{"title":"Winter Melons","description":"\u003cp data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWinter melons are a wonderfully diverse group of melons prized for their sweet flavor, firm flesh, and excellent keeping qualities. Unlike traditional muskmelons, which are often intensely fragrant and best enjoyed shortly after harvest, many winter melons develop thick, durable rinds that allow them to keep for weeks or even months.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDespite their name, winter melons are grown during the summer. The name refers to their ability to store long after harvest, sometimes providing fresh, sweet melon well into the cooler months. This remarkable group includes honeydews, Canary melons, Casabas, Crenshaws, and traditional Spanish storage melons.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExplore our collection of heirloom winter melon seeds and discover the extraordinary range of flavors, textures, and colors these beautiful melons have to offer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"honeydew-orange-flesh","title":"Orange Flesh Honeydew","description":"\u003cp\u003eHoneydew Orange Flesh is an heirloom variety that produces unique orange honeydew melons with creamy white rinds and vibrant orange interiors.  Dating back to at least the 1920s, this variety has been a lesser-known novelty among the more common netted melons but has recently enjoyed a resurgence in popularity.  Healthy vines produce good yields of smooth-skinned melons with light orange interiors that have an exceptionally sweet flavor and an incredibly smooth texture.  Favored by many organic growers because the smooth rinds can be more easily cleaned without the use of chemicals.  Matures approximately 100 days after sowing.  Each packet contains a minimum of 25 seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Orange Flesh Honeydew","offers":[{"title":"Packet (25 Seeds)","offer_id":44071581581561,"sku":"ME-MU-009","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0955\/4450\/files\/honeydew-orange-flesh-seeds-39701233172729.jpg?v=1700359281"},{"product_id":"honeydew-green-flesh-melon","title":"Green Flesh Honeydew Melon","description":"\u003cp\u003eGreen Flesh Honeydew is an heirloom variety of melon dating back to 1911 that produces uniform, round melons with creamy white rinds and vibrant green interiors.  Conveniently sized melons average three to six pounds each and boast a juicy green flesh that is perfectly sweet and delightfully smooth.  Honeydew Green Flesh is favored by many organic growers because the smooth rinds can be more easily cleaned without the use of chemicals.  Matures approximately 100 days after sowing.  Each packet contains a minimum of 25 seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Green Flesh Honeydew","offers":[{"title":"Packet (25 Seeds)","offer_id":44071581483257,"sku":"ME-MU-010","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0955\/4450\/files\/honeydew-green-flesh-melon-seeds-39701252178169.jpg?v=1700359451"},{"product_id":"bidwell-casaba-melon","title":"Bidwell Casaba Melon","description":"\u003cp\u003eBidwell Casaba is an heirloom melon originating from Chico, California where it has been grown since its discovery in 1869.  Named for its founder, John Bidwell, a civil war general, congressman and farmer\/rancher who gained fortune during the California gold rush, the Bidwell casaba melon is a large melon with a smooth, ribbed rind that has a pigskin-like texture.  Although best known for its massive size (~15lb each!), the taste of the Bidwell Casaba melon deserves its own praise.  It features a smooth, sweet flavor with a hint of vanilla that gives it an ice cream like appeal.  Our dear friend, who is nursing a baby with a cow's milk allergy, devoured nearly half a melon at one of our get togethers this summer!  It wasn't ice cream exactly, but when you can't have dairy, it's close enough.  The Bidwell Casaba melon matures approximately 95 days after sowing.  Each packet contains a minimum of 25 seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bidwell Casaba","offers":[{"title":"Packet (25 Seeds)","offer_id":45792682508537,"sku":"ME-MU-014","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0955\/4450\/files\/bidwell-casaba-melon-seeds-44505159205113.jpg?v=1733785092"},{"product_id":"golden-beauty-casaba-melon","title":"Golden Beauty Casaba Melon","description":"\u003cp\u003eGolden Beauty is an heirloom variety of casaba melon that features wrinkled yellow skins and refreshing, mildly sweet flesh.  Beloved for their excellent storage ability (up to 4 weeks at room temperature), the Golden Beauty melon is protected by a thick, durable rind that turns yellow as it ripens alerting the gardener that harvest time is approaching. Its vigorous vines produce ample numbers of fruit that cling to the vine until harvested, thus preventing invasions by pesky garden insects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you're looking for a melon to scoop out and eat for dessert, this probably isn't it.  