Never mind what the temperature was for this years Watermelon Festival. This past Saturday, it was a chilly day at the Franklin Farmers Market, thanks to icy-cold watermelons and frosty Melon Mania drinks. It was all a part of the FFM’s big Watermelon Festival 2014 presented by Whole Foods Market.
Deb ringing in the start of Watermelon Festival 2014
Ice Cold watermelons ready to be sliced
Whole Foods Michael Marting and FFM volunteers
Fast eating makes for plump cheeks!
Lots of ice old watermelon slices
Watermelon drinks and slices a big favorite of the day
From the seed-spitting contest to the fastest watermelon eating competition, it was a great day of fun. There were sweet watermelons everywhere to enjoy on the spot or take home to enjoy later.
Kits spitting watermelon seeds
Chomp, Chomp, Chomp go the watermelons
1st place finisher watermelon eating
A cold slice on a hot day
2nd place finisher watermelon eating
Watermelon eating contest participants were a very happy group
Coloring a watermelon at the Kids Zone
Lots of you got a taste of the Watermelon Basil Feta salad featured in the market’s “Eating in Season” cookbook. Prepared by Chef Michael Martin of Whole Foods, the salad was made with watermelons from Pilgrims Produce, Colbert Family Farm, Kirkview Farm and Bloomsbury – Spring Meadows Farms. The feta cheese was from Noble Springs goat dairy farm, and the aromatic basil was grown by Beaverdam Creek Farm. All of the ingredients came from local farms and salad samples were being eaten as quickly as Chef Michael could prepare them! So despite the soaring temperatures of the day, everyone had a great time at the farmer market Watermelon Festival. Thanks to all of you who came out to the FFM for the Watermelon Festival and many thanks to our good friends at Whole Foods for helping to make this year’s festival a great big juicy sweet fun day at the market!
Watermelon salad tasting recipe cookbook volunteers
Star of the day “The Watermelon”
The Leipers Fork Carvers did a beautiful job showing their carving skills with market watermelons
Chef Michael Martin of Whole Foods showing his chef carving skills
We’ve celebrated some summer favorites, like the watermelon, tomatoes and strawberries, and there’s always deliciously fresh farm food at the market. But what else is going on this year? Here’s a hint – Scarecrows, turnip greens and cornbread. What does that mean? Find out with a look at our new Events page.
Finally, you know with seed-spitting and hands-behind-the-back watermelon munching, there’s got to be some great photos from the market’s Watermelon Festival. Visit the FFM’s photo gallery to see for yourself!
A young market customer taking in the watermelon carvings
So much fun…Another fun day at the FFM