Today it still stands as the oldest motor court of its kind in the state, and likely the entire region. From left, Tyler Parsley, Cederic Etheridge, Jonathan Fowler and Julie Johnson, members of the Cave City Watermelon Festival Committee, stand by some of the melons they will be celebrating July 27-29. It can be a little aggravating, he said, when others are using your name to sell a different product. For the town that boasts. Spring River The Spring River is a favorite spot to fish, swim and float. The Cave City Watermelon Festival Committee has added a new event this year called The Chad Wooldridge Memorial Pitch Tournament. Mammoth Spring National Fish Hatchery One of the nations oldest fish hatcheries established in 1903, it was built to take advantage of the natural spring and proximity to the railroad. YP, the YP logo and all other YP marks contained herein are trademarks of YP LLC and/or YP affiliated companies. New foods, new places, new experiences. They would unload their melons so the brokers could pick them up without having to waste time going into the fields. Many of the early pioneer family names echo through the area today: Jackson, Horn, Barnett, Brewer, Laman, Gray, Meacham, Wooldridge, Shanks, Rawlings, Green, Witten, Landers, Rodgers, Ball, Crow, Wilson, Fore, Lewis, Aldridge, Montgomery, Johnson, Gilbert, Vance, Vaughn, Stewart, Story, Stout, Matlock, Baxter, Bain, Jones, Chaudoin, Martin, Felts, Burge, Albright and Ford. A melon growers' association was formed at Cave City in 1938. But one common seed is the craving for the fruit of summer the watermelon. In 2017, the Cave City Watermelon Festival was inducted into the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame by the . Momma Gs If you havent grabbed a bite to eat yet, you dont want to miss out on Momma Gs home cooking. While Johnson says weather pushed back the start of the season, she said that hasnt stopped people from selling out the stands. file size: 5 MB. Growers put a registered trademark stick on the watermelons that reads "Genuine Cave City Watermelon". And Cave City, Arkansas, has rightfully earned recognition for being the home of the worlds sweetest watermelons. For Wooldridge, its not his first rodeo. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. Panhandlewatermelon.com - , Xranks. The boys did as any good sons would and began to take on the responsibilities of the farm. Tim Carter: I am a 4th generation watermelon farmer I cannot remember not being around watermelon farming. Crystal Bridges 2023 Exhibitions Unveiled, Visiting Poinsett, Cross and Mississippi Counties, Things To Do In Independence and Stone Counties, An Afternoon in Cave City - Only In Arkansas, An Afternoon in Cave City Only In Arkansas Only in Arkansas Ferry St. Years of hard work, dedication, innovation and building a brand has put them at the top of the crop in Cave City watermelon production for nearly a half century. Julie said, There are no female melons, laughing in anticipation of the question, but stating it is one so many people ask. As soon as the summer sun beams down on the South, families make their way to lakes and rivers to cool off. The Cave City Watermelon Festival is, in many ways, the perfect summer celebration. The machine is equipped with a spike in the center that makes a hole in the plastic. All rights reserved. Johnson Brothers' Watermelon Patch, 2018 (Photo by Chad Graves). The Watermelon Parade is at 10 a.m. Live music begins at noon and features Deadwood Grove, followed by The Gravel Yard Bluegrass Band. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000. In the early 1930, Hubert Carpenter purchased the cave properties. Head due north out of Cave City for a beautiful trip that will take you through Evening Shade, Ash Flat, Hardy and Mammoth Spring. Big Creek Man Cave Whether you are looking for sporting goods, ammo, hunting for a rare book, or just seeking a cool find Big Creek Man Cave is the place to shop. Check out the photo gallery and tell us that doesnt look like a great time. A former Yankee who was "converted" to the south by her husband, Julie has grasped on to rural life in a sleepy, blink-your-eyes-and-you'll-miss-it town in central Arkansas. From July 27-29 in Cave City, Arkansas, youll find a feast of watermelon courtesy of local growers; the website also notes that Catfish dinners, pancake breakfasts, talent shows, watermelon judging contests, 5K runs, ice cream making contests, car shows and local entertainment have filled the event calendar in previous years. Between the time Arkansas became a state in 1836 and the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, a migration of families moved into the area that was later to become Cave City. 1930's. All rights reserved. History lovers will enjoy driving past these historic homes. Thankfully for the organizers of the wildly popular Windy City Smokeout, fans of barbecue and fans of country music are often one in the same. Travel east/northeast out of Cave City along AR-230 and AR-25. By 1955, the Melon Growers Association met and elected a Board of Directors, consisting of Hassel Ford (President), Silas James, Coy Crow, Verl Ball, and Ernest Landers (who, by the way, was Charles Landers father). Growers put a registered trademark stick on the watermelons that reads "Genuine Cave City Watermelon". To contact our registered growers,. (KAIT) - Even though the Cave City Watermelon Festival was canceled, melon season has been going better than expected. If it doesnt have the sticker, its not an official Cave City watermelon. Watermelon growing is not a new thing in Cave City, however. From July 29-31, hundreds of people