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They grow 'em big in Armenia
By Holly Fesperman
The Salisbury Post (Salisbury, North Carolina)
Thursday, August 4, 2005
When Larry Frick saw the first small cucumbers on his vines,
he revisited the seed package. Frick thought for sure he'd gotten
English Cucumber seeds, but these cucumbers didn't look at all like
ones he'd grown in the past.
He was surprised to find that his seed package actually read,
"Armenian Yard Long Cucumbers."
The back of the package described the cukes - "long, curved, grey-green
fruits are 2-3 feet long with a diameter of 3 inches."
Frick said he didn't pay any attention to that when he bought them
at Wal-Mart, he just picked up the seed pack that looked like what
he wanted.
As a matter of fact, the Armenian cukes did look much greener and
less strange in the seed package picture.
Frick must have done something right because his cucumbers nearly
lived up to their name. His longest cuke came in at 28 1/2 inches.
Even though he didn't grow English cucumbers he hasn't been
disappointed. The Armenian variety are great on salads, and they
aren't quite as strong tasting as regular cucumbers, Frick said.
One cucumber lasts him a while, he just cuts off what he needs and
covers the rest with plastic wrap. Frick stores the uneaten portion
in the refrigerator until his next salad or tasty cucumber sandwich.
Maybe Frick's cucumbers aren't so strange after all, he saw what
looked like Armenian cukes in the Food Lion sale paper last week.
He's definitely seen some strange vegetables through the years. When
Frick was in his twenties, a service station in Rockwell sponsored
a vegetable competition similar to the Post's Garden Game.
People in the community would bring in their vegetables and at the
end of several weeks the person with the biggest veggie would win
five or ten gallons of gas.
That was back when gas was 20 or 30 cents a gallon, said Frick.
During one service station competition, Frick remembers someone
bringing in a five and a half pound tomato.
Frick said he may have won that competition years ago if he'd had
the Armenian cukes.
He's planning to give the biggest one away to lady at his church that
loves to grow produce as well.
PHOTO CAPTION: A strange kind of longhorn steer: Larry Frick
demonstrates an alternative use for the large cucumbers he grew. Photo
by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.
http://www.salisburypost.com/area/332669076575231.php#
By Holly Fesperman
The Salisbury Post (Salisbury, North Carolina)
Thursday, August 4, 2005
When Larry Frick saw the first small cucumbers on his vines,
he revisited the seed package. Frick thought for sure he'd gotten
English Cucumber seeds, but these cucumbers didn't look at all like
ones he'd grown in the past.
He was surprised to find that his seed package actually read,
"Armenian Yard Long Cucumbers."
The back of the package described the cukes - "long, curved, grey-green
fruits are 2-3 feet long with a diameter of 3 inches."
Frick said he didn't pay any attention to that when he bought them
at Wal-Mart, he just picked up the seed pack that looked like what
he wanted.
As a matter of fact, the Armenian cukes did look much greener and
less strange in the seed package picture.
Frick must have done something right because his cucumbers nearly
lived up to their name. His longest cuke came in at 28 1/2 inches.
Even though he didn't grow English cucumbers he hasn't been
disappointed. The Armenian variety are great on salads, and they
aren't quite as strong tasting as regular cucumbers, Frick said.
One cucumber lasts him a while, he just cuts off what he needs and
covers the rest with plastic wrap. Frick stores the uneaten portion
in the refrigerator until his next salad or tasty cucumber sandwich.
Maybe Frick's cucumbers aren't so strange after all, he saw what
looked like Armenian cukes in the Food Lion sale paper last week.
He's definitely seen some strange vegetables through the years. When
Frick was in his twenties, a service station in Rockwell sponsored
a vegetable competition similar to the Post's Garden Game.
People in the community would bring in their vegetables and at the
end of several weeks the person with the biggest veggie would win
five or ten gallons of gas.
That was back when gas was 20 or 30 cents a gallon, said Frick.
During one service station competition, Frick remembers someone
bringing in a five and a half pound tomato.
Frick said he may have won that competition years ago if he'd had
the Armenian cukes.
He's planning to give the biggest one away to lady at his church that
loves to grow produce as well.
PHOTO CAPTION: A strange kind of longhorn steer: Larry Frick
demonstrates an alternative use for the large cucumbers he grew. Photo
by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.
http://www.salisburypost.com/area/332669076575231.php#