Popular Watermelon Farms in Oklahoma Celebrating First Harvest Of The Season

We're finally feeling the heat in Oklahoma, just in time for some of the local watermelon farms to start harvesting and selling their freshest crop at local events. Many of the same farms you'll see with their biggest, best and most unique watermelons at the annual Rush Springs Watermelon Festival.

The Rush Springs Watermelon Festival happens every second Saturday in August. More information about the watermelon festival itself, check out their social media here.

One of the local watermelon farms in Rush Springs is also hosting a giveaway on the morning of Friday, July 11 that will allow a lucky winner to walk away with one of the variety of watermelons from their first harvest completely free.

'The home of the sweetest melons' sharing first harvest, along with other local farms.

Watermelon season usually runs through late June all the way into September. It makes sense that many of the local watermelon farms have waited to harvest their first crop until July, to make sure that they've been able to grow as much as possible.

In celebration of the first harvest for Miller Farms, they've announced that they'll be giving away one watermelon of each that they've grown:

• 720’s
• Yellow Crimsons
• Cannonballs
• Orange Glo

They've also offered to "up the ante" if they reach the 10,000 follower milestone before the drawing happens on the morning of Friday, July 11. To find out more, click here.

@anya_health Best Watermelon in Oklahoma #best #bestwatermelon #oklahoma #fruit #sweet ♬ Rockin - Chris Alan Lee

Many other farms are also preparing for their first harvest, including Phipp Farms in Rush Springs, as well.

Why do many watermelon farms seem to be near Rush Springs?

You might notice that several of the farms and local watermelon growers do best near Rush Springs, Oklahoma. That's mainly because the favorable soil conditions, climate and long history with watermelons have made the area known as the "watermelon capital."

Studies have shown, though, that the best places to grow watermelon in Oklahoma aren't just limited to Rush Springs. According to Oklahoma State University research, the Caddo and Jefferson counties in the southwest region tend to have the best conditions for farming watermelons.

@jimbo_okie
Watermelon festival in Rush Springs, OK

♬ Watermelon Crawl - Tracy Byrd

Even if you don't live in those areas, you can still try your hand at growing them with community gardens, potting boxes and other ways you can learn from your local farmers market. Then next year, you can celebrate your first harvest with the other farms, as well.