The Bidwell Casaba Melon carries the golden legacy of a California pioneer who transformed a USDA seed into an heirloom treasure. General John Bidwell received this melon's seed stock in 1869 and cultivated it on his sprawling 22,000-acre ranch near Chico, where it flourished in the Sierra Nevada foothills. This casaba variety takes 90 to 110 days to reach harvest maturity and thrives in full sun with 24-inch spacing between plants. A true heirloom that has survived because gardeners kept replanting it, this melon tells the story of California's agricultural roots.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-11
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Moderate
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This melon carries the personal history of General John Bidwell, a New York native who became a California pioneer, gold prospector, and naturalized Mexican citizen before establishing one of the state's earliest agricultural estates. Bidwell received the seed directly from the USDA in 1869, then preserved and grew it for decades on his massive Chico ranch. The variety's survival to the present day represents an unbroken chain of gardeners who valued both its quality and the remarkable story behind it.
This melon is grown for fresh eating, where the sweet, dense flesh of a ripe casaba is enjoyed raw. The fruit's traditional use is as a table melon, sliced and served fresh or added to fruit platters.
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Direct sow Bidwell Casaba seeds into warm soil after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperature reaches at least 70°F. Plant seeds in hills or rows, spacing plants 24 inches apart to allow room for vine growth and air circulation.
Harvest Bidwell Casaba melons when they reach full maturity, typically 90 to 110 days after planting. A ripe casaba will have a firm, golden-yellow skin with a slightly wrinkled texture, and the melon should feel heavy for its size. The fruit will slip free from the vine when gently twisted at the stem. Cut or carefully detach the melon once it reaches full color and a slight softness is felt at the blossom end opposite the stem.
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“The Bidwell Casaba Melon begins with an extraordinary American life. General John Bidwell was born in New York and became one of the early pioneers bold enough to cross the Sierra Nevada into California when it was still Mexican territory. After fighting in the Mexican-American War and becoming a naturalized Mexican citizen, Bidwell struck gold on the Feather River, transforming his fortune into a 22,000-acre ranch near Chico. It was on this vast property that Bidwell cultivated the casaba melon variety that the USDA had sent him in 1869. For generations, gardeners who appreciated this melon's quality kept the seed alive through continuous planting and replanting, preserving not just a plant but the memory of Bidwell's pioneering legacy and California's agricultural awakening.”