Experts at growing tomatoes are a dime a dozen in the Far North, but Glenda Job might well be in a class of her own.
The stars of her Paparore Rd garden, north of Awanui, are three tomato plants grown from seeds she was given by a Dalmatian woman, which are so heavily laden with massive fruit that the branches were in danger of breaking, despite being supported by a trellis.
Each plant stood a good two metres tall, she said, and while the fruit were perhaps not the prettiest of their species they were very sweet. They did not have a lot of seeds, but she was keeping some for another crop next year.
"I've been growing tomatoes for years," she added, "but I've never had anything like these."
The monsters were destined to be turned into tomato relish.