Rocky Ford Cantaloupes are famous for their sweet and flavorful taste. The famous Rocky Ford melons have hit the shelves at big box grocery stores and local farmers markets across Colorado and this season is one of the sweetest yet.
What is a Rocky Ford melon?
Rocky Ford Melon is an open-pollinated, heirloom cantaloupe variety dating back to 1887. Also known as “Eden’s Gem” or “Rocky Ford Green Flesh,” this variety looks like a typical cantaloupe on the exterior with heavily netted, ribbed skin.
Which cantaloupe is best?
Some of the Best Cantaloupe Types For Growing and Eating
- The Aphrodite Cantaloupe.
- The Sugar Cube Cantaloupe.
- The Athena Cantaloupe.
- The Charentais Cantaloupe.
- The Galia Cantaloupe.
- The Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe.
- Earls Melon Cantaloupe.
What is Rocky Ford co known for?
Rocky Ford is a small Arkansas Valley town made famous for its cantaloupes. It’s located around fifty miles southeast of Pueblo and 10 miles from La Junta.
What is the sweet cantaloupe called?
muskmelon
In North America, the sweet-flesh varieties are often collectively called muskmelon, including the musky netted-rind varieties and the inodorous smooth-rind varieties, and cantaloupe usually means the former type.
Why are Rocky Ford cantaloupes so good?
Rocky Ford cantaloupes fall in the first category, and there’s a reason why. “With cool nights and the heat during the day, the variance in the temperature helps make the natural sugars,” says Brooke Proctor, a member of the Rocky Ford Growers Association along with her husband, Matthew.
Why are Rocky Ford melons so good?
The area is well-known for its melons due to its ideal climate, which includes large temperature swings — from hot and dry during the day, to much cooler evenings (which helps stimulate the sugars in the melon), the ideal soil composition, and right elevation.
What is the best tasting melon?
‘Amy’ canary melons are sweet with a firm texture.
- ‘Papaya Dew’
- ‘Piel de Sapo’
- ‘Rocky Ford Green Flesh’
- ‘Canary Yellow’
- ‘Crenshaw’
- ‘Golden Beauty’
- ‘Honeydew Green Flesh’
- ‘Honeydew Orange’ ‘Honeydew Orange’ is incredibly sweet, with a 13-degree Brix rating.
What is the sweetest melon to buy?
Crenshaw. One of the sweetest varieties available, the Crenshaw ripens from midsummer through autumn. The thick, pink-orange flesh has a heady aroma and works well with prosciutto and other charcuterie.
What are the different types of cantaloupe?
MuskmelonLower classifications
Where do Rocky Ford cantaloupes come from?
The Rocky Ford region of Colorado is famous for its cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew melons. The hot days and cool nights along the Arkansas River stimulate the sugars in the melons, according to the RFGA.
Are Rocky Ford cantaloupes in season?
Typically, Rocky Ford Cantaloupes are harvested in Early July for local farmers market availability and will continue to be picked until late September.
What is in Rocky Ford?
Essential Rocky Ford
- Knapps Farm Market. Speciality & Gift Shops.
- Otero Museum. History Museums.
- 1st Street Emporium. Speciality & Gift Shops.
- The Railyard. Bars & Clubs.
- Picketwire Canyonlands. Canyons, Nature & Wildlife Areas.
- Koshare Indian Museum. Speciality Museums.
- La Junta Municipal Golf Course. Golf Courses.
- Vogel Canyon.
How can you tell if a cantaloupe is sweet?
A ripe cantaloupe should have an overall sweet smell, but I get the absolute best melon by putting my nose close to the blossom end (the end opposite the stem). It should smell sweet and slightly musky. If it doesn’t smell good, I don’t buy it.
Why are my homegrown cantaloupes not sweet?
If a lot of fruits are ripening around the same time, they have to split up the available sugars. That means you’ll get more fruits, but all of them would be less sweet. Growers often pinch out developing fruits so that only one of them ripens every two weeks.
What’s the difference between a cantaloupe and a Tuscan cantaloupe?
Tuscan Style® cantaloupes have a rich, subtly earthy, and exceptionally sweet flavor, containing 14 to 16 Brix sugar levels. This Brix content is higher than traditional cantaloupes, which commonly have around 9 to 10 Brix.
What’s the difference between melon and cantaloupe?
The bottom line
Honeydew melon and cantaloupe are two popular varieties of melon. Honeydew melon has a smooth, light-colored rind and green flesh, while cantaloupe has a darker, netted rind and orange flesh. Both are sweet and nutritious, but cantaloupe contains more vitamin C and provitamin A.
What is a dove melon?
Dove is a soft-fleshed melon with a gourmet taste. It is not uncommon for sugars to reach as high as 15.5%. Early maturing!
What is the best way to plant cantaloupe for Hales?
Hales Best requires around 90 to harvest after germination. As they require a long growing season, melons are best started indoors approximately 3 weeks prior to the last frost of the season. Sow seeds ½” deep in flats or small pots, sowing 3 seeds per pot. Keep medium moist while awaiting germination.
Is there a difference between cantaloupe and muskmelon?
Muskmelon is a species that belongs to the gourd family. Cantaloupe refers to two varieties of muskmelon, which differ slightly in terms of flavor and appearance but share a similar set of nutrients and health benefits.
How did Rocky Ford Colorado get its name?
The community was named for a rocky ford near the original town site.