Watermelon? I thought Maryland is for Crabs!

Your real estate connection for Anne Arundel County, Maryland - Home of Fort George G. Meade, Northrop Grumman, BWI and the U.S. Naval Academy

"Maryland is for Crabs" - Who hasn't heard that slogan, even beyond Maryland?

Apparently, if some folks get their way, it may also be "Maryland is for Watermelon" -

A friendly rivalry between Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, who says "there is no beter watermelon anywhere in the country than those grown in Maryland," and Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner, who says "Except those grown in Delaware" has evolved into the MAR-DELicious campaign.

Maryland and Delaware Departments of Agriculture and the University of Delaware have partnered to create this promotion. Local grocers including Giant, Superfresh, Whole Foods, Acme, Food Lion and Weis Markets are among those that will carry and identify MAR-DELicious watermelon. You can learn more about this promotion by reading last week's press release from the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

Watermelon won't be the first to step on those crab claws; others already share the limelight in Maryland:

• The Oyster State - Oyster fisheries in Maryland promote this slogan
• The Queen State - A result of Maryland being named after Queen Henrietta Maria
• The Monument State - Probably a reference to President John Quincy Adams' comments about the monuments he saw during a visit to Baltimore in 1827
• The Free State - An indication of Maryland's political position opposing prohibition in the 1920's
• The Cockade State - Coined during the Revolutionary War in the King's Handbook regarding the cockades worn by Maryland soldiers
• The Old Line State - Refers to the dividing line between land grants given by Lord Penn and Lord Baltimore

It will be interesing to see if watermelon really do earn a place on this diverse list of monikers. Somehow, nothing else seems to have quite the same ring as "Maryland is for Crabs".

More interesting reading about Maryland and Watermelons:

• More than you ever wanted to know about Maryland
• Watermelon History and Fun Folks
• Buy Local Challenge
• Watermelon Recipes