I think the reason people don't eat more fruit is because they don't know how to buy it. Most people don't know the different kinds of fruits either. After working at several produce markets, I learned how to buy the perfect watermelon. Several people told me of their ways, especially the older men (they love to tell their stories over and over). Thumping works sometimes, putting a broom straw on the melon to see if it will turn works sometimes. looking for beestings is good indication. Shinyness(is that a word?) is fairly good. The width of the lighter strips works sometimes. But the best indicator is the weight. If the melon is a lot heavier that it looks, it's usually an excellent melon-works for other fruit. Canteloupe should smell musky and the blossom end should give a little when pressed. I like shaking them to make sure they're not too ripe, I got yelled at by a store owner once for that. In most cases, but not all, smaller fruit is sweeter-grapes may be an exception. Bananas should have brown spots on them. Fruit is healthiest when it's soft. I've seen people buy plums and peaches almost rock hard and eat them right away, YUCK! Pears have the most fiber. This seems to be a good year for pears. Fruit is sweeter in draught. Does anyone else have other tips? Maybe some unusual way or a story.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), August 15, 2000

Answers

I agree, Cindy. I have tons of pears and we got only one bucket of peaches this year. Lat year we canned 50 quarts. The Grannie Smith Apple tree is loaded while last year it only yielded 5 apples. I got 4 paw paws this year on some 3 year old trees. But, for watermelons, the true test for ripeness is--how fast you can pour the vodka into the hole you cut and plugged, 24 hours later--they are ready !

-- Joel Rosen (Joel681@webtv.net), August 15, 2000.

I think we got your rain. A comic in the newspaper showed NJ as a sponge. Feels about right. Didn't seem like summer this year. They've been having a hard time cutting hay too. It's my fault, I put in a pool. Next day it started raining and hasn't stopped.

I smell the stem hole for a cantalop. If it smells sweet,it is. I buy fruit when it is almost soft so it has some time to get eaten before it gets over ripe.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), August 16, 2000.

Really, Joel - I'm so dissapointed in you.....vodka?!?

Gah! Everyone knows that it's supposed to be light rum!

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), August 16, 2000.