Delvin Farms organically grown Crimson Sweet Watermelon grown in Harpeth river bottom soil
Nothing says summer more than a big, ripe, juicy, deep red watermelon. It doesn’t matter if you’re from the deep south or far north, everyone loves the official “fruit of summer.” My mother was a true watermelon lover. No picnic was complete without watermelon. No summer Sunday dinner was complete, until the watermelon was pulled out of the ice. With one tip of the knife, it’s cold solid mass was popped open to reveal a deep red lusciousness that would soon be running down the chin’s of every child present. The mere presence of watermelon brought on a festive atmosphere.
The choice favorite of the time was the Crimson Sweet, a largely stripped melon which was always in the “picnic family” of melons because of its high-sugar content and great flavor. Spitting seeds at the picnic also added great fun and making memories out of simple pleasures. We organically grow the Crimson Sweet here at Delvin Farms for those same reasons. The Crimson Sweet is an old favorite and thrives in the hot summer days nourished by the cool waters of the Tennessee Harpeth River. The Crimson Sweet is a classic favorite whose tradition we proudly carry on.
Another summer favorite is the sugar baby watermelon. Delvin Farms chooses to grow the La Mar seedless sugar baby. Its round, dark green outside conceals a deep red, crisp inside. Its small size, up to 12 pounds, is the perfect “refrigerator” melon that can be easily accessed and enjoyed when those watermelon cravings hit. Both varieties of melons grow well in home gardens and will fill the bill for luscious melon flavor.
Mama didn’t fancy it up with watermelon salads; the simple fruit was enough for us, but today we take the watermelon into the gourmet spotlight. Here are a couple of ways to prepare the all time favorite watermelon and bring it to the formal dinner table.
Watermelon and Feta Cheese
INGREDIENTS
• 3 cups of small watermelon chunks
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup black olives
• Black pepper to taste (optional)
• Lime juice (optional)
Mix all the ingredients together and enjoy!
Another Version!
Ingredients:
• Per serving:
• 3/4 – 1 cup of cold watermelon, cubed
• 1/4 cup of feta cheese, crumbled or cubed
• 1/4 medium red onion, cut in paper-thin slices
• 1/4 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar or balsamic vinaigrette
Preparation:
Place the watermelon in a bowl, top with most of the onions, then the feta cheese. Place remaining onions on top. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, and serve.
The Franklin Farmers Market will host its 7th annual Tomato Festival on Saturday, July 15 beginning at 8am, hosted by market sponsor, 
The farmers at the Franklin Farmers Market will spice things up at the Local Farmers’ Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, March 25, 2017 from 9am till 12noon. Eight meat producing farms will be participating in what has become a free popular event at the market. Customers will be treated to each of the farmers’ special recipe made from either chicken, beef, lamb and even bison! Tasting begins at 9am and customers are invited to cast their ballots in a race to find out which farmer has the best chili. Voting ends at 10:45am with the new Grand Champion announced in front of the market at 11:30am. You can pick up ballots to vote at the market information booth, at each farm booth or 
The Franklin Farmers Market will host its second annual CSA Day on March 11 sponsored by Williamson Medical Center and Amerigo Italian Restaurant. In a CSA, a farmer “contracts” with other people in the community to provide them with a portion of the year’s harvest. CSA customers pay the farmer before the produce season begins, allowing the farmer to buy necessary seed, fertilizer, fuel and other inputs to farm for the year. When crops start coming in, the customer’s fresh, local food is already bought and paid for. For the meat farmer, a CSA commitment helps the farmer know how many animals to raise and helps with the cost of feed and processing. CSA members can come to the Franklin Farmers Market to pick up their shares. 
The Franklin Farmers Market is open 52 weeks a year. Gone are the days of markets closing down in the winter months due to no produce. The farmers at the Franklin Farmers Market grow year-round thanks to crop row covers, hoop houses and green houses. The meat producers provide beef, pork, chicken, lamb, turkey and bison, and vegetable producers have leafy greens, winter squashes, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, lettuces and more. It’s not hard to eat seasonally and locally right here in our hometown! This Thanksgiving we are grateful for the farmers who provide us with healthy, locally grown food to nourish our bodies and we are thankful to live in such a wonderful community of Franklin, TN.
On Saturday, October 22 the Franklin Farmers Market was taken over by hundreds of scarecrows at the annual Invasion of the Scarecrows sponsored by Ford Lincoln of Franklin. The market was transformed into a pumpkin patch of activities and scarecrows of all shapes and sizes decorated the market. Local farmers had their booths decorated from top to bottom with the best of fall decorations and each one tried to win the prize for best-dressed scarecrow and best-decorated booth.
