Fields A'Plenty

By Melodie Reader
MNN Reporter

Hanna, Ok—Muscogee (Creek) Nation Hanna Farm is in full swing right now with trucks, trailers, vans and cars lined up, as far as the eye could see, waiting to purchase watermelons from farm manager, E.C. Hessom.

“We have 90 acres of watermelon and sometimes, people start to line-up around 4:30 a.m.,” said Hessom. “We will be busy from sunrise until five everyday until the end of September with people wanting watermelon.”

The farm is a working farm which keeps the six full-time employees including Hessom busy.
Full time employees Dick Cox, Andy Butler, Jimmy Gray, Susie Harjo and Tammy Bogle are supplemented by three part-time employees during the hectic summer months.

“When they asked me to come down here and straighten this out, I told Chief, I'd me more than happy to,” said Hessom who is a retired rancher and rodeo professional. “I'm 58 years old and this is a good job for me.”

The 540 acre farm will utilize 400 acres by next spring as it grows corn, wheat, soybean and watermelon for profit.

“This year with the wheat, soybean, corn and watermelon we'll probably be marginal on what we spend and what we take in and next year we should have a profit,” said Hessom. “I'm pretty tickled about that, that it's actually going to make a profit.”

The farm also participates in a project along with another farm in Rush Springs, Okla. to sell overripe watermelon to a group to make ethanol.

“We are part of a program in Lane, Okla., where Professor Fish has a laboratory and has figured out a way to make ethanol out of the juice of the watermelon,” said Hessom. “We're one of two farms in the program, the other is in Rush Springs, Okla. The professor and his team will come down here and gather all the watermelon and pay us $.04/lb for everything that has juice in it, so that we have no waste. It's a pretty good program.”

Watermelon varieties include Black Diamond, Jubilee II, Royal Sweet Icebox, Yellow Meat and Giant which grow to approximately 200 pounds.

For more information on Hanna Farm please contact Valerie Taryole of MCN Community Development at (918) 732-7963.