It seems that watermelon is a hot climate fruit. They love a long, dry, hot season before they'll produce the ripest, sweetest most flavourful melons, and although it does happen in Niagara, it's not a climate or a crop we can depend on.

But with new varieties of watermelon now on the market, there are some which will actually ripen in a shorter period of time and don't depend as exclusively on hot dry conditions as traditional varieties. This means Niagara can look forward to seeing juicy watermelon patches in the years to come.

On top of the escarpment on a small plot of land, Rodney Wright, a former dairy farmer now grows watermelon. "I grow them because I can," explains Wright. "I'm retired and have the time to fuss over them. They're a difficult crop." But Wright only grows the traditional oblong seeded variety from his farm stand at 905 Canboro Road in Fenwick because he believes it's the watermelon with the most flavour.

Flavour or perhaps nostalgia? Wright explains, "as a child, I remember eating thick slices of chilled watermelon in the backyard. We'd spit the pits into the garden while the juice trickled down our chin. It was delicious and fun." For me, I like to chop watermelon into chunks, put it in a bowl and eat it with a fork. It's a far cry from Wright's delicious childhood memories, but you have to admit, it is a neater way to enjoy it.

It's hard to believe that just five years ago, seedless watermelon was unheard of and today more than 75 per cent of all watermelon sold is seedless. Some of the seedless melons are becoming smaller and smaller in size. Just the other day, I discovered the new cantaloupe sized watermelon -- it fits easier in the fridge and is called ice-box watermelon.

Whitty Farms in St Catharines grow seeded and seedless, yellow, orange, red, ice-box, oblong and mini watermelons. Unfortunately, the crop was pummeled with hail earlier this year and much of the crop was destroyed (so grab what you can find!), but what is being harvested is worth the effort to the loyal customers who love the unique fruit Whitty Fams grows. "We grow the smaller round watermelon, the kind people can put in their refrigerator," says Doug Whitty.

Now if you're thinking Rodney Wright grows for flavour and Doug Whitty for convenience, then let me tell you it pays to know your farmer. Both are a far cry sweeter than any imported melon I've ever tasted.

Watermelon is not just for cooling off on a hot summer day. In China and Japan, watermelon is a popular hostess gift. In Israel and Egypt, the sweet taste of watermelon is often paired with the salty taste of feta cheese and early explorers used watermelons as canteens. But quite frankly, summertime in Niagara means chilled thick slices of juicy ripe watermelon, a good backyard for spitting and lots of paper towels to sop up those trickling juices. Enjoy, it's watermelon season in Niagara.

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WATERMELON AND RASPBERRY ICE