Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 139 Entries. Saturday, January 14 View Page Best wishes to everybody for this new 2012 Season ! Winter has been warm since the beginning. No frost, sunny days, day temp about 12°C. Cover crop has grown mad ( 1,30m high) so plenty of "green" for the soil.   Saturday, January 14 View Page I mowed it down slowly as fine as possible. That'll be easier to break down by soil life.   Tuesday, January 24 View Page What a long week end ! spent 3 full days of working with a digger machine. Trenches to change plastic, to remove "toles", to place the new anti root (voles) sheet and also remove huge stones, mixe compost, soil, manure etc... I very carefully dig along the sides without damaging the plastic or the greenhouses. Very tired, my back is now very painfull ( I too tall for a such small shaking machine lol) but so happy. Now I need to remove the old plastic, place the new one, place the anti roots sheet, add compost, manure, etc... in each patch and greenhouse. It has been a great winter for working, a lot of works has been done since october. It keeps me busy everyday since 4 months.   Tuesday, January 24 View Page I also started a new patch : 20m long by 6m wide. I will fill it up with fresh soil, compost, manure, etc... Very nice natural underground full of gravels and sand, ideal for good draining (gravel pit soil). This spot is perfectly exposed to sun from early in the morning up to late evening, East/West axis.   Wednesday, January 25 View Page I have to say I'm very pleased to have recieved the " Grower of the Year" Award. Growing so many different categories (over 20) during a full season represents a lot of hard works everyday. Glad and proud ! Thank you to EGVGA and GPC.   Tuesday, February 7 View Page At the end, Winter is arrived. 10cm of Snow followed by a strong -15°C.   Tuesday, February 7 View Page Lake is frozen, peacefull atmosphere.   Friday, April 13 View Page On the 11 april 2012, my little son Sohan is gone to the paradise. Sohan, we love you forever. Life is so unfair. We love you forever Sohan   Thursday, May 10 View Page Today, the little Adam, friend of Sohan, suffering of the same genetic disease is gone too. They are probably playing together somewhere in the sky. We love you forever.   Tuesday, May 22 View Page First passion is fishing. I landed this nice mirror from a hard public water. That's my third biggest carp for almost 20 years in that lake. Well Chuffed Ian !   Monday, May 28 View Page Found Huge larves in my patches. I first thought they were Melolontha melolontha ( hanneton commun) but in fact they are Cetonia aurata (LA CÉTOINE DORÉE). Max size said is 50mm. The biggest of the 3 is 65mm, 20mm wide and weighs 13gr ! They don't eat roots but they help the compost action.   Monday, June 18 View Page Look at this beauty, a lovely linear caught this afternoon on 2 critically balanced tigernuts presented on a KD rig at 140 Yards cast.   Tuesday, June 26 View Page Went in a wild unfished lake for the very first time and caught 2 big tench and 6 nice grass carp ( awesome fight). This one is a rare Ghost specimen. (hooked on a tiny Rhaja Spice snowman presentation).   Friday, July 6 View Page Here my Pb Carp at 53lb8oz, a dark and old Warrior.   Sunday, July 8 View Page Welcome to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station ! Ladies and gentlemen, please Fasten your seatbelts and be ready for takeoff ! How crazy is that Long roots set-up ? People are saying I'm totally mad, I believe them now...lol   Thursday, July 12 View Page Marv Tomatoes are really different. Plants are Huge, Very thick mainvine, Leaves are long, dark green and massive. Here a nice one going on the 6.25 Brutus Magnus.   Thursday, July 12 View Page Tomatoe from my own 1.737 Daho 2011, Growing well.   Thursday, July 12 View Page First time growing giant celery, Nice plant.   Thursday, July 12 View Page Check the size of that leave on the 1037.5 Jarvis. That plant is a beast ! Everything is huge on it.   Thursday, July 12 View Page Under the leafcanopy of the squash.   Thursday, July 12 View Page Under the leafcanopy of the pumpkin.   Thursday, July 12 View Page First time growing swede. In general, I don't like to grow "crucifere" family cos it attracts all the aphids, slugs, snails, worms etc... of the village but it's always nice to test different vegts.   Thursday, July 12 View Page Kohlrabi, same story, full of insects but doing ok.   Thursday, July 12 View Page Beetroot are loving cold, grey, wet weather of this poor season.   Thursday, July 12 View Page Parsnips are starting to grow quick now.   