WATER VALLEY – Allen Rogers cut his 274-pound state record watermelon last Sunday and reported harvesting a quart of seeds, enough to share with anyone interested in growing a big watermelon next year. Rogers will also send some of the seeds the Giant Watermelon Growers Association for distribution to growers around the world.
Allen’s giant melon, Josephine, is currently ranked the second largest melon grown in the world this year, only trailing a 309.5 pound watermelon grown in Kentucky by Nick McCaslin. Rogers added that there are only two more competitions remaining, meaning there are two opportunities for another grower to knock him out of the second place spot before the season ends.
Rogers’ melon was certified as the new Mississippi State record, breaking the former record by three pounds. Hal Vaughn had the former record with a 271 pound melon.
The melon-cutting Sunday was the first glimpse inside the melon, revealing a large hollow spot inside that is not unusual for the giant Carolina Cross watermelons.
Rogers and his wife, Martha Rogers, are traveling to a Tennessee festival this weekend, one of the final weigh-ins of the season. He will enter his final watermelon from this year’s crop.
“It is not near as big as Josephine,” he added. “But I am looking forward to taking it.”
Rogers and Hal Vaughn encourage anyone interested in getting involved in growing a giant watermelon next year to contact one of them. Rogers can be reached at (731) 884-7599 and Vaughn can be reached at (662) 783-2487.
