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Winter melons offer new opportunity for farmers

An extension educator says winter melons are becoming a high value crop for direct-to-consumer farmers with strong Asian populations.

Ron Goldy with Michigan State University Extension says eight varieties of winter melons were planted this past year at MSU’s southwest research center to determine their commercial potential.  “If you are a marketer, whether you have a farm stand or go to a farmers’ market and have a significant Indian, Asian/Indian, or Chinese or Southeast Asian population that you’re servicing, then you ought to try to grow winter melons.  If you can grow watermelons, you can grow winter melons.”

He says the melons will develop a white waxy coating once they’re ripe and buyers want them to weigh at least 15 pounds.  “They use it in stir-frys and soups just like we would use noodles.  It doesn’t have a whole lot of flavor to it, it adds substance and it absorbs a lot of flavors.”

Goldy says winter melons are harvested in September and self-preserve through the winter months.

AUDIO: Interview with Ron Goldy