By Whitney Donohue
Overton Lin’s assistant manager Jeff Phillips (left) accepts a shipment of locally grown melons from family farmer Dave Sterling (right). The melons are currently on sale at the local store.
Dave Sterling is a geologist turned gentleman farmer. Twelve years ago, Sterling took up the reins to the family farm and hasn’t looked back.
Sterling’s family first started farming in 1865, and while the farm’s fields occasionally lay fallow, they have spent most of that time producing some type of crop.
Recently Sterling has spent some time off of the farm, looking for buyers for his crops of cantaloupe and watermelon. This year he has partnered with Lin’s Market and is providing some amazing melons for sale. Lin’s recently received a shipment of the most delicious smelling (and tasting!) melons from Sterling.
On the farm, Sterling’s endeavors are a family affair. His wife and children help start the seeds, plant them out in the field, take orders, and harvest the melons.
The Sterlings work fields in Beaver Dam, AZ; Hurricane, UT; and Leeds, UT. Each field starts growing a little later in the season, enabling the growing season to start early and extend through October.
In fact, Sterling said that he is currently looking for land in the lower Moapa Valley because it will allow him to start his growing season even earlier.
The Sterling family farm isn’t limited to just melons. The farm also has a healthy peach orchard. Lin’s Market is currently negotiating with Sterling to purchase some of his peaches as they start ripening.
Sterling has also planted a field of table grapes, which should be ready to produce grapes for sale in the next year or two.
Sterling’s watermelons are a seedless variety, very sweet.
Cantaloupes come in two major categories, with specific varieties falling into each category. Sterling’s cantaloupes are an “Eastern Shipper”, which is characterized by an oblong shape rather than a circular shape with ridges down the sides. They have a characteristic musky smell, and a slightly sweeter flavor than the “Western Shipper” varieties.
I asked Sterling how he enjoys eating the melons. He said that for the cantaloupes he just chills and slices. But the watermelons he enjoys with a sprinkling of lime, chili pepper, and salt.
Sterling’s melons are available right now at Lin’s Market. Chances are you will smell them as soon as you walk in the door.
