Watermelon is a Vegetable! No, seriously.

We leave this afternoon to go back to Oklahoma for the holidays. Even with our amazing home here in Texas, nothing beats the feeling of crossing the Red River back into Oklahoma. Daisy and I sing Oklahoma when we enter the state... At the top of our lungs when we're alone; we spare John and sing it in our heads when he is in the car.

That said, a few months ago, I was shocked to learn that most students in the Eastern and Western United States don't take a single class about their state history! I took Oklahoma history in 4th, 7th, and 11th grades. For being a relatively unpopulated state with little allure, we have a lot of pride and take our state history very seriously.

Everybody knows the basic state symbols:

Flower: Mistletoe

Wildflower: Indian Blanket

Tree: Redbud

Bird: Scissortail Fly Catcher

Rock: Rose Rock

Song: Oklahoma! from the musical Oklahoma

Fish: White Bass (ok, maybe most don't know that one; I wrote a report on it in 4th grade...)

But, did you know that, in 2005, a group of 5th graders from Skiatook successfully petitioned to add the strawberry as the state fruit? This is cool because: 1 - I love strawberries! 2 - How awesome is it that a group of fifth graders were able to lobby and push state legislation through?

And in 2007, in a slightly less endearing story, our state senate decided that we needed a state vegetable to go with our state fruit... The verdict? Watermelon! Yes, our state vegetable is watermelon. Wait, you thought it was a fruit? Me too. Google "Oklahoma State Vegetable" and you get a picture of an OSU graduate. Ok no not really that wasn't nice. I'm sorry; I take it back. Google "Oklahoma State Vegetable" and you get a lot of really negative headlines; it caused a lot of controversy. BUT, google "Is watermelon a vegetable," and the answer is yes. A lot of people technically consider it both a fruit and a vegetable - a fregitable! (No, I didn't make that word up!)

Watermelons are like tomatoes. They have seeds and are the "ripened ovary of a seed plant," but as a member of the cucurbitaceous plant family, watermelon is related to the cucumber and squash and planted and harvested as a vegetable. (Thank you http://ezinearticles.com/?Watermelon:-A-Fruit,-a-Vegetable-or-a-Fregetable?&id=387416)

That said, I still think its a stretch. Send this decision back to the 5th graders. They could have picked potatos or corn. Or if you really just want to bend the rules between fruit and vegetable, go with okra or tomato. Something a little less... fruity...

See y'all soon!

Linds

(Thanks to http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Oklahoma/StateSymbolsOklahoma.html for all of the pictures!)