Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 174 Entries. Sunday, January 17 View Page The look of satisfaction! It was my daughter's birthday so I thought I'd see what would happen when I gave my grandson some cake and icecream and told him to go nuts.   Thursday, February 4 View Page I stumbled across this in an old trunk where I keep stuff worth keeping. I'm curious if it's worth anything.   Thursday, February 4 View Page The other side. The coin is a $1 gold Indian princess, 1854. As far as I know it uncirculated and has been in a container for at least the past 70 years.   Monday, February 15 View Page My reaction after receiving the GVGO seed pak and reading Brooks post.   Monday, February 15 View Page Brooks' reaction when he realized he would not receive a seed pak because he forgot to join the GVGO.   Monday, February 15 View Page And Brooks is happy again, he joined the GVGO and will get a seed promo after all.   Monday, March 1 View Page Hooray! Dill day   Monday, March 1 View Page Got mostly orange this year, so many good crosses to choose.   Monday, March 1 View Page Another orange and the Hebb seed which I couldn't resist.   Tuesday, March 2 View Page This is my little buddy, 18 months old and really into the terrible twos. I love him but sometimes......   Tuesday, April 13 View Page Four of six beetroot plants received from Brad Wursten via EGVGA.   Tuesday, April 13 View Page Two of five radishes. Don't know exactly where they will go yet but very easy to start and maintain.   Tuesday, April 13 View Page These are 40 geranium plants, way behind this year. I have ten others that are much bigger. For some reason the germination rate for the 1st batch was very poor so I started these later than usual.   Tuesday, April 13 View Page This is a new long gourd trellis that I built from left over fencing.   Tuesday, April 13 View Page Another view.   Tuesday, April 13 View Page These will be tomato beds.   Tuesday, April 13 View Page This looks like a small LG trellis but I'm going to use it for either my best tomato plant or pear gourds, haven't decided yet.   Tuesday, April 13 View Page A little dark, two of four long gourd seeds that sprouted. The one with the roots showing is 96 Knox and the one in the foreground is 107.5 Attaway. Two other 107.5 seeds also sprouted.   Wednesday, April 14 View Page This is one of the oldest seeds I have, may as well see if it will grow. It's 850 Larue 95.   Wednesday, April 14 View Page Two 107.5 Attaway LG's that needed to be re-potted already.   Wednesday, April 14 View Page 96 Knox LG also needed to be re-potted.   Wednesday, April 14 View Page Laid down the heating cable for the big trellis. Hope to get a very early start.   Friday, April 23 View Page Received 10 95 Seca 2000 long gourd seeds from Al Eaton.   Friday, April 23 View Page 12 hour soak in 20% peroxide   Friday, April 23 View Page Another 12 hours in fresh water with a little seaweed, the seeds have sunk so they will go in pots tonight.   Friday, April 23 View Page This is where the beetroot will go, with 100 lbs. of fresh seaweed added today. I didn't remove the salt, someone told me beetroot like small doses of salt.   Friday, April 23 View Page 5 gallons of molasses poured over and covered up to get things cooking.   Saturday, April 24 View Page Exactly what it looks like. I nuked the soil in these five pots to sterilize it before planting the 95 Seca seeds.   Saturday, April 24 View Page Nearly perfect temperature inside the cooler. It's holding steady at around 30 degrees.   Saturday, April 24 View Page Five 95 Seca 2000 seeds, hopefully at least one will germinate.   Saturday, April 24 View Page I discarded the rest of the ungerminated LG seeds after 6 came up. I liiked today and this one popped up without any added heat.   Wednesday, April 28 View Page This sits at the bottom of a five gallon bucket, the air comes our from three different ports.   Wednesday, April 28 View Page Nice fit at the bottom, just connect the tubing and you're ready to go.   Saturday, May 1 View Page A little blurry, this sprouted all on it's own, in the shade, dry and forgotten. I accidentally noticed it today and it's another 107.5 Attawy LG.   Saturday, May 1 View Page More LG plants and more to come. The 95 Seca 2000 is my favorite and the 96 Knox is the strongest.   Saturday, May 1 View Page 96 Knox hardening off.   Saturday, May 1 View Page First LG in the ground, it's 107.5 Attaway, 88 Eaton x self.   Saturday, May 1 View Page Another view. Enclosed in plastic with a heat cable so I don't worry about frost.   Saturday, May 1 View Page Beetroot transplanted today.   