Thursday, July 12 View Page Giant radish are growing very quick and fat. I believe the lack of sun and heat seem to be perfect for them. I have about 10 of them and all look pretty big. We ate one the other day, love them ! sweet, tender, not hot at all and a great nut taste.   Friday, July 13 View Page Bhut Jolokia pepper.   Friday, July 13 View Page One of my pumpkin plant looks strange. It's growing well and strong but the older leaves look like this. Any idea ? Virus ? bacteria ?   Friday, July 20 View Page Casting long distance for fishing or tournament for many years now. This's a shot of my best ever overhead cast with a 3,5oz lead, a 3,5lb carp rod and a fixed pool reel : 219 Yards. In 2006 and 2007, I win the Korda world championship Spodding and Throwing stick competitions in England.   Saturday, July 21 View Page My biggest ever leaf was 78cm by 86cm on my 1611 Daho 2009. Today, I measured a big leaf on the 1037.5 Jarvis : 80cm by 89.5cm ! Almost an umbrella !   Monday, July 30 View Page I know we are not growing salad but that leaf amazes me everyday. It keeps growing despite the poor cold and wet season. Last dimensions are 88cm long by 95,5cm Wide !   Monday, July 30 View Page Ismaël and the 1634 Werner. Great plant and fruit. Rumor of a True monster pumpkin growing strongly and already over 400" at day 50ish...   Friday, August 3 View Page Weighed officially 6 big tomatoes this morning, total weight is 10,4kg almost 23lb. As I said in my last year diary, I wanted to grow a big specimen this season. I've worked hard and It paid. Very pleased to break 4 times my Pb (3.83lb). Weights are 2.8lb, 2.77lb, 3.90lb, 3.99lb, 4.30lb and 5.12lb! CC is 65cm (25.6")   Friday, August 3 View Page The big One on the scale and a dream comes true. Wowwww !   Saturday, August 4 View Page 4,30lb   Saturday, August 4 View Page 3,99lb   Saturday, August 4 View Page 3,90lb   Saturday, August 4 View Page Look at this lovely face ! Ismaël weight is about the same than these 6 tomatoes lol   Saturday, August 4 View Page 4,30lb and 5,12lb, New French and European record ! WOW !   Sunday, August 19 View Page Yesterday, I had the immense pleasure to have the visit of Ian and Stuart Paton mum. She's a such gentle, great and Fascinating lady, It was a honor to meet you ! Thank you   Sunday, August 19 View Page We visits all my different patches, share experiences, eat delicat french meals and laugh a lot ! She likes the giant celeries...   Sunday, August 19 View Page ...but she literally falls in love with my biggest parsnip ! lol   Sunday, August 19 View Page Thanks a lot for spending these 2 nice days with us, it was really great ! Some of the radish ran to seeds so we picked up them and ate them ! There were 4, all between 2.2 and 3kg. Also, I harvested another 6 tomatoes at : 3.3lb, 3lb, 2.9lb, 2.75lb, 2.55lb and 2.42lb.   Thursday, August 23 View Page Bloody 10 pin ! Next time...LOL   Thursday, August 23 View Page Tomatoe plant : 4,15m tall !   Friday, August 24 View Page Prele (equisetum) is one of my favorite natural plant. It prevents a lot of diseases and keep my leaves healthy a long time.   Friday, August 24 View Page This 's how I select the AG seeds LOL Funily, 2 years later, I'm growing the 1303 Sweet !   Sunday, August 26 View Page Picked up another big tomatoe : 1.906kg = 4,20lb, Not bad for a single bloom. CC is 57cm.( probably 10% Heavy LOL).   Sunday, August 26 View Page Ready for diner ! Like the others big ones I grew this season, There are "tetines" under the fruit. Strange but it adds extra weight LOL. Handle with care !   Sunday, August 26 View Page Detail of the "tetines".   Sunday, August 26 View Page Beat my Pb for the longest Cucumber with this green one at 71,2cm. It was still growing well but the stem snapped....Grrr ! The yellow one was a big surprise on the scale : 7,347kg. Very short ( only 60cm long) but Fat ( 47cm CC). Almost the National record but another big one is still growing...   Saturday, September 8 View Page First attempt for the table beetroot. I like the shape and the color of that one.   Saturday, September 8 View Page Several good carrots growing, they look just fine.   Saturday, September 8 View Page But that one is probably the best, leaves are long and strong, the shoulders are quite fat.   Saturday, September 8 View Page Still no split for the fieldpumpkin...slow and steady !   Saturday, September 8 View Page Massive stump !   Saturday, September 8 View Page Giant radish getting fat. Ps : Oui Christophe, je reconnais bien le Croisic surtout avec l'église juste derriere, lol merci et a bientot!   Saturday, September 8 View Page Watermelon from 208 Kent is short and fat but growing well.   