The enclosed white flesh is firm and only mildly sweet.  However, the subtle spiciness and unique flavor profile of the Golden Beauty casaba make it uniquely suited for a number of uses.  It adds a hint of sweetness to savory dishes, firms up and accents the flavor of fruit salads, and even works as a substitute for cucumber when you don't have any around.  We've even heard tell of it being delicious braised with garlic, ginger, and scallions (winter melons like casaba are preferred for this kind of preparation), but nevertheless we haven't gotten around to trying it this way.  If you have, let us know.  We're always up for trying out new recipes!  Matures approximately 110 days after sowing.  Each packet contains a minimum of 25 seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Golden Beauty","offers":[{"title":"Packet (25 Seeds)","offer_id":46049204044025,"sku":"ME-MU-016","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0955\/4450\/files\/golden-beauty-casaba-melon-seeds-45062340575481.jpg?v=1737068652"},{"product_id":"jaune-canary-melon","title":"Jaune Canary Melon","description":"\u003cp\u003eJaune Canary is a European winter melon prized for its sweet flavor and excellent keeping qualities. Known in France as \u003cem\u003eJaune des Canaries\u003c\/em\u003e (Yellow of the Canaries), this beautiful melon is also commonly sold under the names Juane Canary and Juan Canary. The elegant, oblong melons feature a wrinkled, durable rind that ripens to a rich golden yellow—an unmistakable sign that harvest time is near.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo be honest, we weren’t expecting much from Jaune Canary—the first Canary melons we trialed were mild and not particularly sweet—but this one completely surprised us. The smooth, pear-like texture and refreshing sweetness were a real treat, with a flavor reminiscent of a true, homegrown honeydew (not the bland grocery-store kind).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond their beauty, these melons are wonderfully forgiving and beginner-friendly. The color shift makes harvest easy, and the melons keep well after picking—sometimes improving with a short rest on the counter. While other melons demanded immediate attention, Jaune Canary waited patiently, holding its flavor and texture for weeks. When we finally cut into them, we understood why this variety has been cherished for generations: dependable, sweet, and elegant in every way. 90–110 days to maturity. Each packet contains a minimum of 25 seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jaune Canary","offers":[{"title":"Packet (25 Seeds)","offer_id":46971055833337,"sku":"ME-MU-019","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0955\/4450\/files\/canary-melon-seeds-1199968695.jpg?v=1761582540"},{"product_id":"piel-de-sapo-melon","title":"Piel de Sapo Melon","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Piel de Sapo melon is a classic Spanish winter melon whose name translates to “toad skin,” a reference to its dark green, mottled rind that resembles the skin of a toad. Belonging to the inodorus group—often called winter melons—and more specifically the Spanish melon group, it has long been prized in Spain as one of the country’s finest dessert melons for its exceptional sweetness and excellent keeping quality.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts elongated fruits hide crisp, pale flesh with a smooth texture and a refreshing cucumber-like flavor balanced by rich sweetness. This variety quickly became a favorite among the children in our photographer’s family, who happily devoured the specimens photographed here. (They get a lot of melons dropped on their doorstep, so their endorsement here is high praise.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDetermining ripeness can take a little practice, as these melons do not “slip” from the vine like muskmelons. Instead, growers learn to watch for subtle signs such as a slight softening at the blossom end, a mellowing of the rind color, and a sweet fragrance near the stem. Once you master the art, the rewards are tremendous—few melons can match the flavor of a perfectly ripe Piel de Sapo. Matures approximately 90-110 days after sowing.  Each packet contains a minimum of 25 seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Piel de Sapo","offers":[{"title":"Packet (25 Seeds)","offer_id":48331269374201,"sku":"ME-MU-021","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0955\/4450\/files\/piel-de-sapo-melon-seeds-1234734623.jpg?v=1777415290"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.threshseed.com\/collections\/winter-melons.oembed","provider":"Thresh Seed Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}