Bender Melons

For years now I've driven through the town of New Scotland on the way to Indian Ladder Farms and passed a sign in a field.  From the car, all I can read on the sign are the words "BENDER MELONS".  I have assumed they referred to some chap called Mr. Melons who had an unusual first name.

Today I stopped the car and took a closer look.  Oh!  It's about melons, named after a chap called Mr. Bender.  Well, there you go.  I have never knowingly bought a Bender melon, but (a little googling reveals) they were all the rage in the 1930s, and a nice export item for New York State.

Melons are no longer grown in the Bender Melons field.  I've seen sweetcorn growing there, in season.  A few years ago a developer put forward plans to build a big box mall, which the people of New Scotland rejected.  Good for them.