Hello Gardeners, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. Nate Bradford descends from a family that loved to tinker with plants; his great grandfather made crosses of various crops on his farm and one successful result was a delicious watermelon. While Nate was working at job way up in Pennsylvania, (he got a degree in landscape architecture) he read an article by University of South Carolina Professor David Shields who is fascinated by the historic cultivars and varieties of fruits, vegetables, grains and meats that made the South Carolina cuisine so remarkable. Dr. Shields waxed eloquently about the Bradford watermelon which was thought to be lost to posterity. It turned out that Nate’s family had never stopped growing this watermelon and they still had enough seeds for young Nate and his three oldest boys to plant a half acre! Now this tasty heritage watermelon is again pleasing the Southern palate.
Bringing Back the Bradford
