Little Bear Produce in the Sweet Summertime
We always like to say flavor follows nutrition. Our palates and appreciation for flavor was developed over millennia of humans eating for survival, and what tasted good was a signal that it was rich in nutrition. We are very fortunate to live today in a food world of more convenience and variety, but at Sickles we never lose sight of how flavor and health are primary. That is why we partner with brands like Little Bear, whom we source some of our most delicious and nutritious melons from each spring.
With farms in Texas and Mexico, Little Bear jumpstarts our Summer melon obsession, kicking off with Honeydew, then Cantaloup, and finally Watermelon. Right now is the sweet spot when all three are available in our Produce section. Little Bear’s special process starts in seed. Little Bear has been employing the latest biotechnology to select high nutrition crops, develop sustainable irrigation practices, and use minimal and responsible pest control. Farmers follow stringent quality control guidelines, and are compensated with fair wages and benefits like health insurance. From their network of farms, Little Bear controls the chain of delivery to their warehouses insuring the fruit is delivered in optimum condition and fully traceable for health and safety. These extra oversights make Little Bear an exceptional vendor, and Sickles is proud to sell to your family these remarkable fruits. As we say, when the ingredients are really good you cannot go wrong.
How can you best select a ripe melon for home? Our produce team is always happy to pick a melon for you, but to give you an idea look for these characteristics:
Honeydew should give off a fresh, potent smell, show a yellow tint, and when held have a waxy surface.
Cantaloupe softens when ripened, so it should give a little. Because it is porous it too will give off a sweet scent.
Watermelon shows you where it grew on the ground by that light spot. Look for a golden or deeper yellow spot. Pick up the watermelon and hit it like a bongo drum. The more hollow the sound the better.
In addition to melons, Little Bear also sends limited amounts of Dill, Parsley, and Dandelion greens. We recommend all of their produce, look for the Little Bear logo as a brand to trust for exceptional quality. Summertime is sweet, leave us a comment if there is something else you would like to learn more about.
