How Many Times is a Watermelon Lifted??

1. The watermelon is picked off the vine after 3 months of love and care then carried to a pile.

2. The watermelon is picked up out of the pile and put into a cart that is pulled by two ox.

3. The watermelon is lifted out of the cart and put into the arms of a person who then puts the watermelon in its place, for now.

4. The watermelon is picked up and put on a table to be washed.

5. The watermelon is washed picked up and handed to a person to get weighed.

6. The watermelon is put on the machine to weigh, picked up again and handed to a person to get a sticker put on with the weight and producer code.

7. The watermelon now is handed to the¨runner¨ to put in the correct weight group.

8. The watermelon sits for a bit, then is lifted to put into the truck. At this point its usually an assembly line, so therefore there are more watermelon passed quickly in the hands of many.

9. The watermelon is placed in the truck and taken to Argentina, the case of my cooperative.

10... Not really sure how many more times its lifted before its on your table, but probably at least 10 more times.

So from now on when you go to the grocery store because you have the craving for a juicy, red, delicious watermelon, think to yourself how many times your 8 kg watermelon was lifted and how much love and care was put into it. (oh and my arms and back are really sore!!)

Also...I knew that producers always got screwed on the money side of things, and that prices get jacked up in every step of the process but it is outragous at how little these amazing people are getting for every watermelon. 5 mil guarani. that is $1. In asuncion, the capital, you buy a watermelon for 20 mil guarani.

Not sure how to make it better, of if there even is a way to make it better but allf i have to say is that i really have A LOT of respect for these farmers, and have A LOT more apperciation for my food. especially watermelon.