About Arkansas Tourism Pickled foods are, of course, the highlight here, but its comedy-focused too, featuring stand-up shows and touring performers throughout the weekend. The festival struck Gold, outshining all the other entries in the Best Video Promotion (Budget under $100,000) division. Welcome home! Brothers Jonathan and Justin Hunter are the newest and youngest registered Cave City Watermelon Growers. Were proud of what we do and we try to put the best that we can out there, Woolridge said. From planting in the greenhouse to harvest usually takes about 90 days, depending on rainfall amounts and the variety of melon. The boys did as any good sons would and began to take on the responsibilities of the farm. Main Street Mammoth Spring The bustling Main street area is filled with shops and restaurants for whatever you are in the mood for. Source: http://www.kait8.com/story/38582549/cave-city-watermelon-growers-warn-against-knockoffs Share As a kid, I raised watermelons with my grandpa, Billy Carter. The prize melon will be auctioned off to benefit St. Judes. Cave City watermelon growers warn against knockoffs Cave City, Arkansas KAIT Region 8 News: It doesn't quite feel like summertime in Sharp County until the Cave City watermelons hit the stands and that happened this past week. So bring your family and lawn chairs and celebrate the labor and goodness of one of the greatest contributors to the Sharp County economy. Cave City melons have "Genuine" stickers, too. Required fields are marked *. Johnson attributes the success and love for Cave City's festival to this very aspect: the dedication and family tie that watermelon growers bring to the classic summer treat. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late 60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit. Cave City growers just want you to know, it's important to look for the sticker. Julie Johnson, the committee member of the Watermelon Festival, said she is excited, but nervous as she has seen the increase in COVID cases statewide. Johnson Brothers Watermelons | Cave City AR Evening Shade is small but gained some popularity in the 90s when it was the setting for the television show of the same name starring Burt Reynolds. The nearest post office, which had been located at Loyal, was physically moved to the new town of Cave City in 1892. All rights reserved. History lovers will enjoy driving past these historic homes. Evening Shade Farmers Market Stock up on some locally grown fruits, veggies and handmade goods at the farmers market held every Saturday morning. Besides producing quality melons, Julie said the trademark sticker for registered users that brands the melons has helped bring customers to their stand. The remaining one foot section could only be done with manual labor. Drew serves on the Arkansas Travel Council Board of Directors, is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs current publicity chair. They orderedplants from a greenhouse. The park includes the Courthouse which was constructed in 1888 after the original courthouse burned down along with several historic structures. Be sure to come pause in Hardy while you travel. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. CAVE CITY Cave City bills itself as having the "world's sweetest watermelons." Find out for yourself July 29-31 during the 41st annual Watermelon Festival, which offers three days packed "Pull up a chair, sit and visit for a while, and have a good time," he suggested. In earlier years, before the creation of the town, the cave had belonged to the Horn family, and was known as Horns Cave. Johnson Brothers Watermelons is a family operated business consisting of Gary & Becky & Phillip &. One bite into one of these sweet, juicy melons makes it worth the trip. BREAKING: Student arrested for crime involving explosives, Cave City watermelon growers warn against knockoffs, Trip to Mr. Ts pays off for lucky lottery winner, Jonesboro police investigating 2 reported shootings. (Courtesy Joshua Fitzwater) "That was neat,". The seeds are started in the greenhouse in March. Wooldridge says even though COVID canceled the festival last year, it didnt cancel watermelon season, working from sunrise until sundown picking and selling watermelons. 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. They were placed nine feet apart then, today, they are only three feet apart. Phillip - 870-307-9632 Gary - 870-283-2854 This and resellers marking the melons up to make so large of profit that the cost of their fruit is much higher than the Johnsons melons at their stand. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We select one featured photo per week, but we show many more in our gallery. Charles Osborne Farms (870) 799-3459 PO Box 148 Cord, AR 72524 4. Watermelon Festival - The 2022 Cave City Watermelon Festival is sure to delight. Celebrating its 43rd year, the 2023 Cave City Watermelon Festival officials are looking to draw thousands into Cave City for the celebration. Mammoth Spring State Park The park is home to an old mill and hydroelectric plant, the old Frisco Train Depot and Museum, a park, walking trails and a gift shop. "Then you can always contact that grower with the information that's on there and give a call and say 'hey, we picked this up at this place is this legitimate?'". In 2015 they "retired", and a new committee of volunteers have since taken the festival to even greater success, with expanded entertainment, activities for the entire family, and record-setting crowds; from the beginning to now it's always been about celebrating the town and its rich history of producing the worlds best watermelons. But with every good thing comes some form of negative issue. Sadly, this year will be the first time the city will have to cancel the event due to health and safety concerns pertaining to COVID-19. Their first attempt at utilizing the transplanting technique over seed planting was one of the many trial and error experiences from which the Johnsons have learned. (KAIT) - The Cave City Watermelon Festival is getting closer. This year, it will kick off Thursday, July 25and run through Saturday, July 27 at the Cave City City Park. Meachams Family Restaurant This restaurant has been around for over 40 years. When you think of farming in Arkansas, you likely imagine vast soybean, [] when said friend has a full slate of activities planned that go beyond the aforementioned fruit. