Watermelon weigh-off winners
WASHINGTON – On Saturday, September 2, the Old Washington Farmer’s Market hosted an official watermelon weigh-off site for the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth in Washington, Arkansas. The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth provides official venues for growers to weigh several varieties of fruit and vegetables, including watermelons, across the country.
The winners were: 1st place – Joseph Young of Paducah, Kentucky with 236.9 pounds; 2nd place – Steven Jackson of Spruce Pine, Alabama with 209.8 pounds; 3rd place – Barbara Bright Jones of Bossier City, Louisiana with 196.5 pounds; and 1st place (Youth) – Charles Meeh of Red Oak, Oklahoma with 122.9 pounds. There was a total of 11 entries with six states represented. First place won $500, Second Place won $300, Third Place won $200, and First Place Youth won $75.
The event was sponsored by: Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express & Best Western of Hope, Arkansas; Historic Washington State Park; Lagrone Williams Hardware of Hope, Arkansas; and City of Washington Tourism.
The Old Washington Farmers Market Watermelon Weighoff takest place every year on the Saturday before Labor Day. It has been the weigh-in site for the current Arkansas and Kansas state records for watermelon. The current world record for watermelon is held by Chris Kent of Sevierville, Tennessee at 350.5 pounds. To see current watermelon weights worldwide for 2023 visit http://www.bigpumpkins.com/WeighoffResultsGPC.aspx?c=W&y=2023.
for more information and photos check out the Old Washington Farmer’s Market on Facebook. The market takes place every Saturday from May till Labor Day weekend from 8am to Noon providing a place for local produce to be sold. Washington, Arkansas is located on Hwy 278 West just eight miles north from Exit 30 at Hope on US Interstate 30.
(L-R) Barbara Bright Jones, Joseph Young, Steven Jackson, and Charles Meeh
(L-R) Barbara Bright Jones, Lloyd Bright, Joseph Young, Kenny Crawford, Steven Jackson, Bill Meeh, and Charles Meeh