Gisborne has been basking in sunshine throughout spring and December which means OUR watermelons are rolling into your closest supermarket earlier this year.
The first watermelon patches were planted in early August, the outdoor programme has several different varieties which are ready to be hand-picked two weeks ahead of time, straight after New Year, a first for the company.
Gordon McPhail, our General Manager of Farming, says that watermelons thrive in hot and sunny weather, and Gisborne has delivered in abundance this year.
“We couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather for our summer crops this year. Record temperatures, with long, dry, hot days are ideal for producing large, great quality watermelons.”
Watermelons is New Zealanders’ quintessential summer fruit and loved by all ages.
“We’re delighted to have our LeaderBrand watermelons hit the stores ahead of schedule this year. That means more Kiwis will be enjoying more melons for longer this summer. Melons are loved by all the whānau, and are perfect for the beach, BBQ and picnic in the heat.
“We pride ourselves on our watermelons grown here in Gisborne. It’s all about ensuring we’re selecting the right varieties for our conditions. We are constantly trialing different seeds for taste, size and what’s best suited for our environment.
“Preparation and planting in the right soils and location, harvesting by hand and selecting based on ideal maturity, treating the melons right post-harvest. It’s part of the reason melons are one of our more challenging crops but that’s what makes them so much fun to grow.
“For us it’s all about taste because everyone loves a good watermelon. We are constantly cutting open the melons to check the colour, taste and size throughout the growing stage. We also make sure we’re focused on future crops. Every year we try new varieties to assess what we could do differently the following season. This year, we have some promising new varieties in commercial supply and melons full of flavour.
“Once we harvest the melons, they are treated like red gold. Each one is gently handpicked when ripe and then by hand, brushed, washed, dried, graded and packed, all floating through water to ensure they emerge undamaged.
“It’s all part of our reassurance to our customers that when they pick up a LeaderBrand melon, it’s going to be the best they can get,” says Gordon McPhail.
Carmel Ireland from 5 + A Day says that watermelon is an easy way to add one more piece of fruit into your day as they are delicious and perfect for a sunny day.
“Eating a rainbow of colours is important for a healthy diet. Summer is an easy time to increase your variety of fruit and vegetables, especially watermelon, which is always a crowd pleaser. Watermelon is a source of potassium and vitamin C,” she says.
LeaderBrand watermelons are grown in sunny Gisborne, will be in your local supermarket this week. Make sure you look for the LeaderBrand stickers and grab one today.