Friday, February 20, 2015

Big and Little

May 1930 - Almond Dale, Winiam - Taken by Eva Pilgrim on her Kodak Box Brownie

"These melons were grown on white sand.  The two trombones each weigh 50lb and the piemelon 53lb.
The little girl (Lorna Pilgrim) weighs 33 lb".


Geyer sisters eating watermelon - Almond Dale, Winiam
Lil Presser, Soph Maybery, Mabel Pilgrim


This post was inspired by Sepia Saturday
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22 comments:

  1. Trombones? Mr Mike will be pleased :) Two delightful pictures.

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    1. Thank you.

      Yes I could not find anything about "Trombone" watermelons. I wonder how they got this name?

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  2. A melon bigger than a kid -- now that's funny. I contemplated using a picture of my husband as a 10-yr old with a giant pumpkin, but it doesn't have the dramatic quality that your photo has.

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  3. Those melons are huge! I really enjoyed the photos, thank you.

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    1. The land in Winiam is extremely dry and sandy so I would have thought it would have been very difficult to grow such big melons........but what would I know!

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  4. Where are the trombones? I'm blind. Love the melons, are they the ones being eaten? Sorry, leaving more questions than comments.

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    1. Ha Ha Ha! That is what my grandmother called the watermelons at the bottom.

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  5. I wonder who named those melons? I would have thought the top one would be called the Trombone melon, but who am I to say? It's a delightful picture, whatever. And the second one too - though I prefer smaller so-called 'seedless' watermelons.

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    1. My Great Grandfather (and his father too) were very well know for the size and quality of their fruit and vegetables.
      I just copied what my grandmother had written on the back of the photo.

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  6. The Greyer sisters look like they are enjoying their melon. I'm betting they made their dresses.

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    1. Definitely! I have a copy of the receipt for Mabel's Wertheim sewing machine.

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  7. Best way to eat watermelons - in the bath or in your bathing suit ! Lovely photos.

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    1. Soph appears to be working out the best way to attack her piece!

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  8. I never heard of those types of melons. They are a reminder of how different things grow in different parts of the world.

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    1. I don't know where the name came from as I cannot find anything about "trombone" watermelons. Maybe it was just the name that the family gave them?

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  9. Now I'm in the mood for a BIG slice of watermelon!

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  10. Wow, must have been an amazing melon crop that year, from a very fertile patch.

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    1. My great grandfather always emptied the "jerries" on to the fruit trees to assist with growth and keeping the bugs away.

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  11. And see on the verandah - more fruit (apples?). Must have been a good harvest that year.

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    1. Yes, they grew all types of fruit. Of course, Almonds (hence the name Almond Dale) were a major source of income.

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