Sun and wind journey
During Tet days, besides yellow apricot blossoms and Tet cakes, the image of a pair of round green watermelons solemnly placed on the ancestral altar has become a familiar feature in many Vietnamese families, especially in the South. To have beautiful watermelons with bright red flesh is a long journey, starting from sunny and windy fields and the meticulous care of farmers.
Following the traces of Tet watermelons, before that, on the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, we returned to My Tu commune (Can Tho City) - a famous watermelon growing area serving the Tet market for many years. From early morning, the harvesting atmosphere was bustling. Watermelons were put in baskets, transferred from the fields to the roadside, and then transferred onto boats to be transported for consumption at Tet markets.
Attached to the Tet watermelon growing profession for more than 30 years, Ms. Ong Thi Hoang Dung said that this year is one of the most favorable crops. Her family proactively planted sparsely, each cong (1,000m2) about 500 vines and each vine only kept 1 fruit to focus on nutrition. Thanks to that, watermelons achieved a common weight of 9–10 kg/fruit, with a total output of about 900 fruits. She sold them to traders for 48 million VND, and some beautiful fruits were kept for retail sale to acquaintances.
Ms. Dung assessed that this year the weather is particularly favorable, almost no rain during the watermelon development process. "This year the watermelon is very beautiful, very successful, very happy, celebrating a big Tet," she excitedly said.
Mr. Tan Ngac also in My Tu commune (Can Tho City) said - Tet melons have a growing time of about 65 days. Growers must calculate the appropriate planting time to harvest right before Tet, usually starting to cut from December 24-25 of the lunar calendar.
Compared to pickled vegetables eaten daily, Tet pickled vegetables are cared for more carefully because not only the flesh is delicious but the skin must also be beautiful. Each vine only has one fruit to focus nutrients, increase quality and weight. Standard pickled vegetables must be round, dark green, glossy, not scratched; the stem is still fresh and firm so that it can be displayed for Tet for a long time," Mr. Ngac shared.
Selling melons in "lucky pairs
The characteristic of the Tet watermelon market is selling in pairs instead of in kilograms. Prices vary depending on size, balance and appearance, ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands of VND per pair; round, uniform pairs with beautiful skin are usually higher than ordinary pickled watermelons.
Ms. Dung said that the 9 kg/fruit type (18 kg/pair) is priced at about 300,000 VND/pair; the 8 kg type ranges from 260,000–280,000 VND/pair depending on the time.
In recent years, to meet consumer tastes, many gardeners and small traders have also been creative by drawing patterns, carving calligraphy letters, yellow apricot blossom images or lucky symbols on watermelon peels. The elaborately decorated watermelons are not only used for Tet display but also become luxurious gifts, contributing to enhancing product value.
Watermelon returns to Spring
According to folk beliefs, watermelons displayed for Tet are not only for eating but also carry a cultural beauty. A round, full watermelon symbolizes fulfillment; bright red flesh is a good omen, luck; shiny black seeds represent proliferation and development. Therefore, no matter how busy, on Tet, each family chooses a pair of beautiful watermelons to display on the ancestral altar.
Mr. Nguyen Van Con, residing in Luong Tam commune (Can Tho City), said that every year from December 25-27 of the lunar calendar, his family goes to the market to buy watermelons. "To choose a pair of watermelons that is satisfactory, you must go to the market early, carefully choose from color to size so that the two fruits are balanced. Watermelons brought home are cleaned, pasted with red paper and placed solemnly on the ancestral altar," Mr. Con said.
According to him, watermelons are usually displayed throughout the 3 days of Tet. On the 2nd - 3rd day, when children and grandchildren gather fully, the family will cut a watermelon and share it with everyone to eat as a belief that the red flesh of the watermelon will bring a new year of favorable business and a peaceful family.
