Bakersfield.com

The Cousins (Griffin, Mimi, Lily and Hannah) take a picture with our biggest pumpkin this year. We finally harvested it after 4 months of growth. Unfortunately, it did not break our scale but at 247 lbs she is a beauty! The...

Posted by AmyHurst1 - Mon Oct 6, 2008 13:32:33 PDT

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Plant Sale for Gardening with Natives

On October 11th, opening at 9am, the Kern Chapter of the California Native Plant Society will hold its annual sale of native plants on the CSUB campus near FACT. CSUB is located at 9001 Stockdale Hwy, enter on the south side of the...

Anonymous user - Wed Oct 1, 2008 12:16:47 PDT

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CSUB holding fiery competition for local pepper gardeners

Is your garden on fire with flaming peppers? Do you think your piping poblanos, scorching serranos or hurting habaneros are the hottest in Kern County? Put your peppers to the test in California State University, Bakersfield’s...

Posted by CSUB1 - Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:45:07 PDT

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A country garden

Paige Smith and I have been in Girl Scouts since we were young. Paige, a freshmen at Garces High School, and I, a junior at Ridgeview High School, have worked together and showed teamwork throughout the process of supporting a great...

Posted by Contributor - Fri Sep 19, 2008 10:38:47 PDT

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Succulent wreath wins first place

This is my first year entering the Kern County Fair floriculture competition and I'm very excited to share my project with so many fair goers. As a Bakersfield College environmental horticulture student, this event gives me a chance to...

Posted by Contributor - Thu Sep 18, 2008 16:41:20 PDT

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Cactus and succulents at the Kern County Fair

After not participating in the outdoor scene category at the Kern County Fair for several years, we decided at the last minute to create one. Ours are always a “bring-what-you-have” group effort. This year we decided to...

Posted by Contributor - Tue Sep 16, 2008 13:41:38 PDT

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Hydroponic growing at the Kern County Fair

The Bakersfield College outdoor scene at the Kern County Fair is entitled, “From the Classroom, From the Greenhouse, From the Garden, To the Table – Bakersfield College Agriculture, America’s First Community College...

Posted by Contributor - Tue Sep 16, 2008 13:41:24 PDT

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Xeriscape design at the Kern County Fair

Every year Stockdale comes together to compose a landscape project for the fair in the outdoor scenes project. This year the theme is "Best in the West." We all knew we could have a lot fun with this theme. Stockdale has been...

Posted by Contributor - Tue Sep 16, 2008 13:41:01 PDT

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Meet Chef Tomato Head

Mr. Elvis Murray, who is a resident at Kern City Retirement Community, plants various vegetables in the Kern City Community Garden. He grows okra, onions, black peas, mustard greens, cucumbers, and wonderful tomatoes. He shares all his...

Posted by Contributor - Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:29:52 PDT

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Giant Pumpkins!

Our two children Hannah and Griffin are sitting on top of one of our Atlantic Giant pumpkins (estimated weight is around 215 lbs). We started growing them in May and with lots of love and fertilizer we hope to have (at least) one...

Posted by AmyHurst1 - Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:50:01 PDT

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Gourds aplenty

My name is AnnaMarie Boss. Most folks call me Annie. I like to grow decorative gourds of all shapes and sizes. I also like to grow pumpkins, This is some of my harvest.

Posted by Contributor - Tue Sep 2, 2008 17:40:24 PDT

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Buddha Hand fruit

This unusual produce is called "Buddha Hand." It is a citrus and is used to enhance flavor for cooking.

Posted by aluang168 - Tue Sep 2, 2008 16:44:43 PDT

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Monster Zucchini

Students Jordan Dickson (left) and Zoe Brown show off some super-sized squash at the Highland High School ag field. The monster zucchini on the left was 23 inches long and weighed a whopping 10 pounds. (It was later enjoyed on...

Posted by goscots77 - Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:53:03 PDT

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Yellow bell tomato explosion

In a very small corner of my world, you will find my yellow bell miniature tomato BUSH! When I went to the nursery, I chose tomato plants, and your usual herbs. I did the usual staking with bamboo stakes as well as having a cage...