Sunday, May 2 View Page Woke up to a very unexpected surprise. The five remaining 95 Seca 2000 seeds have germinated. It must be a seed with an excellent germination rate, or it was the 24 hour double soak, either way I like having back-ups.   Saturday, May 8 View Page There are 3 LG plants here. The one on the right was the victim of a hot soil cable, not sure if it's still alive. The one on the left took a real beating in the high winds we had yesterday. They are both 107.5 Attaway. The one in the middle is 117.38 Attaway. The strongest willl stay.   Saturday, May 8 View Page Beetroot doing well, liking the cool weather.   Saturday, May 8 View Page This almost finished trellis is intended for the next N.S. record tomato. That's the plan anyway.   Tuesday, May 11 View Page It's supposed to go down to -1 tonight, so the candles came out and as this pic was taken it is 12 degrees inside.   Friday, May 21 View Page Long gourds pretty much hardened off. Some will go in this week-end, others will be given to a friend.   Friday, May 21 View Page I built this trellis especially for the 95 Seca long gourd plant. It will be permanent and provide some shade as well.   Friday, May 21 View Page Another view   Friday, May 21 View Page This is the 107.5 Attaway ( 88.5 Eaton x self ). It's been outside for a while now and digging in.   Friday, May 21 View Page I figure the plastic and heater won't be needed much longer.   Friday, May 21 View Page I couldn't wait, the 1st 95 Seca 2000 plant went out today. 5 of the 6 are very robust and a darker green than the other LG's I started. It will go under 50% shade for a few days.   Friday, May 21 View Page Tucked in, supposed to be quite warm for the nextcouple of days.   Friday, May 21 View Page Nice looking plant with a brother or two to come soon.   Sunday, May 23 View Page Don't know if this is trouble or not. It's hard to see but there are small white spots on the stem as well.   Sunday, May 23 View Page Hope this isn't anything serious.   Tuesday, May 25 View Page This is the 107.5 Attaway starting to vine. Planted May 1st, the warm weather is helping.   Tuesday, May 25 View Page These are two 95 Seca 2000 plants, the healthiest, most vigorous plants by far.   Thursday, June 3 View Page The beetroot seem to like the cool wet weather.   Wednesday, June 9 View Page This is a pic of Briar Island, part of the area where I work and accessible only by ferry, very isolated but scenic.   Wednesday, June 9 View Page The ferry runs every half hour, only takes five minutes to get across.   Wednesday, June 9 View Page This is Belliveaus Cove on the Frence Shore. The people way out there are digging clams.   Wednesday, June 9 View Page This is the Digby Basin on a clear calm day.   Friday, June 11 View Page 107.5 Attaway coming along at around 30 inches.   Friday, June 11 View Page 95 Seca rebounding from 6+ inches of rain last week and some leaves were destroyed, but it seems OK now.   Friday, June 11 View Page Beetroot loved the cool weather, hated today because it was warm and sunny.   Friday, June 11 View Page This sad plant is 3.59 Perry. Somewhat deceiving, most of the plant is below the dirt, great roots, leaves not so much. It's still very early.   Tuesday, June 29 View Page Spare tomato and geranuim plants.   Tuesday, June 29 View Page The 107.5 Attaway is still under plastic and about 9 feet or so.   Tuesday, June 29 View Page The two 95 Seca plants. I love these plants, ten years old and as vigorous and all the others.   Tuesday, June 29 View Page Beetroot doing very well, I hope I don't have to cull any. The roots are already thick and it's still June.   Tuesday, June 29 View Page The blue containers are parsnips and doing well, I may have to transplant them soon.   Tuesday, June 29 View Page Tomato plants loving the heavy rain.   Tuesday, June 29 View Page Tomato plants. The one closest is a big Zac, the one in the big box looks the smallest but actually has the largets roots and is the 3.59 Perry.   Tuesday, June 29 View Page First tomatoes of the season.   Tuesday, June 29 View Page Beetroots.   Tuesday, June 29 View Page Big ass radishes, almost three feet in diameter. They keep trying to go to seed and I keep culling them back. We'll see what happens.   Tuesday, June 29 View Page These babies are self sufficient, just water, fertilize and step back!   Sunday, July 18 View Page One of the 1st megablooms of the year on a 3.59 Perry.   Sunday, July 18 View Page same one   Sunday, July 18 View Page 3.59 Perry again   Sunday, July 18 View Page Another megabloom on a Big Zac.   Sunday, July 18 View Page The potted tomatoes are all doing fine. This on is called "Totem" it's supposed to be a short stocky plant that produced mid size fruit.   