PLUS FIVE DAY FORECAST. ALL RIGHT, JONATHAN, SOUNDS GOOD. WELL, HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND, THE 78TH ANNUAL RUSH SPRINGS WATERMELON FESTIVAL, 100 PLUS VENDORS, CARNIVAL RIDES AND SEED SPITTING CONTESTS AND MORE IN STUDIO THIS MORNING. RUSH SPRINGS WATERMELON QUEEN IS LILLIAN BALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. YOU BROUGHT SOME TREATS FOR US. I DID A HUGE WATERMELON. Y’ALL TALK ABOUT WHAT ELSE YOU BROUGHT. YOU BROUGHT SOME OTHER GOODIES. I BROUGHT ANOTHER BIG WATERMELON. THIS ONE’S THE SMALLER ONE, TOO. AND IT’S ABOUT 40 POUNDS. ABOUT. YEAH. OKAY. SO Y’ALL MEAN SERIOUS STUFF OUT THERE IN RUSH SPRINGS? I DON’T WANT TO MESS WITH YOU WHEN YOU COME TO WATERMELON OUT THERE. TALK ABOUT THE FESTIVAL THIS YEAR. WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT? SO THIS YEAR IT’S OUR FESTIVAL IS ON AUGUST 12TH. THIS SATURDAY, THERE’S IT STARTS OFF AT 7 A.M. WITH A FIVE AND TEN K RUN AND THERE’S LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, A CAR SHOW, CARNIVAL, OVER 125 ARTS AND CRAFTS VENDORS, A SEED SPITTING CONTEST. I GET CROWNED AND THERE’S MUCH MORE. OKAY. YOU LISTED OUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN EXPECT, INCLUDING THAT SEED SPITTING CONTEST. YEAH, TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT. SO WE HAVE AN ANNUAL SEED SPITTING CONTEST AND IT’S OPEN TO ALL AGES AND WE’LL SEE WHO WINS. EXACTLY. WHAT’S THE WHAT’S THE HOW DO YOU DO THIS? LIKE, WHAT DO YOU DO? A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT PREFERENCES ON IT. I LIKE TO CURL MY TONGUE AND JUST USE MY WHOLE BODY. THERE YOU GO. IS IT A LAUNCHING THING LIKE WHO CAN SPIT IT THE FURTHEST? YES. GOTCHA. ALL RIGHT. SO YOU ARE THE WATERMELON QUEEN. YOU WERE JUST NAMED IN MAY, IS THAT RIGHT? OKAY. TALK ABOUT HOW YOU GOT THE TITLE AND WHAT YOU DO NOW IN THE COMMUNITY. SO WHAT WE HAVE IS WHAT WE CALL OUR QUEEN NIGHT. AND ABOUT FIVE WEEKS BEFORE WE START SELLING TICKETS UP TO THIS QUEEN NIGHT AND ON QUEEN NIGHT, IT’S LIKE BASICALLY LIKE A MINI LITTLE PAGEANT. AND WE HAVE LIKE A CASUAL WEAR AND A FORMAL WEAR. AND I HAVE TO SAY A SPEECH AND I’M ASK INTERVIEW QUESTIONS. AND WE HAVE A JUDGES PANEL THAT JUDGES US. AND THEN BASED OFF OF EVERYONE THERE, IT’S CALLED OUR POPULAR VOTE. AND THEY WILL VOTE AND WE’LL SEE WHO WINS. AND WHAT WAS YOUR SPEECH ABOUT? WHAT DID YOU. IT WAS ABOUT LEAVING A LEGACY. OKAY. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT? YEAH. SO I JUST TALKED ABOUT LEAVING A LEGACY AND LIKE WHAT? OUR FESTIVAL HAS LEFT A LEGACY ON OUR TOWN AND HOW IT HAS IMPACTED OUR TOWN. AND HOPEFULLY, LIKE THE QUEEN OR THE LEGACY OTHER QUEENS HAVE LEFT AND THE LEGACY I HOPE TO LEAVE AND I’M SURE I MEAN NEARLY 80 YEARS, THAT’S A HUGE LEGACY ALREADY. TALK ABOUT WHY THIS FESTIVAL IS SUCH A FAN FAVORITE HERE IN THE STATE. YEAH, SO IT’S ONE OF THE LONGEST LASTING FESTIVALS AROUND. IT’S THIS WILL BE THE 78TH ANNUAL. IT STARTED BACK IN 1940 AND WENT TO 1942 AND THEN IT WAS DISCONTINUED BECAUSE OF THE WAR. BUT IT STARTED BACK UP IN 1948, HAS BEEN RUNNING EVER SINCE, OTHER THAN COVID YEAR. ALL RIGHT. AND YOU KNOW, ONE MORE TIME, JUST TALK ABOUT WHEN AND WHERE PEOPLE CAN FIND YOU ALL THIS SATURDAY. AND IS THERE ANYTHING PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW BEFORE THEY GO? YEAH. SO THIS THE FESTIVAL WILL BE AUGUST 12TH AT JEFF DAVIS PARK IN RUSH SPRINGS, OKLAHOMA. IT STARTS AT 9 A.M. WITH OUR OPENING CEREMONIES AND. YEAH. ALL RIGHT, PERFECT. YOU CAN YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AT RUSH SPRINGS WATERMELON FESTIVAL. YOU WERE READING MY MIND. THAT’S JUST AS BIG AS THIS WATERMELON HERE. SO, GUYS, IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND, IT’S HAPPENING SATURDAY. YOU CAN FI
Fruit or vegetable? The controversy surrounding watermelon as Oklahoma's state vegetable
Oklahoma's state vegetable is a watermelon. For real.
