Joe Miller grew the second-heaviest watermelon in Kentucky State Fair history, weighing in at 276.8 pounds. This was Miller's second time winning the contest, and he was finally able to beat his mentor, Frank Mudd, who has won the contest for decades.
Miller started growing watermelons to compete in the annual Watermelon Festival in his hometown. He has been growing watermelons since the 1960s, and he won the festival in 1986 with a 176.5-pound melon.
Miller retired from his career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Kansas City in 2020 and returned to his native Monroe County. He set the Watermelon Festival record again in 2020 with a 208-pound melon.
Miller planted the seeds for his State Fair winner during the first week of March, then transplanted the vine into the ground in mid-April. He gave the melon special treatment by putting it in a cot so that it was not touching the ground. This allowed the belly of the melon to grow down, which helped it to weigh more.
Miller said that growing big melons takes constant attention. He has to keep the vines trimmed up and fertilize them regularly. Watermelons are believed to have originated in the Sahara Desert, and they do not need a lot of water to grow. However, Miller said that you need to push water to them if you want them to grow big.
Miller said that big melons taste best fresh off the vine. They can start to break down after a few days, so it is best to eat them right away.
Miller is proud of his accomplishment, and he is excited to continue growing big watermelons. He hopes to break the State Fair record one day.
Photo Credit: Kentucky State Fair
Categories: Kentucky, Rural Lifestyle