Slices of sweet watermelon are synonymous with summer, but 100 years ago the fruit was also synonymous with southwest Kansas when the area was the watermelon capital of the country. Despite being surrounded by agriculture, the only watermelons you will find in Kansas now will probably be growing in a home garden. Driving to Lakin just west of Garden City, the topography won’t really stand out to visitors. There are thousands of acres growing a few crops, most likely corn, alfalfa or sorghum. You will see the occasional grain elevator, and train tracks leading up to them. But this region, home to a multibillion dollar grain industry, was started by vine-ripened fruits before modern, large-scale grain production changed the game. The water resources needed to grow these melons started to run out, causing an agricultural shift in the area and foreshadowing the same struggles farmers are facing now. By looking into the agricultural past, Kansas farmers might see how they could reimagine the future of the state’s ag industry.
Source: Garden City Telegram