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. This often makes others think all Cave City melons are priced as high as that of the resellers who are selling them out of town. Today it still stands as the oldest motor court of its kind in the state, and likely the entire region. Located 15 miles north of Batesville, Cave City has several retail shops in its historic downtown area. They would unload their melons so the brokers could pick them up without having to waste time going into the fields. You want the stem to be green with a white spot on the belly. Gary added, Some of the spots are also yellow to brown depending on the variety of melon., It hasnt always been easy. Johnson says theyve seen more people at their stand and more people in the city in preparation for melon season and the festival. That congregation has continued to grow and is currently adding to its present structure to accommodate an ever-expanding membership. The building for that church was completed in 1898 and existed until the Methodist Church was united in 1939. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year. Weve all just been working hard since we canceled last year, Johnson said. Be sure to fill out all the fields in order to have yours selected. The Street family has maintained a controlling interest in the bank since the time of Roe Streets election in 1919. In August of 1958, Burnis Brown was the manager of the Cave City Watermelon Growers Association, which consisted of 127 members with 1,000 acres planted in watermelons. Thousands are expected to attend the three-day event. After the plant sets the melon, or blooms, it is ready to harvest in 30-35 days. The Cave City Watermelon Festival Committee has added a new event this year called The Chad Wooldridge Memorial Pitch Tournament. Since 1980, they've. Little Rock, Conway, Searcy, Benton, Heber Springs, Fayetteville, Bentonville, Springdale, Fort Smith, Jonesboro, West Memphis, Batesville, Mountain View, Hot Springs, Pine Bluff, Texarkana, Arkadelphia. Many exterior shots for the show were filmed in the city and fans may recognize some of the shots. In 2017, the Cave City Watermelon Festival was inducted into the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame by the Department of Arkansas Heritage. Currently the Johnsons plant 15 acres each year with 1300 watermelon plants per acre. Cave City also has multiple banks, medical offices and pharmacy, a grocery store, several convenience stores government offices and Cave City Nursing Home. So I prefer to go right to the source. That is a big deal to us. Back to . Over the years, the Johnsons have overcome any obstacle in their path. When a watermelon is cut off the vine, it is as good as it ever will be, it wont keep ripening, Gary explained. Powhatan served as the Lawrence county seat for nearly 95 years. Renees Cafe This down-home country restaurant is where you will find the locals hanging out. 5:00pm: Main stage Prize Melon Auction benefitting Arkansas Children's Hospital Another interesting mention of the picnic in 1902 related that The rents for swings and lemonade stands will be used toward buying a wind mill to draw the water from the cave. [An article from theRecorddated July of 1928 states that the town had been celebrating the Fourth of July each summer for 35 years, which would have put the tradition starting as far back as 1893.] Its part of The Takeouts 2023 Eats Calendar, a rundown of the years best events. The Hunter Brothers are located in Cave City. For more information, visitwww.arkansas.com. This is unfair to the growers who, like the Johnsons, put hundreds of hours of work into their harvest, not to mention tens of thousands of dollars they have invested in the crops. J.W. Please try viewing this website in Edge, Mozilla, Chrome, or another modern browser. Johnson Brothers Watermelons. Our goal is to pick them at the perfect stage before they go into the over ripe stage. It is about an event, about happiness. As soon as the summer sun beams down on the South, families make their way to lakes and rivers to cool off. And if you are coming from anywhere in Arkansas, it can be a bit of a haul. There were days when the brokers would buy them and we would load five or six trailer loads that would go out to Chicago and lots of other places. Gary explained. Held each year since 1980, Charles and Anita Landers have spearheaded this celebration of the town and its rich history of producing the world's best watermelons. It had been known for years that local Indians had used the cave for dwellings. Source:http://www.kait8.com/story/38582549/cave-city-watermelon-growers-warn-against-knockoffs, Cave City watermelon growers warn against knockoffs, Students map out early Arkansas explorer's path, Procedures for Commercial/Industrial Construction. The first school was taught in Cave City in 1891 and was located at the site of the present Hometown Market. It has grown exponentially each year since the new board took over. We have confidence in our picking. Order with an open mind, and you will enjoy an explosion of flavor like youve never had before. I could try to tell you how cool it is but you just have to see it for yourself! In the beginning, they took trips to sell melons. With the help of C. P. (Prince) Matlock, efforts were made to develop the grounds and add cabins to what became known as Cave Courts. 167. Historical Marker An historical marker documenting the Civil War in Sharp County and the Sharp Family in the Civil War can be seen at the corner of West Main and Court Streets. The division manages 14 Arkansas Welcome Centers and employs more than 60 staff members across The Natural State. Calico Rock Arkansas Main Street Network will be hosting a Fundraiser for The Sean Hunt Memorial on March 11th from 11 am to 4 pm. Artisan Grill The Artisan Grill takes the food you love and gives it a flare that makes it more than special. Another point of interest was the cave which was located in the center of town, and from which the town received its name. To contact our registered growers,. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Locals and watermelon farmers all agree the festival has seen a lot of changes over the years. Phillip Johnson and his brother have been farming watermelons over 40 years. Now, in its 43rd year, the watermelon festival is the largest festival in the region and has been voted as one of Arkansas' best festivals. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Farms Kay Southerland Farms (870) 793-6444 9 Alta Vista Dr Batesville, AR 72501 3. Through the years, they have learned which planting techniques provide the best yield. Grab a cooler and gas up the tank because we are heading out in search of good eats, unique treasures and scenic vistas. "They thrive really well in hot weather so the hot May was really good for growth," Johnson said. City has several retail shops in its historic downtown area & # ;... Arkansas Food Hall of Fame by the Department of Arkansas Heritage form of issue. Grab a cooler and gas up the tank because we are heading out in search of Eats! 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