National Watermelon Month

National Watermelon Month celebrates watermelon throughout July, highlighting the refreshing summer fruit and the farmers who grow it. The United States Senate designated July as National Watermelon Month in 2007, with the month’s timing coinciding with the fruit’s peak season. A contemporary account describes the observance as a way to celebrate watermelon and its growers.

Watermelon has a history stretching back thousands of years. Seeds found at archaeological sites in Egypt and Libya date to around 5,000 years ago, and seeds have also been recovered from Egyptian royal tombs. From northern Africa, the crop spread through the Mediterranean and across Eurasia. Spanish colonists brought it to the Florida and Georgia coast in the late 16th century, while enslaved Africans also carried watermelon seeds to the Americas. The McClung Museum at the University of Tennessee provides additional background on the fruit’s journey and its place in Southern foodways.

How to Observe National Watermelon Month

Celebrate by enjoying watermelon fresh, adding it to a fruit salad, blending it into a smoothie, or freezing it for a cool snack. Choose a melon from a local market if possible, and take a moment to appreciate the farmers and agricultural workers who bring this quintessential summer fruit from the field to the table.

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