(short guitar riff intro)
- Hey, guys, Jacques in the garden here.
I'm over at Kevin's house.
I think we're gonna harvest some melons today.
It's a pretty exciting day, honestly.
So, honestly, whatever--
- What are you doing over here?
- What, Kevin?
- This is Melon Madness.
(both laughs)
(heavy electric guitar music)
- Welcome back to another episode, my friends.
Before we begin, I need to become Kevin again,
and Jacques needs to become Jacques.
(finger snap and screeching instrumentals)
And there we go. - That feels a lot better.
- All feels right in the world now--
- A lot - All feels right.
- So today, melon madness, we've got the machetes out.
You remember the Chete Boys from the cover crop episode.
We're gonna be slicing some melons up.
We actually have two.
Jacques, we have our honey melon
and we have our watermelons.
I actually did not know how good the watermelon crop is,
so, let's step over this aging mint,
and let's actually just analyze for a little bit.
We're in the middle of one of the biggest heat waves
that San Diego's seen in a while.
So, it's a good time to take a look at these melons
and see if they're ready,
because I'm just a little worried.
- I'm a little thirsty too.
- Honestly, I'm a little thirsty.
- A little dehydrated.
- I'm a little thirsty.
So our honey melons are here guys.
I've harvested one of these before,
and I think most of these are ready.
Number one, because the tendril that's behind here
is effectively non-existent at this point.
(kevin laughs)
It's supposed to be dry, but it's really just sort of gone.
Could be a little bit of the heat there, could not.
We're seeing this go a more matte color,
not as glossy and shiny.
And we're also seeing (scent sniffs)
a bit of a sweet smell to it.
Now you... - That's the key.
- That's the key, right?
And you could also look for what's called a field spot.
But, as these were growing over the side
of this birdies tall round bed,
it's just unlikely on this one.
(both laughing)
We might on the watermelon, so...
- There should also have a nice clean pull
on the slip, right?
- A nice clean pull on the slip.
So, let's see if that's the case here.
- I guess actually, to be fair, some don't go full slip.
- This one did not.
But, we're gonna find out.
- I wanna give it a sniff.
- Give that a sniff.
- It definitely has the aroma.
- Yeah, it's there.
- It might be there.
- Now, this is the real joy.
Now, what we learned, is the watermelon bed.
Jacques, it really didn't kick itself off until late summer.
- Probably, yeah.
- Late summer.
- Last month maybe?
- Once the heat started kicking in, the melons,
like thank you, and it just started ripping.
So, the crazy part is there's no melons actually
up in the bed itself.
There's a melon over here.
And these ones I wanna bring your attention to.
- There's a big one in there.
- These are some hunk-a-reenos.
This one, and then this one here.
And there's two more.
But these guys are tanks.
Like I picked this one up just now,
and it's a good five pounds or so.
Something like that.
- Nice.
- With watermelons, it is a little different.
Jacques, do you wanna share?
- Yeah, for me, what I usually look for,
first of all, the tendril.
If the tendril isn't brown,
just don't even bother checking anything else.
My honest opinion on that, is that it might finish
at the end of this week. - It's a little early.
- There's one more thing to look at, is the spoon leaf,
which is like a tiny little leaf next to the tendril.
- Yeah, right here.
- Which is also dry, which is good.
And then the other thing that I'm seeing is,
see like how it looks kind of waxy, almost?
Like dusty? - It's got this film to it.
- Yeah, usually that comes off fully when it's done.
But, also that is more true in places that get rain.
- Which we don't.
- Yeah, which we don't.
- So, we can also take a look
at the so-called field spot.
- Oh, that looks good.
- So, that looks really strong.
You're looking for sort of a yellowish cream.
And that actually looks really strong.
The weight is really strong.
It feels like there's a lot of moisture and water in here.
- And then the sound.
So come on in.
Let's give it that knock knock.
(hollow knocking)
- That sounds pretty good.
- That sounds... - Should sound kind of hollow.
- That sounds pretty hollow. That sounds pretty good to me.