Saturday, September 8 View Page Already 8 of september and still very healthy leaves for a good september growth.   Sunday, September 9 View Page Another good tomatoe. I picked up another full barrow of matters, most of them are very good size with another 12 over 2.5lb including 3lb, 3.10lb, 3.20lb, 3.30lb, 3.52lb, 3.75lb. Still another 3 or 4 big ones growing and hundreds of younger ones. Third patch tour done, many interested and interesting people asking millions of questions but it was a great time, thanks to all ! The last heavy cucumber is still growing slowly. Long gourd plant is 100% healthy, looks like it's early july. All others vegts are slowly growing. Pumpkin at day 66 is still doing 24lb a day, never seen that before even on my 1611...and it thumps rock solid.   Monday, September 17 View Page Bhut Jolokia. A friend went to a party and asked me a few peppers. Results : 8 people on the floor drooling like snails ! The following day, pepper power was still active in the toilet ... Fire ! LOL   Monday, September 17 View Page Giant leek. I fall in love with em... Next year, I will concentrate on them. Very few cares for that specimen and still a nice size.   Monday, September 17 View Page I have a lot of hopes with that heavy cucumber : weight is somewhere between 7,7kg and 8kg.   Monday, September 17 View Page Here my best heavy parsnip, it's a massive plant.   Monday, September 17 View Page View off the top. Hard to judge the size but the pot is 160L and 150cm for the whole leaves. As the heavy cuc, I hope for a National record.   Monday, September 17 View Page Heavy carrots are doing good. This one has huge leaves and shoulders bigger than a bottle of 1.5l.   Monday, September 17 View Page I started to dig carefully around the shoulders. It's a big one ! I wonder how long it is. Not bad for a small pot.   Monday, September 17 View Page Something is green and growing slowly...any idea ?   Monday, September 17 View Page And something is pink and growing... Is there any pink rock in nature ?   Monday, September 17 View Page Small stem, still perfectly healthy, great plant, nice fruit, thanks Ken !   Friday, September 21 View Page Another barrow full of big tomatoes including 5 over 3lb and many over 2,5lb. Weather is grey, rain non stop today never seen the sun only 10°C during the whole day, nights temp since 4 days is 3°C and last night we have the first frost at just 0°C. Despite that crap weather, Pumpkin is still doing 10lb a day at day 80ish.   Tuesday, September 25 View Page Picked up again plenty of big tomatoes. About 20 between 2lb and 3.10lb.   Tuesday, September 25 View Page Got aubergine ? This one is HUGE !   Thursday, September 27 View Page We lost our Newfoundland "Noé" 2 month ago at 13 years old. It was a true gentle dog as all the Newfoundland. Yesterday, we meet the female of our futur dog. it's a pure and really giant black Newfoundland called " Epsilone". Her normal weight is 200lb but when pregnant, she goes over 220lb ! Females are always smaller than males but Epsilone is even taller than males ! She's exceptional !   Friday, September 28 View Page Absence de régime, tour de taille impressionnant de 4,75m. Ps : Spéciale dédicace à Jean-Claude LOL   Friday, September 28 View Page Day 90, cold nights, grey, windy and wet weather everyday now, pumpkin still doing 9lb a day, what a long grower !   Tuesday, October 2 View Page Today, I had the visit of the little group of disabled friends of Sohan with the mums and the different educators. It was really great to explain and show them all the different vegts. I hope they felt the positive vibes and energy of the place. Thank you, we love you.   Wednesday, October 3 View Page The Freak 3 ?   Friday, October 5 View Page Baby ready to go !   Thursday, October 11 View Page Back from the wet but rich National weigh off. I did second with 1250lb (1303 Sweet x self)   Thursday, October 11 View Page But first with that new French record squash at 938lb.(previous record was 782lb) Extremely glad since this's my first ever and only serious squash. Cross is 1037.5 Jarvis x Self. That was an animal plant, leaves up to 38" wide, huge stump, huge laterals as big as a main, mainvine as big as an arm (4" diameter). I love the shape, the skin and the color of that fruit. Thanks Joel !   