Sweet Freckles Melon and rare Greek pepper

[klorentz]

Was wondering if anyone knew about this melon. I am told it is a crane melon and seed source was originally SSE and nobody else has it. I got this melon when I told the person I would do my best to preserve it. My understanding is this melon could become extinct if not enough people preserve it.


I have another rare garden goody.But this is a pepper. A friend on Idig gave me a Greek pepper which came from her Mom's neighbor. What I have been told the neighbor says he uses it for roasting it is good but seeds are impossible to get and they are from Greece. Also the Greek gentleman is very secretive about his garden. My guess is it is a very little known Greek heirloom or it is a family heirloom this fellow has been growing for years.So we have a Greek pepper that is an heirloom and no history behind it.


I am thinking maybe this would be a good pepper to pair with my Thessaloníki tomatoes as a salad maybe a little onion and feta cheese with a good Greek dressing. We shall see next year.


Kevin

[fortyonenorth]

I noticed that Andrew from Adaptive Seeds in Oregon has listed Sweet Freckles in the SSE yearbook for 2011. Here's what he had to say:

"Unavailable commercially for some time, we nearly lost this one altogether. But thanks to some very old seed from Tim Peters and a few seeds from Amy Goldman, this wonderful melon is saved. Unique and delightful sweet aromatic flavor with a smooth dense texture. Unique attractive appearance, which is pear-shaped and freckled. Vines are exceedingly vigorous and while the stem does not slip when ripe, the color changes from green to orange. Not the earliest melon but it managed to beat the cool oregon summer of 2010. It would have performed even better with some plastic mulch and longer time under row-cover. An early Crenshaw type with a more durable skin and slightly smaller size. Related to but not the same as Eel River or Crane melon. , Bred by Tim Peters of Peters Seed and Research in Oregon. He recently told us that his wife only wants him to grow this melon because it tastes so much better tan the rest."

[blane]

Hey Mule, how does this one taste compaired to Ambrosia? just curious if theres something out there to beat that one, if so....I gotta try it!

[blane]

thank ya Muleo....I knew there had to be something better out there....I like a good sweet melon on a hot summer afternoon!

[fortyonenorth]

I grew about 6 or 8 different melons this year. My favorite was a variety named Haogen. Some sources indicate it's Israeli, others say it's Hungarian. It's green fleshed and about the size of a store bought melon. Perfect texture and sweet enough to make my teeth hurt. Absolutely luscious!

[bluelacedredhead]

Nov 28, 2010 22:26:55 GMT -5 fortyonenorth said:

I variety named Haogen. Some sources indicate it's Israeli, others say it's Hungarian.

Just a thought here.
Perhaps Ha Ogen was a Hungarian Holocaust survivor that made it's way to Israel sewn in someone's shirtpocket??

[klorentz]

Out of the hybrid cantaloupe that I have grown Burpee Hybrid and Super Star produced best. The flavor is what I expect from a good cantaloupe. With good care they can get bigger than the average store melon. On another note I managed to get my hands on some Ali Baba watermelon seed. I hope they will do well here in Michigan.

Blaine I love a good chilled melon on a hot lazy summer day. There is nothing better.


Kevin