[HN Gopher] Watermelons
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       Watermelons
        
       Author : eliotpeper
       Score  : 69 points
       Date   : 2021-10-31 19:15 UTC (3 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (seasonal.substack.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (seasonal.substack.com)
        
       | r0m4n0 wrote:
       | The article hinted to this toward the end but less water makes
       | for better tasting watermelons. I moved from CA to NY and noticed
       | that the watermelons were sourced from Florida when I moved.
       | Watermelons from Florida taste so much worse than CA. Hit or miss
       | on good ones, I'd literally throw out 90% of them (or blend for
       | juice).
       | 
       | Something else I've noticed is that you basically can't find
       | normal seeded watermelons anymore. Do stores and growers not
       | produce them anymore because they don't sell? I miss how much
       | better those tasted as well, and their shape. It's interesting
       | how the demand for certain types of produce in areas can make it
       | basically impossible to get a variety. Most grocery stores now
       | carry the same types of produce in the US, it makes for rather
       | boring cooking (ignoring specialty stores and co-ops that are
       | hard to find outside of cities)
        
         | mgerdts wrote:
         | Seeded watermelons have gone extinct in the mass market grocers
         | in my area. They are available (when in season locally) at the
         | co-op I shop at, as well as at farmers markets. I'm not sure if
         | it is the fact that they are seeded or that they may be a
         | variety that doesn't need to travel 1000 miles that makes them
         | taste better.
        
       | [deleted]
        
       | ehmish wrote:
       | Hmm, I am not a botanist, but since watermelons have seeds, and
       | botanically speaking seeds are in the fruit, aren't watermelon
       | fruit botanically speaking?
        
         | mgerdts wrote:
         | Seedless watermelons still have seeds, they just aren't mature
         | when the fruit is ripe. This means they are smaller and are
         | soft enough that eating them does not give crunch.
        
         | jarenmf wrote:
         | It is the fruit we eat. However, the fruit/vegetable
         | distinction does not make a lot of sense botanically.
        
         | bloak wrote:
         | Yes, it looks like they're fruit botanically and culinarily,
         | but they're vegetables "agriculturally", whatever that means.
        
       | ars wrote:
       | This article makes me want to try drinking only watermelon for a
       | week.
        
       | aaron695 wrote:
       | No, Dry farming needs to be wiped out.
       | 
       | It takes more land.
       | 
       | If you care about the ecosystem, this is bad. If you care about
       | cost, this is bad.
       | 
       | The only mantra Dry farming works for is terraforming the Earth
       | to less/no native environment and more communal farming. That's a
       | legitimate ideal, but most people value the ecosystems.
        
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       (page generated 2021-10-31 23:00 UTC)