Dawn Carter of Bolingbroke was able to guess exactly the weight of Doug Justice’s jumbo-sized watermelon at the Forsyth Farmers Market on Aug. 5 and win $20 in produce from Justice Farms. Justice said the big melon weighed in at 132 pounds.
There were 100 entries in the guess-the-weight contest, ranging from 60 pounds to 598 pounds, but Carter was the only one to guess the precise weight. Justice also took the big watermelon to the Perry Farmers Market, where the closest guess was 135 pounds.
The weight of last year’s giant melon was 119 pounds. Justice said he was only able to grow one super-sized watermelon this year because coyotes have discovered his watermelon patch in Crawford County and keep raiding it for one of their favorite treats. He does have smaller watermelons for sale each Friday at the Forsyth Farmers Market on North Jackson Street behind Persons Banking Company. He has a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables for sale, including Dickey’s peaches, and has hot boiled peanuts.
Carter said she recommends the “so good” Big Boy tomatoes from Justice Farm, which she will be including in her produce prize. She moved to Monroe County from Warner Robins a couple of months ago and was on her second trip to the Farmers Market when she made the winning guess. She said she has never grown watermelons and credited her perfect guess to luck. She started to guess a hundred pounds more and then seriously sized up the big melon.
The Forsyth Farmers Market will continue each Friday through October. Some vendors are there ready to serve you by 8 a.m. and most stay through 6 p.m. Besides fresh produce, there are products like garlic, Amish butter, baked goods, goat milk soap and other personal care products, and even cakes and cold brewed coffee. Robert Willis not only has produce right out of his Monroe County garden, he even has peas and beans already shelled and ready to cook.
