Justin Timberlake, you cantaloupe
Moshav farmers name melon after the singer/actor. So what will the honeydew?
Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
Get ready to meet the new Justin melon, named for performer Justin Timberlake on the eve of his arrival in the Holy Land.
Some farmers down in the desert say the yellow-skinned orb with an orange interior — resembling the cantaloupe in appearance — compares to Timberlake in performance power.
“It can last for three weeks” in the store, wrote the team from Moshav Ein Yahav” — a notably lengthy shelf life.
Unlike Timberlake, who is set to perform in Israel on May 28, the Justin melon won’t reach local supermarkets until September. In fact, many of the melons will be sold in US and Europe.
Ein Yahav’s 120 farms produce 34,000 tons of mostly winter produce, including melons, peppers and hothouse tomatoes. They grow their fruits and vegetables inside greenhouses and sheds, avoiding the hot desert sun. Half of their produce is exported, while the other half is sold in Israel.

As for Timberlake, who will be staying at Herzliya’s Ritz Carlton the night before his performance, 44,000 tickets have been sold, which does not entail a sold-out performance for the park, which can seat more than 150,000 on its lawns.
Still, Udi Appelboim, Timberlake’s producer in Israel, said he’s pleased with the sales, calling him “the warm-up act for this summer,” referring to the long list of performers arriving in Israel this summer.
Some performers have had more luck selling their tickets, but not all. The Backstreet Boys, who are on a reunion world tour, sold out their July 29 and July 30 shows, adding a third and final show on July 31, with tickets going on sale Tuesday morning. The Rolling Stones June 4 show has not sold out, either.
And so far, Timberlake is the only performer to have a melon named for him. I’m lovin’ it.