all for now. Until next time, folks…