MANUEL ANTONIO MELON

Procured this seed in Portugal in February of this year. Sementes Vivas (Live Seeds) is the Portuguese equivalent of Seed Savers. The following is the description from the seed package: "There is a melon variety in Portugal that goes by the name of Manuel Antonio. It's name recalls the man who planted the seeds of this green melon with sweet and textured flesh, whose aroma recalls the voyages that, many centuries ago, brought melons to the Iberian Peninsula from Iran and India. It was in the idyllic village of Alpiarca, in the heart of Ribatejo that Manuel Antonio tended the fruit and realized that he had to protect it from the Sun to preserve it's color and flavor. This is why Manuel Antonio's melons are protected by straw until they reach the right point of ripeness, when their frsh, sweet flesh leaves who taste it marvelling. It is thanks to the dedicated efforts of numerous people and the municipality of Alpiarca that this variety was saved from extinctuion. A cause for celebration, as it is quite possible that this is the best melon you could ever taste". The 6-8 lb fruits are oblong, medium green and average 7-10" in length. When perfectly ripe, the flesh is white/light green and has occasional small swirls of orange near the seeds. The flavor is superb; somewhere between a honeydew and a casaba melon with a hint of cantaloupe. I tried covering some of the melons with straw and very interestingly, those were the ones that turned yellow. The ones that were in full sun stayed green. *They must be picked at the right point of maturation - early picking will stunt the sweetness and flavor. They keep for 2- 3 weeks at room temperature. Probably longer in cold storage. 90-100 days