Getting Ready For The Watermelon Feed

Be Prepared

     If watermelons are being served, you know people will be spitting seeds. At some point, usually a competition will ensue.

     Most of the time these are simply fun activities, but if you are asked to participate and are directed to a spitway (an outlined 75 X 15-foot area), you know you are in the company of serious watermelon spitters. You need to be ready if this happens, especially if bets will be placed.

The Rules Are Simple

Seeds must be selected on site. The larger seeds work best.

Eat some watermelon flesh to moisten your mouth.

Each participant gets two chances. Only the seeds that land within the spitway will be measured.

Put the seed on your tongue with the tapered end pointed at the opening of your mouth. If you roll your tongue around the seed, you are fashioning a barrel to shoot the seed out.

Toe the line of the spitway, draw in a big breath of air (through your nose), aim, lean back and fire. You can either arc the flight (especially if there is a wind at your back), or shoot it like a stone skipping over water. Distance is measured from the starting line to where the seed comes to rest.

Everyone Should Compete At Least Once 

Who knows, this may be the hidden talent you’ve always thought you had. And if you are doing well, you can always go to Luling, Texas, to their annual Watermelon Thump in June. You’re too late for the 2018 edition, but I’m sure they will have one next year. One piece of advice from Jamie Nickells, secretary-treasurer of the Thump Association, “Relax. You’re going to look silly, so get over it.”

It’s a known fact that some of the best kissers in the world started out spitting watermelon seeds.

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