Episode 103: Peach Festival and Watermelon Festival

Chilton County in central Alabama was originally called Baker County, with present-day Clanton first christened Goose Pond. Today, this area is the heart of Alabama peach growing, and plays host to the annual Chilton County Peach Festival.

The festival began in 1947, with a prize-winning basket of peaches from the auction being delivered to President Harry Truman in Washington, D.C. The auction has continued through each festival since, with the highest bid recorded standing at $8,000! The auction and Peach Parade, scheduled for the last weekend in June, cap off a week of activities that include recipe contests, beauty pageants, and a fishing tournament.

Russellville in Franklin County is not an agricultural center. The area economy does not depend on any single crop for its livelihood. Yet each August, the town ropes off its streets to celebrate a large, popular vegetable, playing host to the Franklin County Watermelon Festival.

Started in 1982, the festival has grown tremendously, with 30,000 people attending in past years. The festival is held in August, and includes a watermelon seed-spitting contest as well as contests for largest, best tasting, and best-dressed watermelon. Last year's largest watermelon winner topped the scales at 122 pounds! There's also a bike ride, arts and crafts, and live music.

The opportunity to pick-your-own fruit is the unique attraction of the numberous U-Pick Farms scattered across Alabama.

Peach Facts:

• The Chinese cultivated peaches as early as 2,000 B.C.
• Some believe explorer Hernando DeSoto, traveling down the Coosa River in the 1500s, brought peaches to Alabama.
• The Elberta peach is the dominant variety in Alabama. It was developed on a farm in Georgia and named for Clara Elberta, the wife of the founder.
• Peaches get softer and juicier after picking, but do not get sweeter.
• Peaches peel easily if blanched in boiling water for one minute then plunged into cold water for an additional minute.
• Peaches discolor quickly when exposed to air. If not eaten or cooked immediately, sprinkle with lemon or limejuice.

Watermelon Facts:

• The first recorded watermelon harvest was 5,000 years ago in Egypt.
• Watermelon is a vegetable related to cucumbers, pumpkin, and squash.
• Watermelon is 92% water and comes in 1,200 varieties.
• In Japan and China watermelon is a popular gift for a visitor to bring to their host.
• The first cookbook published in the U.S. in 1796 had a recipe for watermelon rind pickles.
• Watermelon has no fat or cholesterol, and contains fiber, potassium, and vitamins A, B6, and C.