Sunday, July 18 View Page The tomatoe plant in front, in the raised bed is another 3.59 Perry. Directly behind it is a Big Zac. To the left and right of the BZ are both 3.5 Perry plants. And the one furthest to the right is another Big Zac.   Sunday, July 18 View Page The onions are just starting to bulb.   Sunday, July 18 View Page This is my largest parsnip. I don't know what's beneath the soil but the plant is huge. The tupperware container is about 12 inches across. There is no bottom and I moved the whole plant to a raised bed so the roots could stretch.   Sunday, July 18 View Page This is the 107.5 Attaway really moving along now. There is still a slim chance for a July pollination.   Sunday, July 18 View Page This is the 95 Seca 2000 plant. The growth is only average now after a very quick start. The cross 95 Seca x 107.5 Attaway and reverse should be a good one, a quasi 109 Eaton.   Sunday, July 25 View Page 1st female of the year, the position is ok, there is another to the left and two more smaller ones in other spots, all 107.5 Attaway.   Sunday, July 25 View Page Roots growing on the top of the 670 Daigle.   Sunday, July 25 View Page more roots   Sunday, July 25 View Page and more, maybe because of all the rain, I don't know.   Sunday, July 25 View Page This chubby girl is 25% over chart. The average weight of an 8 month old is 18.74 lbs., this jolly girl weighs 25 lbs!   Saturday, August 7 View Page Long gourds coming along very nicely, have two keepers and pollinated three more today.   Saturday, August 7 View Page Another angle   Saturday, August 7 View Page These two are both 107.5 Attaway x 95 Seca. The longer one is 27 inches at day 9, not bad.   Wednesday, August 11 View Page 1st cull of the year, only 36 inches after 10 days.   Wednesday, August 11 View Page The photo is a little blurry but if this one straightens out it may be a contender. Very skinny and only 4 days old.   Wednesday, August 11 View Page The longest so far, 44 inches at day 12.   Wednesday, August 11 View Page This 122 Eaton is growing on the main vine, a first for me and very unusual. There is a second female also on the main, one will have to go.   Wednesday, August 11 View Page A closer pic, growing on the main at around 8 feet.   Sunday, August 22 View Page The long gourds on the 95 Seca plants, I like the long skinny shape.   Sunday, August 22 View Page The one in the middle is the star so far.   Sunday, August 22 View Page This is the 122 Eaton, doing very well also.   Sunday, August 22 View Page Making the most of this spot. I let the first sides climb up and onto this platform to get more of the sun.   Sunday, August 22 View Page Maybe someone can help me here. The leaves on one vine are flagging badly and it's 5:30pm, sun way in the west. The vine to the left has droopy leaves as well but not as bad. I don't know the cause.   Sunday, August 22 View Page The sides getting some late day sun.   Sunday, August 22 View Page This grotesque thing will hopefully be a big one. It's on a 3.5 Perry plant.   Sunday, August 22 View Page Twin doubles on the 3.5 Perry.   Sunday, August 22 View Page The beets finally gaining some weight. With about 40 days until weigh off I hope they get going.   Tuesday, August 24 View Page These two had to go, way to thick and heavy and growth slowed to a snails pace.   Tuesday, August 24 View Page I cut this young gourd open to find some mature seeds. The gourd is definitely under 20 days old.   Tuesday, August 24 View Page Not a lot of seeds but many are fully mature.   Tuesday, August 24 View Page One more look.   Tuesday, August 31 View Page Another batch of CT should be ready by tomorrow morning.   Sunday, September 12 View Page Most of the tomato plants look like this, heavy with fruit.   Sunday, September 12 View Page The next few tomatoes are all on one plant- 3.5 Perry   Sunday, September 12 View Page The last one was a double like this one.   Sunday, September 12 View Page These two quietly grew covered by leaves until they were too big to hide.   Sunday, September 12 View Page The pic is a little distorted but this triple is also on the 3.5 Perry plant, one of two I have going.   Sunday, September 12 View Page Same tomato different view.   Sunday, September 12 View Page This big single is on a Big Zac.   Sunday, September 12 View Page This is my biggest beetroot, I hope there are big shoulders under the soil.   Wednesday, September 15 View Page Picked this one today because it's starting to turn. I have more that are bigger, this is a nice single. Got the scale from a guy who won't be needing it anymore....   Thursday, September 16 View Page Another big one off the 3.5 Perry   Thursday, September 16 View Page 8+ pounds of tomatoes and all off one 3.5 Perry Plant. I still have one big one left on the same plant that I'll take to Winsdor.   