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OT: Smith County Watermelons

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ronpolk

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May 6, 2009
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I used to not be a big watermelon connoisseur but now I have 2 kids that I swear would eat nothing but watermelon, so I eat a lot more of it now days. I normally just buy watermelon at Kroger.

I’ll preface this by saying I didn’t grow up in MS. Driving home from the Florida recently, my wife wants to stop on the side of 49 and buy a smith county watermelon, which is as cool because we had a nice conversation with an old farmer who was a state fan. I kinda figured this was a hype thing and watermelon was watermelon. But damn if that watermelon ain’t the best one I’ve ever had.

Did I just get a good watermelon or are smith county watermelons actually the best?
 
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mparkerfd20

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Aug 22, 2012
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ronpolk said:
I used to not be a big watermelon connoisseur but now I have 2 kids that I swear would eat nothing but watermelon, so I eat a lot more of it now days. I normally just buy watermelon at Kroger.

I’ll preface this by saying I didn’t grow up in MS. Driving home from the Florida recently, my wife wants to stop on the side of 49 and buy a smith county watermelon, which is as cool because we had a nice conversation with an old farmer who was a state fan. I kinda figured this was a hype thing and watermelon was watermelon. But damn if that watermelon ain’t the best one I’ve ever had.

Did I just get a good watermelon or are smith county watermelons actually the best?
Click to expand...
No they are the best.
 
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greenbean.sixpack

greenbean.sixpack

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Oct 6, 2012
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ronpolk said:
I used to not be a big watermelon connoisseur but now I have 2 kids that I swear would eat nothing but watermelon, so I eat a lot more of it now days. I normally just buy watermelon at Kroger.

I’ll preface this by saying I didn’t grow up in MS. Driving home from the Florida recently, my wife wants to stop on the side of 49 and buy a smith county watermelon, which is as cool because we had a nice conversation with an old farmer who was a state fan. I kinda figured this was a hype thing and watermelon was watermelon. But damn if that watermelon ain’t the best one I’ve ever had.

Did I just get a good watermelon or are smith county watermelons actually the best?
Click to expand...
You will not be able to tell the difference. Get whatever one is easiest.
 
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JonJuanQuixote

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Jul 31, 2020
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Probably a little over-hyped but yeah they are better than your average grocery store watermelon. "Smith" county watermelons are also grown across the county line in Simpson county and are all sold together along highway 49 just the same but both have ideal soil conditions and farmers with experience on when to plant and when to pick.
 
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Dawg Hammer 87

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May 6, 2024
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i live in central MS and there is no comparison to a Smith county watermelon! My wife and mother-in-law are watermelon lovers and swear by them! Had one Sunday and my mother-in-law said that was the best one she had ever eaten in 80 plus years. I don"t eat them so I have no opinion about them but locals go and buy them by the trailer loads to resale around the 4th. Side hustle!
 
The Peeper

The Peeper

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Feb 26, 2008
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Two things.
1. Soil minerals and fertility, local cultural practices and knowledge, climate, and many other factors can all go together to make an ag product better in some places than others and that is the case with watermelons from Smith County.

2. I'd bet that there's a good chance that a large portion of watermelons you see on the side of the road w/ "Smith County Watermelons" on the hand made spray painted sign beside the truck or produce market didn't come from Smith County. Same w/ Chilton County Peaches
 
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ronpolk

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Maroon Eagle said:
Watermelons are an abomination.

But then it should come as no surprise to y’all that I should think this since I turned in my Southerner card several years ago for this…

View attachment 602289
Click to expand...
Haha I don’t remember this but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone else not like banana pudding. Do you hate fried catfish too?
 
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ronpolk

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greenbean.sixpack said:
You will not be able to tell the difference. Get whatever one is easiest.
Click to expand...
I’m going to make my wife and kids do a blind taste test. We got a great watermelon but I’m still not convinced it’s actually better. My wife is 100% convinced smith county is the only way to go… but she’s wrong a lot
 
ETK99

ETK99

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Jul 30, 2019
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ronpolk said:
I used to not be a big watermelon connoisseur but now I have 2 kids that I swear would eat nothing but watermelon, so I eat a lot more of it now days. I normally just buy watermelon at Kroger.

I’ll preface this by saying I didn’t grow up in MS. Driving home from the Florida recently, my wife wants to stop on the side of 49 and buy a smith county watermelon, which is as cool because we had a nice conversation with an old farmer who was a state fan. I kinda figured this was a hype thing and watermelon was watermelon. But damn if that watermelon ain’t the best one I’ve ever had.

