tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6672834250325632231.post7745655681326225713..comments2023-11-09T02:06:49.126-06:00Comments on Rancho Santa Clara: Mid-spring farm reportalcubanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12667546605871850986noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6672834250325632231.post-53075398194865537262011-05-14T20:28:56.381-05:002011-05-14T20:28:56.381-05:00If you guys ever want REAL lemons, as big as baseb...If you guys ever want REAL lemons, as big as baseballs, call me. I have zillions on the tree in the garden......truly.<br /><br />Barbara<br />152-8375<br /><br />LOVE your writing!Babshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16609157345912932083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6672834250325632231.post-27771001924073439522011-05-10T12:08:50.230-05:002011-05-10T12:08:50.230-05:00More from Dinah:
Al, after sending you an email ab...More from Dinah:<br />Al, after sending you an email about the famous Pecos cantaloupes I did a little internet research on them. The consensus is that there is nothing special about the cantaloupe... it's the soil, very alkyline and high in potassium, that makes them special. I don't know if this describes your soil or not but it appears to me that the agri-climate might be similar to yours. Around Pecos it's very dry with only 10 to 15 inches a year of rainfall, most falling in the summer in short bursts in July. The natural vegetation is cactus and mesquite trees. The cantaloupes are probably irrigated as they start coming in July to about Labor Day. The few farmers that raise them stagger the plantings about every week. When they're ready they must be immediately harvested due to the short shelf life. Very labor intensive. In recent years many farmers are planting fewer acres. If there is little rain the crop can be ruined by critters, usually wild hogs, who tear into the melons for their water. It's fairly high altitude near Pecos..about 4500 feet. One of the growers was quoted as saying "when they're delivered to the grocery stores they stink up the whole store." I wouldn't call it "stink" but you certainly don't have to sniff the stem to know when the melon is ripe. You just follow your nose to the produce dept.<br /> <br />Dinah Ragsdalealcubanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12667546605871850986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6672834250325632231.post-40670020832273739202011-05-09T13:40:50.318-05:002011-05-09T13:40:50.318-05:00Mr. Lanier, Regretfully I'm still unable to co...Mr. Lanier, Regretfully I'm still unable to comment on your blog. Today I enjoyed your entry on your gardening efforts. As a resident of both east and west Texas for most of my life I have to comment on your failure with cantaloupes. The creme de la creme of cantaloupes, in my opinion, is the Pecos cantaloupe. Since we moved to east Texas almost 30 years ago we haven't seen one in the grocery. Last summer, en route to Ruidoso, NM, we overnighted in Lamesa, Texas and found them in the grocery there. They were as delicious and juicy as I remembered. They must have too short a shelf life to make it as far east as Tyler, TX. You won't find a more arid climate than Pecos, TX. However, I'm sure they take a LOT of water. Good luck with tomatoes and keep posting. I enjoy it so much. Regards, Dinah Ragsdalealcubanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12667546605871850986noreply@blogger.com