THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WATERMELONS IN THE WORLD

BRADFORD WATERMELONS

The most beautiful watermelons just might be Bradford watermelons. They taste better, look prettier, and are doing their part to make the world a better place.

How do these juicy fruits manage to be so amazing? First, it’s a matter of deliciousness.

Developed in the 1850’s, by Nathaniel Bradford, this unique watermelon breed produced the sweetest, most flavorful flesh as well as a flavorful thin skin. This heritage varietal is as prized today as it was back then, but was rendered virtually extinct in the 1900’s.

As the agriculture industry advanced, pushing large scale crops and distributing over longer distances, watermelons with hard, thick skins and tough rinds became preferable for handling and shipping purposes.

Unfortunately this development came at the sacrifice of flavor. Nevertheless, the new watermelon varieties were more profitable and the sweet tender Bradford watermelon, fell out of commercial cultivation.

The Bradford family never stopped actively growing their melons. Nathaniel’s great grandson and namesake, Nat Bradford, became interested in his family’s watermelon history. He tracked down information about the melon in American Heritage Vegetables, by Professor David Shields at the University of South Carolina and was inspired to grow his heritage breed once again.

“Armed with an amazing story, an insatiable desire to farm, and the heritage seeds of quite possibly the best watermelon ever created, I did what came naturally,” explains Nat. “I planted the biggest field of Bradford watermelons our family had ever grown…a half acre. It may not sound like much, but it was quite risky when the last seeds of Bradford watermelon on the planet could be contained in a couple of mason jars!”

Nat’s first crop was planted in 220 hills with 2 plants per hill for a total of 440 plants. The goal was primarily to exponentially increase the number of seeds available.

They produced 465 melons. The fruit was turned into watermelon molasses and rind pickle, while the seeds were saved for an even bigger planting next season.

Today, Bradford Watermelon, seeds, molasses, and rind pickle are being introduced to chefs, gardeners and food enthusiasts around the world.

We love Bradford Pickled Watermelon Rind. It’s fruity, floral, tart, and sweet. It is “spoon tender right down to its dark green skin.”

Watermelon brandy was distilled all over the lowcountry during the 19th century. Today, two South Carolina distilleries make special small batch Bradford Watermelon brandies.

Six & Twenty Distillery Bradford Family Watermelon Brandy is sweet and smooth, with lush fruit forward.

Malty, yeasty, funky, and slightly fruity, High Wire Distillery Bradford Watermelon Brandy finishes long, and warm.

Beyond their beautiful taste and gorgeous pink and green forms, Bradford watermelons save lives too. Every day, about 3000 people around the world die from illnesses related to poor drinking water. That’s 2 people per minute. Bradford’s philanthropic arm, Watermelons for Water, uses melon sales proceeds to fund new wells and medication to treat water-borne diseases for communities in Tanzania & Bolivia.

In its first season, Watermelons for Water was able to raise enough money to impact the lives of 12,000 people.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: Courtesy of Bradford Watermelons. Bradford Watermelon.
2. Image: Courtesy of Bradford Watermelons. Bradford Watermelon.
3. Image: Courtesy of Bradford Watermelons. “Bradford Watermelons beginning to sprawl.”
4. Image: Courtesy of Bradford Watermelons. Bradford Watermelon.
5. Image: Courtesy of Bradford Watermelons. Bradford Watermelon growing in the field.
6. Image: Courtesy of Bradford Watermelons. Bradford Watermelons growing in the field.
7. Image: Courtesy of Bradford Watermelons. Bradford Watermelon seeds.
8. Image: by Heather Grillot. Bradford Watermelons on the back of a farm truck. Courtesy of  Bradford Watermelons.
9. Image: Courtesy of Bradford Watermelons. Bradford Family Watermelon Red & Dark Molasses.
10. Image: Courtesy of Bradford Watermelons. Bradford Family Watermelon Rind Pickles.
11. Image: Courtesy of Six & Twenty Distillery. Six and Twenty Distillery Bradford Family Watermelon Brandy.
12. Image: Courtesy of High Wire Distilling Co. High Wire Distilling Watermelon Brandy.  
13. Image: Courtesy of Bradford Watermelons. Bradford Watermelon.
14. Image: Courtesy of Bradford Watermelons. A picnic table with Bradford Watermelon wedges & watermelon lemonade.
15. Image: Courtesy of High Wire Distilling Co. Workers at High Wire Distilling processing Bradford Watermelons for watermelon brandy.
16. Image: Courtesy of Bradford Watermelons. Girl eating Bradford Watermelon.
17. Image: by BN App - Download now!
18. Image: Courtesy of Bradford Watermelons. Bradford Watermelon & watermelon lemonade.