Watermelons
Seedless Watermelons
According to the USDA, watermelon has 46 calories per cup, which is 20 percent of your daily intake of vitamin C and 17 percent vitamin A.
Watermelon is full of lycopene, a powerful carotenoid antioxidant that gives fruits and vegetables a pinkish red color.
Watermelon is a fruit and a vegetable. It can be traced back to the squash, pumpkin, and cucumber family known as Cucurbitaceae.
Watermelon is the most-consumed melon in the US, followed by cantaloupe and honeydew.
Watermelon is also more than 91 percent water, according to the USDA.
Don’t forget to store your watermelon in a cool area (50-60 degrees F) until it’s ready to be cut.
Did you know North Carolina produces roughly 6% of all watermelon grown in the United States?
Our Process
At Howell Farming Company we produce nutritious and delicious seedless watermelons. Take a look at our unique process.
Sprout
In March we plant seeds in trays. The plants will be raised in our greenhouse until they are large enough to be transplanted to the field.
Plant
Howell Farming Co. watermelons are planted in rows on raised beds. Plastic mulch is used to warm the soil and decrease weed growth.
Transplant
Plants are transplanted to the field in late May. Workers ride a setter, placing each seedless watermelon plant in the row by hand. The workers walking behind the setter are planting seeded varieties, which are needed for pollination.
Growth
Within 60 days of transplanting, the vines produce the first watermelons.
Harvest
Vines can grow 6-8 feet during the season. Our watermelons are ready for harvest around July 4th and continue to be harvested until September.
Hand-picked
The rind is not tough so watermelons are hand-picked. Workers cut each ripe melon from the vine and carefully load them on a trailer in the field.
Wash
Watermelons are taken to our central packing shed where they are washed, graded and packed based on size.
Package
Most watermelons are packed in bins that hold between 35 and 60 melons. The bins are shipped to grocery stores, schools and other markets.
Enjoy
Watermelon is nutritious and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways during the summer.