Garden treasure
Cliff Knight of Flint harvested a state-record 228-pound watermelon from his garden on Friday. | Clif Knight
Cliff Knight reclaims state record with 228-lb. watermelon
State champion watermelon grower Ciff Knight of Flint has done it again.
The career soldier easily surpassed an Eva farmer’s state record 210-lb. watermelon, which was grown last year, by producing one that weighed 228 pounds at the Franklin County Watermelon Festival in Russellville on Saturday.
The melon, a mixed Carolina Cross and Sun, Moon and Stars variety, took first place at the watermelon festival and set a new state record. Knight’s 199-pounder, which was grown in 2008, was also a state record. However, it was topped by last year’s 210-pounder, which also was grown in Morgan County.
Knight was serving a 12-month tour of duty in Iraq during the 2010 growing season, but returned home in November, 2010, determined to recapture the state record.
“This one had the benefit of rain water and hot weather; I didn’t have to use much chlorinated tap water,” Knight explained. “I knew all along it was on a track to become a winner. It was growing at a rate of 4.8 pounds per day at its peak.”
The melon (69 days old) measured 40 inches long and 62 inches in circumference. It will be on display at the Morgan Farmers Co-op in Decatur this week and next.
Knight said he is considering entering the melon in a weigh-in competition in Arkansas on September 3 if it holds it weight. But if that doesn’t pan out he has a younger melon still growing with the potential to exceed 228 pounds.
