Spit and polish hat makes fashion statement

Photo by Jenny Sullivan, Oregon Agri-Business Council.

By Elaine Shein


If you’re looking for the ol’ spit-and-polish look for special occasions, there is a spitty (er, spiffy) top hot that will make anyone look ready for such occasions.

It’s the watermelon top hat. And they are rolling into cities in the Northwest.

Bob Severson, the mayor of Hermiston, wore the dashing hat at Portland’s Pioneer Square today as he helped inspire Portland’s mayor Tom Potter to try his skill at a watermelon seed spitting contest.

Not to be confused with some of the cherry pit or pumpkin seed spitting contests that take place in the northwest at other times, this was a great promotion for Hermiston’s watermelons which are some of the best tasting ones you can find this time of year in stores and farmers’ markets.

This event definitely attracted the media attention. One can see the daring reporters leaning in close enough to catch the spitting sound on their microphones but keeping enough distance away to avoid being spit upon.

Wimps.

My thanks and hats off to Jenny Sullivan, from Oregon’s Agri-Business Council, who witnessed this event and kindly sent in the picture — as well as where people can buy these hats if they lack skills to create the hats themselves. (Remember, farmers are not responsible for any unfortunate incidents that involve people cutting up fresh fruit and smucking the half-carved fruits on top of their heads. And never use power tools to try this at home.)

These hats also make great gifts for the family members you adore and feel are in dire need of making a fashion statement, whatever that statement might be.

(www.elopehats.com/licensed/wally.php)

Agriculture