Thursday, October 11 View Page 3 French record for the long roots : Parsnip : 2.475m Carrot : 3.395m Beetroot : 4m Very pleased too but it's a LOT of work : building the pipes, cutting them by half, retaping them, up in high structure, filling with soil from the top, sowing and watering from the top from april to october by hand... AND removing them carefully to get them flat on the floor, removing the tiny root without damages (need solid nerves and about 1h30 per pipe), transporting and put them on the table for the official lenght... OMG, I'm mad ! lol   Thursday, October 18 View Page First year trying celery : 16kg for that one, the others 5 look about the same size. Lovely smell !   Thursday, October 18 View Page Table beetroot.This one is actually boiling in the kitchen LOL   Thursday, October 18 View Page Nice carrot.   Thursday, October 18 View Page Same seeds, same cares, different shapes.   Thursday, October 18 View Page 7,565kg Heavy cucumber.   Thursday, October 18 View Page 9.8kg Kholrabi, insects love it !   Thursday, October 18 View Page Tasty parsnip, best one is 2.7kg.   Thursday, October 18 View Page Molly radish, love the taste !   Thursday, October 18 View Page We also like to eat watermelons, need more sun for a sweeter taste but still nice. (39kg)   Thursday, October 18 View Page 66cm Runner bean. Plant produced dozens of 50/60cm beans but I found it hard to get a longer one.   Monday, October 22 View Page Only one weigh off in France this season, so can't weigh my others pumpkins. I went to a scale shop to get numbers.   Monday, October 22 View Page 1634 Werner front.   Monday, October 22 View Page 1634 Werner Back.   Monday, October 22 View Page 1634 Werner side. Nice plant, steady grower, 111 days old and still growing. OTT a bit over 400" but went light.   Monday, October 22 View Page 558.5kg = 1231lb.   Monday, October 22 View Page 1725 Harp, white cream, nice shape, 110 days old and still growing 6/7lb a day !   Monday, October 22 View Page 509kg = 1122lb not bad considering the plant had a disease since very young. (see leaves photos) Despite the crap weather season, 3 pumpkins over 500kg in a single season has never done before in France so I m glad. Also my Ph is 8.2 ! I bet it's not ideal LOL   Wednesday, October 24 View Page 1303 Sweet.   Wednesday, October 24 View Page 1037.5 Jarvis.   Sunday, October 28 View Page 938 Daho 2012 is 1037.5 Jarvis x Self.   Sunday, October 28 View Page 938 Daho 2012 is 1037.5 Jarvis X Self.   Sunday, October 28 View Page Bye to a very nice girl. Very solid, flawless, over 16" thick at the shoulders and 8" thick at the blossom end.   Monday, October 29 View Page Went fishing on a very misty day. Can't see the lake during the whole afternoon, hard to cast the rig along the ponton I baited up at 175 yards. Had 3 runs, landed 3 on helico rig, blow back hair and a nice 15mm glugged Rhaja Spice tipped with a plastic yellow corn. First one is this lovely scaly mirror.   Monday, October 29 View Page Next one is pretty rare. I called it "single eye".   Thursday, November 1 View Page Went fishing today. I "spombed" up a promising spot at 110 Yards the previous day with about 1.5kg of boilies. Casted my rods early in the morning. A strong freezing wind was blowing across all day, difficult to be accurate but I managed to place each rigs exactly on the baited area ( taped on line). See the fantastic sun light in the tree.   Thursday, November 1 View Page At 12H, single toner on the middle rod ! ( right in the middle of the baited spot). 15mn later, it's in the net ! A long mirror with a beautiful scale pattern.   Thursday, November 1 View Page I wasn't very confident, the lake's shallow, fish feel the temperature drops quick and generally stop feeding...But at 15h30, another screamer wakes me up. 25mn of a hard fight ( fish took 50 yards of line and never gives up) and the fish arrived in my net. Stunning winter colors carp. What a beauty !   Thursday, November 1 View Page Took that photo earlier this year.   Thursday, November 15 View Page Last day of the year on that big public lake. It'll open next april only !   Thursday, November 15 View Page I arrived early in the morning to enjoy that day to the max. Just seeing a such beautiful landscape is already an amazing day. Peacefull atmosphere...   Thursday, November 15 View Page Target was to be the last angler to catch the very last carp of the year around these massive lake. (photos taken with my phone).   Thursday, November 15 View Page Nothing happens around the lake during the whole morning. But at 13h, Bip... biiip.... biiiiiiiiiiiipppppppppppppppppp Good fight and in the net ! Target done ? who knows ?   Thursday, November 15 View Page 17h15, second one, a bit bigger, nice long mirror. Still nothing out around the lake...I feel confident !   