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Updated: 6:25 AM CDT Apr 22, 2024
Oklahoma's state vegetable highlights a decades-long debate. Is watermelon a fruit or a vegetable? | RELATED VIDEO ABOVE | Thousands travel to Rush Springs for 78th annual Watermelon FestivalIn 2007, watermelon was adopted as the state vegetable after the decision was passed by the state legislature and signed by former Gov. Brad Henry. In 2015, the decision faced backlash after state Sen. Nathan Dahm, a Republican from Broken Arrow, filed a bill to strip watermelon of its title as the state vegetable, claiming it is a fruit. While watermelon still holds the title in 2024, does it deserve the honor? Fruit or Vegetable?Watermelon is the fruit of a plant originally found in southern Africa. It is a member of the Cucurbitaceae plant family of gourds, and it is related to the cucumber, squash and pumpkin, according to watermelon.org. It is planted from seeds and harvested from fields, like other vegetables. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a vegetable as "a usually herbaceous plant (such as the cabbage, bean, or potato) grown for an edible part that is usually eaten as part of a meal." Since watermelon technically falls into that definition, calling it a vegetable isn't technically wrong despite it being popularly known as a fruit. Watermelons in Oklahoma In 2015, Oklahoma ranked 12th in the nation in the production of watermelon, with much of the produce going out of state, according to Oklahoma AG in the Classroom. The production of watermelon also added around $7 million to Oklahoma's economy that same year. Events across the state highlight the influence the fruit – or vegetable – has on Oklahoma. The Rush Springs Watermelon Festival has been around since 1948, and it attracts nearly 20,000 visitors a year. This year's festival will take place on Aug. 20. >> Download the KOCO 5 AppFeaturing seed-spitting contests, more than 100 vendors, live entertainment and an automotive show, the annual event celebrates all things watermelon in Oklahoma. Each Fourth of July, Pauls Valley hosts its Watermelon Seed Spittin' World Championship, which began in 1957. The competition has been featured in the Guinness Book of Records and Ripley's Believe It or Not. Whether watermelon is considered a fruit or a vegetable, it is a tasty treat that can be enjoyed and celebrated all across Oklahoma. Top Headlines Severe storms with tornadoes possible Sunday across Oklahoma Women's NCAA Tournament Day 1 recap OKC steakhouse celebrating 60th anniversary with feast for 2 OKC Police: Teen nearly kidnapped at Myriad Botanical Gardens Piedmont child escapes to safety and report web of abuse at home
Oklahoma's state vegetable highlights a decades-long debate. Is watermelon a fruit or a vegetable?
| RELATED VIDEO ABOVE | Thousands travel to Rush Springs for 78th annual Watermelon Festival
In 2007, watermelon was adopted as the state vegetable after the decision was passed by the state legislature and signed by former Gov. Brad Henry. In 2015, the decision faced backlash after state Sen. Nathan Dahm, a Republican from Broken Arrow, filed a bill to strip watermelon of its title as the state vegetable, claiming it is a fruit.
While watermelon still holds the title in 2024, does it deserve the honor?
Fruit or Vegetable?
Watermelon is the fruit of a plant originally found in southern Africa. It is a member of the Cucurbitaceae plant family of gourds, and it is related to the cucumber, squash and pumpkin, according to watermelon.org.
It is planted from seeds and harvested from fields, like other vegetables.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a vegetable as "a usually herbaceous plant (such as the cabbage, bean, or potato) grown for an edible part that is usually eaten as part of a meal."
Since watermelon technically falls into that definition, calling it a vegetable isn't technically wrong despite it being popularly known as a fruit.
Watermelons in Oklahoma
In 2015, Oklahoma ranked 12th in the nation in the production of watermelon, with much of the produce going out of state, according to Oklahoma AG in the Classroom. The production of watermelon also added around $7 million to Oklahoma's economy that same year.
Events across the state highlight the influence the fruit – or vegetable – has on Oklahoma.
The Rush Springs Watermelon Festival has been around since 1948, and it attracts nearly 20,000 visitors a year. This year's festival will take place on Aug. 20.
>> Download the KOCO 5 App
Featuring seed-spitting contests, more than 100 vendors, live entertainment and an automotive show, the annual event celebrates all things watermelon in Oklahoma.
Each Fourth of July, Pauls Valley hosts its Watermelon Seed Spittin' World Championship, which began in 1957. The competition has been featured in the Guinness Book of Records and Ripley's Believe It or Not.
Whether watermelon is considered a fruit or a vegetable, it is a tasty treat that can be enjoyed and celebrated all across Oklahoma.
Top Headlines
