Chamber, 4-H Partner For Inaugural Youth Watermelon Growing Contest
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Water Valley Area Chamber of Commerce board member Courtney Daniels (left) and Yalobusha County Extension Agriculture Agent Missy Burney are working to promote the watermelon growing contest.
Chamber Report
By Jessie Gurner
In a new partnership forged between the Water Valley Area Chamber of Commerce and Yalobusha County 4-H, excitement is growing for the eagerly anticipated inaugural Youth Watermelon Contest. This collaborative endeavor adds a new dimension to the community’s longstanding traditions. Set to debut amidst the festivities of the 54th Annual Watermelon Carnival, this contest injects a fresh burst of enthusiasm into the beloved event. Anticipation runs high as everyone eagerly await the opportunity to witness young participants showcase their agricultural prowess in a celebration of local heritage and youthful ingenuity.
The year’s Watermelon Carnival will be held on Friday August 2 and Saturday, August 3. This renowned event attracts approximately 25,000 carnival enthusiasts over the weekend and hosts over 150 arts and crafts vendors along with the MBN BBQ cooking contest, which expands in popularity with each passing year. One of the highlights of the Carnival is the weighting of the entries in the Largest Watermelon Contest which happens at noon on Saturday at the gazebo in City Park.
Courtney Daniels, a dedicated member of the Chamber’s board, expressed enthusiasm for the new venture, highlighting its potential to add even more fun into the Carnival’s lineup of activities. “We’re thrilled to introduce this exciting event,” she remarked. “Each year, we strive to introduce novel experiences, and a youth watermelon growing contest offers an engaging, hands-on opportunity for young participants.”
Missy Burney, the Yalobusha County Extension Agriculture Agent, echoed Daniels’ sentiment, underscoring the deep-rooted connection between watermelons and the county’s identity. “Watermelons are Yalobusha County,” Burney remarked. “When I interviewed for this job a little over a year ago, one of the things I told them that I wanted to do if I got the job was a youth watermelon growing contest. When I found out the Chamber of thinking the same thing we partnered together, it’s working and we’re excited.”
The contest will feature two age categories: 6 to 12 and 13 to 18, offering budding horticulturalists a chance to showcase their green thumbs. Participants will exclusively grow watermelons from seeds provided by 4-H and the Chamber of Commerce. These seeds will be available for distribution at 10 am on Saturday, April 27, at the Crawford Sports Complex in Water Valley.
To participate in the contest, aspiring growers must complete a 4-H registration form, signed by a parent or guardian, and submit it to receive seeds. Additionally, participants must record the growth progress of their melon plants and/or melons with regular photographs taken on the 1st and 15th of each month.
As anticipation mounts for this innovative addition to the Watermelon Carnival, melon fanciers look forward to the tasty spectacle that promises to nurture a new generation of agricultural enthusiasts.