Thursday, November 15 View Page and finally, at the very last minute, just before to pack up, my last rod went slowly. Very powerful fight over 100 yards out, in the net ! WOWW I'm over the moon ! Biggest fish of the day and Yes, I did it, all 3 fish were the last ones of the year !   Thursday, November 15 View Page Decided to do a little bit of pike fishing with spinning rod. I spent 3 days to hook that great pike chasing after the roachs : 83cm long.   Thursday, November 15 View Page I also had 3 big perch, that one is 40cm long, lovely colors.   Thursday, November 15 View Page Yesterday was the best day. I caught 3 nice pikes up to this nice specimen : 82cm. All predators and carp are released. No kill mind. Happy days !   Thursday, November 15 View Page Just caught another bigger one this morning ! ( and saw a monster one.... to be continued)   Sunday, November 18 View Page After 3 days of stalking with many different lures, I finally hooked that wanted big perch : 42.5cm for 1.1kg. Had also another 5 good ones between 30 and 37cm. Next target of the week is to land an old carp from a lake I fished 20 years ago!   Wednesday, November 21 View Page Thanks for the emails, you appreciate the fishing stories so here a new one ! I went to another high pressured small public lake today. Intense feeling, I fished that same lake 20 years ago ! There're a LOT of regular carp anglers weeks after weeks from april to november, carp are very spooky and extremely difficult to catch. My new target was to catch a proper carp after a 20 years long break but the main problem is the department has restocked the water with many small carp... So the proper resident carp are even harder to catch since the new ones eat everything... I arrived at the lake late in the morning, there were already 3 carp anglers.   Wednesday, November 21 View Page Bottom is soft, dark and very silty, worst fishing conditions specially at this time of the year, with millions of dead leaves falling in the lake. I decided to use the PVA bag technic to protect with hookbait. I choose a quick melt model cos of the cold water and fill up of low oil 5mm pellets mixed with chopped 15mm boilies. Since most the guys are fishing tight to the island, I did the opposite, cast away of the island in open water in the margin. Camouflage rigs, slack lines, Tungstene tubing, back leads, everything spot on and invisible to seduce a difficult carp. I push the art to the maximum with the rig components.   Wednesday, November 21 View Page I had 2 takes and landed 2 carp : first one's one the new babies at 4kg (totally virgin, not a single mark in the mouth). Second one is awesome and make my day (even my year). Same rod, same spot, funny take ( typical for experienced fish) : A proper old and rare resident warrior with dark colors and a big strong head. It couldn't be better! I Hit my target within a day, I can't believe it. All the others anglers blanked. Luckily, I filmed the alive run, I will add the link as soon as possible. Simply pleasures are the best.   Sunday, December 23 View Page I'm back ! I fished 6 times that high pressured lake. Since, most of the anglers were using "normal" strategy, I tried to do something different, and it works really well. During my 6 days, I saw 25 carp anglers. All together, they landed 5 carp while I caught 38 ! That common is stunning !   Sunday, December 23 View Page this very rare fully scaled mirror   Sunday, December 23 View Page this big common   Sunday, December 23 View Page that yellow mirror   Sunday, December 23 View Page I particularly like that original mirror, very good fight and looking.   Sunday, December 23 View Page I love that kind of old and dark warrior.   Sunday, December 23 View Page Other lake, other fish, nice pike.   Sunday, December 23 View Page Fat pike ! lovely colors.   Sunday, December 23 View Page Waiting for a bite...   Sunday, December 23 View Page Did a little bit of casting. Broke my PB for the longest groundbait ball cast with 209.4 yards.   Sunday, December 23 View Page As every year now, I offered one pumpkin to the Telethon to get money for disease research. Ismaël really appreciated his new house LOL   Sunday, December 23 View Page And finally, 2 days ago, I caught a super brace of big perch. Merry christmas to all growers in the world !   Sunday, December 23 View Page I moved to another water. Anglers don't fish for carp because there's no carp they say. I did tried for a day and caught 3 LOL That common is a beauty, absolutely perfect !   Sunday, December 23 View Page I just received the 2012 trophies. My favorite one's " The Grower of the Year". Ismaël is proud and likes to show them. Thank you EGVGA.   Sunday, December 30 View Page Sohan, we miss you We love you