How about the other one?
- Sounds... dude, that actually sounds really hollow.
Give it a knock, give it a knock.
- Let me get in there. - Feel that.
- Get set.
- Whew!
That was more of a caress, but you do what you do.
- I like to get in close.
- In his private time, he does what he does.
So over here, this one, the tendril is not dry at all,
and the spoon leaf does not exist,
but, it's also quite large, so.
(hollow tapping)
- It sounds like, not as hollow as this one.
- Yeah, I don't know. - If I had to guess.
- Well it's time to get the chete.
- Is there one more, or is there...?
- No, there's one there. - Oh yeah.
- See that guy? - That's like a good one.
- And there's actually, now that I look at it,
there's one way behind over there.
- Okay.
- So, this melon plant has produced five melons.
And a good tip when you're growing watermelons and melons,
especially with larger ones,
isolate to even just one per vine.
With these honey melons, maybe two per vine, maybe three.
And you want 'em even spaced out
on the individual vine length itself.
- Right, between like nodes.
- For example, if this was the vine,
and you had three on the vine,
and you wanted to keep as many as possible,
and two were at the end like this, and one was over here,
you'd be removing whatever the weaker one is on this, right?
- Makes sense, yep.
- Okay, so we'll give it a quick chete chop.
(jacques laughs)
Clean, and boy do we have a treat for you,
because the epic sink is now complete.
So, Jacques.
- Let me get a little weight test on this.
- Yeah, it's heavy.
- That's actually,
that's a serious melon.
- It's heavy.
- That's a serious melon.
Doesn't smell like anything.
- Let's go back and do some tasting.
Alrighty.
Not only do we have some juicy melons
to taste and to enjoy,
but the outdoor sink project is finally complete here
at the homestead.
- It looks really good.
- So what we did,
for those of you're curious,
and I can make a whole episode if you're really interested,
but, we have some front cabinets
just to provide a little bit of an aesthetic touch.
But, I got a big old Boos Block,
which is my favorite style of cutting board.
It's a little heavy, but this is an inset Boos Block.
So, if I want to, I can be cutting like I'm about to.
Ooh, I'm telling you, it actually is quite heavy.
But, I also have an inset for a drying rack
for producing a lot of produce,
and just like letting it sit out, sun dry.
- That's awesome.
... thinking onions, garlic, stuff like that.
- Or like beets, if you get a bunch of beets
and wash 'em up. - Or beets.
Yeah, really anything that you need to like dry and wash
before you get it inside the kitchen.
Okay, should we start with a honey melon?
- Sure, never had one of those.
- You wanna do the honors with a cut?
- A machete or...?
- I think I'm gonna... - It's a little messy, huh?
- You wanna machete it?
I just don't wanna mess up the block.
- Okay, okay, fair enough, fair enough,
fair enough. - I just got block,
I'll cut this one. - So, let's cut it up.
Oh wow.
- Oh yeah.
- (jacques exhales in disbelief)
That's ready. - I wanna take a ...
- That is ready, let's give it that hit.
Hold on.
Remember, wait, careful.
Remember when we did the limes?
(electronic recorded laughter)
I did hit the lime a little hard.
- You hit the limes a little hard.
- Okay.
(scent smelling sniffing)
(exhales) It's musky.
- You know what?
Tell me if you're smelling this?
There's melon and there's ripeness,
and there's also a little like, motor oil.
- I think...I know it's like.
What is that?
It might be motor.... (laughs)
- It smells a little like gas, gasoline-ish.
- Yeah, I think I get what you're smelling.
- You know, there's only one way to find out.
Buon appetito.
Lets, alright,
let's probably just do both the same one.
Well, no, no.
You can have your own.
You can have it.
- Yeah, I can't even get a melon around here. (both laugh)
- All right, let's see what happens here.
- It's got the juice.
It's got the juice for sure.
- Oh it does.
It's great.
- Yeah, I actually, I like melons and cantaloupes,
but I never really buy them.
I don't know why.
But, I think the chickens are gonna really like these seeds.
