Giant watermelons grown in a mountainous district of Nghe An province.
(Baonghean.vn) - This cucumber variety, with its incredibly large weight, is commonly known as "field cucumber" or "Mong cucumber." The cucumbers are large, crunchy, sweet, and refreshing. Perhaps only the Mong people living in the region, which is covered in clouds year-round and has a mild climate, can cultivate them.
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| Children harvest giant watermelons in Huoi Dun village, Huoi Tu commune, Ky Son district. Photo: Van Truong. |
These days, traveling along National Highway 7 through the highland district...Ky SonIt's easy to spot locals selling a lot of upland melons. They're called upland melons because this variety is commonly grown by the Hmong ethnic group in their fields, intercropping with upland rice, starting in March each year. Harvesting begins in June and the season ends in September.
The melons grown here weigh 4-5 times more than regular melons, with some weighing as much as 1.5-2 kg. They don't need trellises; they simply crawl on the ground and over rocks.
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| The wild melon weighs nearly 2 kg. Photo: PV |
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| Large, farm-grown cucumbers are 2-3 times more expensive than regular cucumbers. Photo: Van Truong |
Mr. Dềnh Bá Lồng, Chairman of the People's Committee of Huồi Tụ commune, Kỳ Sơn district, added: "The people are currently harvesting upland melons. Everything grown in Huồi Tụ commune is sold out, with traders even coming directly to the fields to buy them. The entire Huồi Tụ commune only has about 5 hectares of upland melons, while there is still much potential. Therefore, the commune is directing the villages to expand the area for growing melons intercropped with upland rice to increase income for the people."
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| Wild melons and other mountain produce were sold along the roadside in 2020. (Photo courtesy of a contributor) |
A representative from the Ky Son District Department of Agriculture added: The reason why Mong melons in Ky Son district are so popular is because they are a type of "clean melon," grown naturally by the Mong people intercropped with upland rice, without fertilizer or pesticides. Upland melons are currently grown most extensively in communes where Mong people live, such as Nam Can, Huoi Tu, and Muong Long…
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| These large, crisp, sweet, and refreshing wild melons can only be grown by the Hmong people living in areas perpetually covered in clouds and with a mild climate. (Photo: FB Ky Son, Nghe An) |
As a traditional, specialty melon variety, it thrives only in the climate and soil of the Mong ethnic minority region. However, its cultivation is currently unregulated, resulting in low yields. A survey of the entire district shows that only about 30 hectares are cultivated so far. Ky Son district is implementing solutions to support and encourage people in preserving, cultivating, and promoting this indigenous melon variety to improve the lives of the ethnic minorities in the highlands.
Cao Thang night street in Vinh City attracts visitors with the appearance of many distinctive regional products.
(Baonghean.vn) - On the evening of November 27th, Cao Thang night street in Vinh City reopened with many more regional specialties and OCOP products from Nghe An province, attracting a large number of people to visit and shop.
Discover the local produce at the highland market in Nghe An.
(Baongheaan.vn)
