Whatever you pick, if you're like me, you'll probably prefer the big seeded varieties best. Easier to spit or pick out. My biggest issue with Crimson Sweet is it's small seeds and it's very seedy.

Look at Wilhite seed company

Wow, y'all are awesome. Marty, that place you mentioned is both creepy and cool lol. I'll order a bit from them. Warrior, that Carolina cross sounds like the ones we had and so does the one Nate mentioned. I'm gonna order bout 6 different varieties and next year plant them all and see which comes closest to what I'm looking for.

Do y'all have old variety seeds that you keep going? I have some and I have pole bean seeds that go back 140 years or better. I enjoy using the same seeds that they did years ago.

I'm looking for a Canonball type heirloom that's smaller than the true Black Diamond but bigger than icebox melon. Something in the 20lb range. Giant melons are cool but not when you got half of it leftover to go to waste. The missus won't touch watermelon out of the fridge as leftovers. It's fresh cut or not at all with her.

I see the type from time to time in the stores and at the better roadside stands, but I figure most of those are F1 hybrids.

The blacktail mt doesn't fit the bill?

It's does but it's an icebox melon that I can finish off all by myself, lol.

Ali Baba is about the size I'm looking for but it's more of a half sized Charleston Grey.

Warrior, I see on this site a few ya might wanna try. Ledmon, Wibb, and Wilson sweet. Worth a shot!

Something that just came to mind. Mama used to make pickles out of the rind. They were pretty good.

You mean the company that got caught trying to sell gmo tomato seeds?

I've made pickles out of watermelon rind too.

Keith

Sold a lot of those seeds while in grade school in the 50's