- Here's something I learned, Jacques.
I don't know where you're at with this,
as far as your lifestyle, but if you take some...
- I'm scared.
- ... fresh vanilla ice cream, and you put it in this,
after you cut it open from the field,
I've been told there's nothing better.
- I think you might be on something there.
- Yeah, man, these seeds are hard though.
- Oh no. (bursts out laughing)
- That was the real heart of it too!
The sugars are there though.
It feels like 80% flavor density
of a melon that I would've had at maybe at the store.
But, it's still great.
- I bet you if we picked one from the middle of the bed,
It'd be like, really...
- It be really good.
Okay, well that's that.
On we go.
- God, that's a beautiful watermelon, first of all.
- It's a nice looking melon, isn't it?
- It's a really nice looking melon.
- Chete?
(squishing chop )
I missed the middle.
- But it sounded good.
- I missed the middle. - I heard a natural snap.
(watermelon snapping and breaking apart)
Ooh, dude, that's...
- Was this a yellow variety?
- I guess it is! (laughs)
It looks really good.
- Oh, this looks good.
- Dude, it looks perfect.
- Get on in here.
- So like, look at this. - This is what you wanna see.
- You could see the graininess.
Like, you know it's gonna be crunchy and not like all mushy.
- All sloppy and too wet.
- Yeah, this looks wonderful.
- Okay, well let's go right into the heart of the beast.
Oh, and the spoon feel?
New terms.
Spoon feel was good.
The resistance was nice.
- Oh yeah, that's a... she's ready. (laughter)
- Wow, a little big spoon there.
(laughter, jacques choke coughs)
- Too much juice. (coughing)
- I think that's pretty damn good.
- It's pretty ... (cough)
I'm dead though.
- I've talked to him many times.
He's all about growing for flavor,
but he eats food in full chunks.
I've never seen him chew in my life.
He actually just eats...
- Review the evidence, right there.
- What I've seen him do, guys, for those of you watching,
busting a myth.
I've seen him take a bite
of things like burritos, chocolates, he swallows it whole.
It's so weird, It's so weird.
- Let's just say I'm chewing on a different frequency,
and you're just not there.
You're just not there.
- I would say this, it's a little juicier, it feels like.
Yeah, I mean, look at that.
But, also...
- It's wild. ... I think if you chill it, you get a little,
like the sugar is more pronounced.
Maybe not in actuality but just in the flavor,
and maybe that has a difference.
But, what we have to do, is give our chickens a little...
- A little chicken. - ... part of the bounty here.
Look at this.
(jacques laughs)
- Weirdly, I don't know what it is,
but worms and chickens, The cucurbits family,
they go wild for it.
Melons, pumpkins, squash.
- Cucumbers.
- Cucumbers, there's some nutrient in that
that they just go wild for.
- It must like, be some craving.
They're ready for it.
- They're ready.
There we go.
- So funny how suspicious they're at the start.
- New things they just aren't big on.
(chickens clucking and start of jaunty background music)
Oh, there's an egg right there.
- Oh wow.
(jaunty instrumental background music)
- Rufio's going in.
- There we go.
Rufio is the absolute lowest in the pecking order, too.
So, to have her go first, it's really interesting.
- They're like, how about you try?
- Why don't you try?
She's like the poison tester of the cabal.
If Rufio goes for too long,
everyone's like, there must be something here.
We can't let the the most beta get it.
Oh, Gucci!
I mean, Chete.
- Chete (jacques chuckling)
Guys.
We renamed...
(wings flapping)
... I renamed Silver to Chete
in honor of Machete.
'Cause Silver was kind of a placeholder name anyways.
And Chete, like the blade of a machete, nice and silver.
Perfect
All right, get back in there.
Well, we'll see how they like that.
There's a bunch more melons for us to harvest
and there's a bunch more projects coming
on the homesteading channel,
both here and on Instagram.
So, if you are curious, definitely subscribe.
Good luck in the garden, and keep on growing.
- Melon Madness!
(both laughing loudly)