Kenneth Simons turned 90 this July, and his passion for growing watermelons goes back to the 1940s when he bought his first car for just thirty dollars.
Now, he sells them out of the back of his pickup truck, down a long dirt road near Haysville. Simons normally sells out within a few hours.
He began planting his watermelons on the land of Colonial Heights Church almost eight years ago. Originally, Simons was growing his melons across the road, but due to vandalism, he looked for a solution that was more off of the main road.
The church’s members said he’s put them on the map.
“He sort of made our church famous. We’re the watermelon church in South Wichita,” said
Pastor Mark Combs.
Combs thought he was going to tend to a small portion of the acreage behind the church. When he went to check on Simons, he was stunned.
“He’d been working all day, and he had plowed about 10 to 12 acres, and I said, ‘Ken, I thought it was a little patch,’ and he said, ‘Oh, this is little. I have a big patch down south,’” said Combs.
His customers have remained loyal over the years. One couple that stopped by Saturday has been buying from Kenneth for 10 years.
“It’s crazy, heat of the day, love it, love it, he was like, he’s not going to be out there in the heat of the day. I said watch, two to six, ya we’re going,” said customers Jamey and Heather Thomas.
Simons watermelon season normally lasts until early October. However, due to this year’s drought, he said he’ll only be selling until the end of August.
You can find him most days, from 2 to 6 p.m., at 5200 S. Broadway in Wichita.