Virginia melons are tasty, healthy and in season

Virginia melon crops are in season and looking good in spite of the rain.

“This year’s crop is pretty good, amazingly good considering the rain,” said Cumberland County grower Rob French. “I thought we’d have much more loss, but we just had to plant late.”

Bobby Vaughan, who grows cantaloupes, canary melons and watermelons in Virginia Beach—“the rural part of Virginia Beach”—was in agreement. “The melons are looking very good this year,” Vaughan said. “We haven’t seen any major disease. Insects are a problem, but they’re not too bad.”

Both Vaughan and French sell their melons at retail farm stands.

Melons are rich in Vitamin C, potassium and carotenoids and have been found to help prevent a variety of health problems, including heart disease, cancer and strokes.
Vaughan said his customers like his melons because they are recently picked. “The customers like the fact that they’re fresh. We can always promise you they’re fresh,” he said.