Monday, September 27 View Page Four ribbons, I didn't expect any, what a rush, and the weigh-off was a blast.   Sunday, October 3 View Page Folks checking out some of the entries at the Windsor Weigh-off.   Sunday, October 3 View Page Good turn out with lots of entries.   Sunday, October 3 View Page Some of the entries for the Hilda Dill Award sponsored by AVGVG.   Sunday, October 3 View Page The winner of the Hilda Dill Award, AVGVG member from P.E.I. Isaac McMurghan- $200   Sunday, October 3 View Page Howard Dill Award winner Avis Swinamer- photo next page.   Sunday, October 3 View Page What a beauty!   Sunday, October 3 View Page Third place Gerard Ansems, AVGVG member at 1220 lbs.   Sunday, October 3 View Page Second place, Cliff Picketts at 1319 lbs.   Sunday, October 3 View Page First place Jeff Reid at 1419 lbs.   Sunday, October 3 View Page The three heaviest.   Wednesday, October 6 View Page Took about an hour to remove and place the seeds, 685 in total.   Wednesday, October 6 View Page These were a planned cross and I can't wait for next year. The 122 Eaton x 95 Seca and the reverse are a quasi 109 Eaton remakes. The 109 Eaton ranks right up there with some of the best- 95 Seca x 88 Eaton. The 122 eaton is 88 Eaton x sibb. The 95 Seca and 88 eaton have no common ancestory so I'm hoping for some good hybrid vigor.   Tuesday, October 12 View Page Came across Brooks' yearbook photo. I heard his nickname was broke-back Brooks.   Wednesday, October 13 View Page A friend sent me these shots. One in a million, no the fact that the crash happened but that no one was injured.   Wednesday, October 13 View Page Lucky guy   Wednesday, October 13 View Page Over 120 feet of guardrail went through the Suburban.   Wednesday, October 13 View Page I would say a few extra prayers if I were him.   Thursday, October 14 View Page Howard Dill Award winner at the Windsor weigh-off, grown by Avis Swinimer and the cross is 646 Northrup x 1432 Northrup. 696-Swinimer 2010.   Wednesday, October 20 View Page If it weren't for the hard frost last night, this one would have kept growing. Just over 3.5 lbs. Can't complain for growing tomatoes for the first time. It was from a 3.59 Perry and the plant had 8 tomatoes growing on it.   Thursday, October 21 View Page Diana Dill sent this pic to me a while back. That's Howard Dill on the left and Bob Ford on the right.   Thursday, October 21 View Page oops! That's Bob Ford only with his WR pumpkin. The next pic will be Howard and Bob.   Thursday, October 21 View Page This is Howard Dill and Bob Ford.   Sunday, October 31 View Page Pretty but no giant, planted all along for hallow'een.   Wednesday, November 17 View Page My eyes! My eyes!   Wednesday, November 17 View Page Most of the seeds ready for the veggie exchange. Sorting some of the small seeds was a pain but I found an additional 12 beetroot embryos.   Thursday, November 18 View Page Dynamic duo- too sexy   Friday, November 19 View Page This fat bubble with about 90 assorted seed paks going out today for the veggie exchange.   Wednesday, November 24 View Page Been thinking of getting a dog, narrowed it down to these four.   Thursday, December 2 View Page January   Thursday, December 2 View Page February   Thursday, December 2 View Page March   Thursday, December 2 View Page April   Thursday, December 2 View Page May   Thursday, December 2 View Page June   Thursday, December 2 View Page July   Thursday, December 2 View Page August   Thursday, December 2 View Page September   Thursday, December 2 View Page October   Thursday, December 2 View Page November   Thursday, December 2 View Page December   Saturday, December 11 View Page 19 Calendars being mailed out on Monday.   Saturday, December 11 View Page Hope you're reading this Ken Sweet! He was the only grower that I wasn't able to reach.   Friday, December 17 View Page On the way to work and thought this would make a good shot. I keep a camera in the front seat in case there is something worth shooting. This is the Bear River.   Friday, December 17 View Page This is the bridge that takes you from Annapolis County into Digby County, about 80 miles from home.   Tuesday, December 21 View Page What a difference a day makes, very rough and some actually took their boats out.   Tuesday, December 21 View Page "The sea was angry that day my friend" This is the entrance to the Digby Wharf near shore.   Tuesday, December 21 View Page Lots of folks out taking pics, this is what a Nor'easter looks like.   Tuesday, December 21 View Page Just a couple moe, both of these shots are at Point Prim. The waves are in the area of 15-20 feet.   Tuesday, December 21 View Page Last one.