Posted by Contributor - Mon Aug 25, 2008 16:49:18 PDT

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My Mom's Texas Chow-Chow

Local history

Summertime food canning was a big event for my family and relatives in Bakersfield, whether it was in lean depression years or good times. Most of our relatives were from Texas or Missouri and they were raised on home canned foods so...

Posted by Contributor - Mon Aug 25, 2008 15:40:07 PDT

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Out-of-control zucchini

Here is one of my out of control zucchini which remained undetected under the bushy leaves until my son noticed it and picked it for me. It will be used to make loads of muffins!

Posted by Contributor - Mon Aug 25, 2008 13:24:47 PDT

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Tons of tomatoes

There is nothing I enjoy more than growing wonderful veggies year 'round, in my 4 raised beds. Right now, there are massive tomato plants more than 10 feet tall. See perspective next to 6 foot fence. I'm growing heirlooms and hybrids...

Posted by Contributor - Wed Aug 13, 2008 14:52:04 PDT

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Giant pumpkin

Here is a photo of my dad (Tony Compagnoni, who will be 90 years old on Sept. 12 ) with our Giant pumpkin. It's the biggest we have ever grown, and we live in Pumpkin Center, California!

Posted by Contributor - Wed Aug 13, 2008 14:42:03 PDT

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Summer Garden

Lathen Gallon, Age 7, with his 4.5 lb. and 3.0 lb. Italian Squash. Lathen grew the squash in his garden this summer. Also in his garden are; tomatoes, bell peppers, artichokes, crook neck squash.

Posted by Tdavissrfun - Wed Aug 13, 2008 14:41:43 PDT

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Zucchini left too long on the vine!

This is one day's harvest - I can measure my crop almost by tons. Zucchini (green and yellow), butternut squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, berries and fruit.

Anonymous user - Wed Aug 13, 2008 12:03:12 PDT

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Century plant blooms again

Century Plant - sends up a shoot once in a lifetime of the plant, probably 50 years rather than 100. Stalk will eventually bend and fall, then the plant is supposed to die. However, this is the second one and the plant is still living...

Posted by Contributor - Tue Jul 15, 2008 16:47:51 PDT

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Soil Biology 101

Soil biology is the study of life in soil. Yes, soil is alive. Just like you care for and protect the crops you grow to get the most out of it, you must also nurture and protect your soil to get the most from it. ...

Posted by Sharon123 - Wed Jan 2, 2008 17:27:17 PST

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W. Murcott Mandarin May Need More Babying Than Navel Orange

The mandarin variety ‘W. Murcott’ (also known as ‘Afourer’) is relatively new to San Joaquin Valley citriculture. In fact, other than a relatively long history of growing the Satsuma mandarin, most...

Posted by Sharon123 - Wed Jan 2, 2008 17:05:35 PST

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Cypress Tree Problems

Several cypress tree species are frequent in Kern County landscapes and windbreaks. In recent years significant numbers of cypress appear to be declining, which is likely due to the inherent adaptability of these trees to the local...

Posted by Sharon123 - Mon Dec 10, 2007 14:08:14 PST

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A Christmas tomato

Another reason I love our town: "Where else can we pick Christmas tomatoes from our backyard garden in December?" I took this photo Saturday with proof of its vintage.

Posted by citizenjournalist - Mon Dec 3, 2007 12:38:11 PST

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Mister Know-It-All

Other

My ex-husband was the first to admit that he could be rather mean-spirited; in truth, he often boasted of the fact, as if his ability to snap someone’s head off with a cruel retort were a virtue to be proud of. It was a...

Posted by ghostriter - Mon Nov 26, 2007 09:23:40 PST

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Growing Pistachio Trees

No scientific trials have been conducted to give the pistachio growers guidance on the best way to prune pistachio trees. So what is a pistachio grower to do? Observation made in some older orchards on the west side of the San...

Posted by Sharon123 - Wed Nov 7, 2007 08:55:57 PST

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Off-Colored Vegetables Are Good For You - No Joke

Most Kern County residents know that Kern County is a major almond, table grape, and cotton growing region. But are they aware that this is also a major carrot and potato production region? In the 1950s and 60s Kern was...

Posted by farmadvisors - Wed Oct 17, 2007 15:17:26 PDT

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Calling all Bakersfield gardeners