The seeds for this Giant Belgium tomato were a free gift with my order from Tomato Growers Supply earlier this year.

One of my big (really big) gardening successes this season was growing a tomato that weighed almost 2 pounds. 1 pound, 14 ounces to be exact.

It’s the biggest tomato I’ve ever grown.

I think it would have grown larger if it weren’t for the cool, wet weather we had early in the season.

The plant got a late start, but as soon as the weather started to warm, it really took off.

The Giant Belgium was one of the first heirloom tomatoes that Tomato Growers Supply sold in the 1980s, according to its website.

Tomatoes of this variety can grow to 5 pounds, but 2 is about average. I’ve heard that some gardeners make wine from these because they’re so sweet.

The early squirrel gets the tomato.

While I was on my way to the garden to pick tomatoes this morning, an early bird–I mean squirrel–was making a delicious tomato breakfast from one of my Celebrity tomatoes.

I saw this tomato yesterday when it was just turning ripe red, but I decided to give it one more day.

Can squirrels read minds?

This tomato was obviously the low-hanging fruit for the little guy. I can picture him standing on his hind legs, holding onto both sides of this delicacy and chewing away like crazy. He neatly sheared off one complete side of the fruit of my labor.

But it’s okay. I’m not mad. Squirrels are just part of the fun in my backyard habitat.

I actually admire the critter for having such good taste. Celebrity (Lycopersicon esculentum ‘Celebrity’ Hybrid) is an All-America Selections winning tomato from 1984 and it continues to be a reliable performer in my garden year after year. Its disease resistance is one of its most attractive features.