News & Media

AGCAST & VIDEO: A Family Watermelon Tradition

The 42nd annual Hope Watermelon Festival was Aug. 9-11. It was a celebration of what watermelons mean to Hope and Hempstead County. Thousands of people attended the three-day event. John Kirkpatrick and his daughter Cindy were there selling melons grown on their farm at Willisville, south of Hope. Growing watermelons is a father-daughter family tradition that has lasted several decades. In this edition of Arkansas Agcast, they talk about their family heritage and why melons grown in this part of the state are so big and sweet.           

  John and Cindy Kirkpatrick photo

John and Cindy Kirkpatrick
Watermelon growers
Willisville, Arkansas