will flock to Cave City to attend the festival for the first time in. 2023 Ozark Gateway. Jonas Anderson - Mayor of Cave City - orilla vallie stage 12:00pm: Live Music: Deadwood Groove - orilla vallie stage Watermelon is synonymous with Cave City, and while folks in my neck of the woods go bonkers when a pickup truck with a bed-full of [], Your email address will not be published. Stop in for lunch or dinner and you will know why. Since their watermelon are known across the state and even the country, a problem farmers often face are imposters. The prize melon auction is at 5 p.m. and benefits Arkansas Childrens Hospital. To contact our registered growers, check:. The town is home to a growing school district that includes the Cave City Charter High School. She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. Saturday kicks off with the Melon Dash 5K at 7 a.m. at the city park and a Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast at First Baptist Church. & Wendell Perkey Farms 870-283-4395, 870-283-5918.Located 2 miles north of Cave City on Highway 167. Woodies Main Street Cafe This classic American restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner Wednesday through Saturday. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Perkey Farms-JW & Wendell Perkey | Cave City AR The preparation is always crazy, especially this time of year, just on a good year, Johnson said. SHARP COUNTY'S WIDEST CIRCULATED AND ONLY LOCALLY OWNED NEWSPAPER. Live music begins at 5:45 p.m. with Anna Brinker, followed by Dixon Street and Tracy Byrd. Brothers, Gary and Phillip are 3rd generation watermelon growers. All rights reserved. Grower Brian Carter can trace that blood back to his great, great grandfather who hauled melons from Sandtown by wagon to sell in Batesville in the early 1900s. Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. Prior to planting, they use a machine to lay down the black plastic and drip tape that will carry water to the plants after they are transplanted. The best way to see the river is through one of the local outfitters such as 3 Rivers Outfitters or Spring River Camp and Canoe. The men and women who work all year long to make the festival the largest in the area with some of the best food, entertainment and fellowship. The World's Sweetest Watermelons. The annual watermelon festival, which draws thousands to the town each year, is scheduled for July 26-28. It then puts about a cup of water in the hole and Julie and Becky sit on the back of the machine and place the rooted plants in the ground one by one. In its earlier years, Cave Citys means of entertainment appeared to revolve around camp and/or brush arbor meetings and revivals at local (and often not-so local) churches. This year, it will kick off Thursday, July 25and run through Saturday, July 27 at the Cave City City Park. In addition to coffee, you can munch on breakfast and lunch selections as you head through town. Jul 29, 2022Cave City Watermelons, Hunter Bros Melons Hunter Brothers Watermelons- Jonathan and Justin Hunter Main Street in Cave City. Its part of The Takeouts 2023 Eats Calendar, a rundown of the years best events. Ruthel Laman Heasley, a granddaughter of Jim Laman, stated that her grandfather and his brother were determined to create a new town when they moved their families there in 1889. watermelon-growers games at 3 p.m., a . Phillip said before harvesting, they first thump, pat, roll and then finally cut them off the plant. Julie explained You want that melon to sound hollow. Garrett Duncan walking a growers' Cave City Watermelon . One of the main draws to Hardy is the Spring River and its a must if you enjoy floating. 2 personas estn hablando de esto. Mr. Carpenter retrieved many of the Indian relics from the cave and built a museum of sorts which housed these relics on the walkway into the entrance of the cave. You have to go back and replant and you get different sizes and the plants are at different phases, Phillip explained. That year, the Johnsons attended field days in watermelon fields in Southeast Missouri from Leechville to Hocum, areas where watermelons also grow well. The Cave City Watermelon Festival Facebook page recently posted how to know if it's a genuine Cave City watermelon versus an imposter. Record collectors dont miss a chance to browse their vintage selections! "Usually we start setting the first plants somewhere along about the middle of April and that's when we were getting some real cold weather, so we were delayed a little bit in getting the first plants set out," Johnson said. The division manages 14 Arkansas Welcome Centers and employs more than 60 staff members across The Natural State. Procedures for Commercial/Industrial Construction. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Some of these were Hickory Valley, Sandtown, Curia, Clarkson, Reeds Creek/Fairview, Maxville, Emery, Mobley, Flat Rock, Cedar Grove, and Loyal. Marks Fly Shop Anglers that enjoy fly fishing will want to check out Marks fly shop for all the latest gear and custom tied flies. (Photo from Old Independence Regional Museum, Batesville). The Watermelon Growers Games will take place at 3 p.m. at the Orilla Vallie Stage followed by the Free Watermelon Feast at 4 p.m. behind the Orilla Valley Stage. There is no doubt the area has realized the huge growth of the Cave City Watermelon Festival in the last few years. The continual hot weather has now put them about one week ahead of schedule in opening the stands. Circulated and ONLY LOCALLY OWNED NEWSPAPER which draws thousands to the town is home to a growing school that! 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