Did I just get a good watermelon or are smith county watermelons actually the best?
Click to expand...
They didn't start pulling melons until a couple weeks ago. Look for the sticker on them as many put stickers on them now.
 
greenbean.sixpack

greenbean.sixpack

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Oct 6, 2012
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ronpolk said:
I’m going to make my wife and kids do a blind taste test. We got a great watermelon but I’m still not convinced it’s actually better. My wife is 100% convinced smith county is the only way to go… but she’s wrong a lot
Click to expand...
just like all these fancy bourbons out now, no one can tell the difference. My next door neighbor is a "foodie" he staged a bind taste test of 4 popular bourbons, no one got any right.
 
Maroon Eagle

Maroon Eagle

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May 24, 2006
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ronpolk said:
Haha I don’t remember this but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone else not like banana pudding. Do you hate fried catfish too?
Click to expand...
It was a special Extra edition that was included in a thread on a different subject.

The thread was I think hated foods three years ago or so

I dislike most things that taste like bananas — the main exceptions are banana bread and banana chips.

Answering your question, I do love fried catfish.
 
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DesotoCountyDawg

DesotoCountyDawg

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Nov 16, 2005
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The Peeper said:
Two things.
1. Soil minerals and fertility, local cultural practices and knowledge, climate, and many other factors can all go together to make an ag product better in some places than others and that is the case with watermelons from Smith County.

2. I'd bet that there's a good chance that a large portion of watermelons you see on the side of the road w/ "Smith County Watermelons" on the hand made spray painted sign beside the truck or produce market didn't come from Smith County. Same w/ Chilton County Peaches
Click to expand...
what she said yes GIF by TipsyElves.com
 
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uptowndawg

uptowndawg

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Jul 15, 2010
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ronpolk said:
I used to not be a big watermelon connoisseur but now I have 2 kids that I swear would eat nothing but watermelon, so I eat a lot more of it now days. I normally just buy watermelon at Kroger.

I’ll preface this by saying I didn’t grow up in MS. Driving home from the Florida recently, my wife wants to stop on the side of 49 and buy a smith county watermelon, which is as cool because we had a nice conversation with an old farmer who was a state fan. I kinda figured this was a hype thing and watermelon was watermelon. But damn if that watermelon ain’t the best one I’ve ever had.

Did I just get a good watermelon or are smith county watermelons actually the best?
Click to expand...
Honorable mention to a Washington parish watermelon.
 
A

Anon1717806835

Member
Jun 7, 2024
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The Peeper said:
Two things.
1. Soil minerals and fertility, local cultural practices and knowledge, climate, and many other factors can all go together to make an ag product better in some places than others and that is the case with watermelons from Smith County.

2. I'd bet that there's a good chance that a large portion of watermelons you see on the side of the road w/ "Smith County Watermelons" on the hand made spray painted sign beside the truck or produce market didn't come from Smith County. Same w/ Chilton County Peaches
Click to expand...
Yep. There is not enough acreage in Smith County to grow all the watermelons that get advertised as "Smith County Watermelons".
 
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OG Goat Holder

OG Goat Holder

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Anon1717806835 said:
Yep. There is not enough acreage in Smith County to grow all the watermelons that get advertised as "Smith County Watermelons".
Click to expand...
That why you have to drive over to Raleigh to make sure you’re getting the real thing.

I wouldn’t trust the sidewalk clowns on Highway 49. They’ll sell you Sysco ‘gulf’ shrimp in a heartbeat…

That’s just how Miss Sipi rolls.
 
G

garddog

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Dec 10, 2008
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Smith County has great watermelon. The best I ever had was grown 2 miles south of Mclain. That old farmer died over 30 years ago, but he sold them on the side of old Hwy 98 for years, right beside a gas station. One of my uncles picked for him in the 50's for summer work.
 
L

leeinator

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Feb 24, 2014
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For those who are into watermelons, go to the weekend Watermelon Festival in Water Valley, MS held annually around this time. But don't go up there bragging about another county's melons.....thems might be fightin' words! It's a fun event though serious.
 
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Puppers

Puppers

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Oct 1, 2022
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OG Goat Holder said:
That why you have to drive over to Raleigh to make sure you’re getting the real thing.

I wouldn’t trust the sidewalk clowns on Highway 49. They’ll sell you Sysco ‘gulf’ shrimp in a heartbeat…

That’s just how Miss Sipi rolls.
Click to expand...

I saw a guy selling "fresh local produce" on the side of 51 in Batesville a couple of years ago that had some pineapples on his table
 
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Car Ramrod.sixpack

Car Ramrod.sixpack

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Sep 21, 2017
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leeinator said:
For those who are into watermelons, go to the weekend Watermelon Festival in Water Valley, MS held annually around this time. But don't go up there bragging about another county's melons.....thems might be fightin' words! It's a fun event though serious.
Click to expand...

Mize has their watermelon festival coming up in a few weeks if you want to try an authentic Smith County watermelon.

Mize Watermelon Festival
 
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