Avid gardener Sam Shapiro reaches up a 13-foot tomato plant to pluck green tomatoes at his home in Waterville. Shapiro said he has never seen such a tall plant in his 50-years of gardening.

CONTRAST: Payrn Oak demonstrates black and white silk screen printing as a colorful trio of kids watch at the Common Ground Country Fair in Unity on Saturday. From left are Bella Russo, Shauna Hancock and Nico Russo.

Don Gardner, left, and his brother Cam set up their food concession booth at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association site of the 36th annual Common Ground Fair in Unity on Tuesday. The fair runs from Friday through Sunday featuring workshops, lectures, vendors, crafts, farm animals, food and entertainment.

GAS SAVER: Mike Dyer slowly cuts 2-foot high grass at his home in Vassalboro on Monday. “I’m knocking this grass down now because it’s getting big,” Dyer said. Gas was high this summer so I didn’t bother to mow.”

Kendra Moulton backs away from some hungry goats while feeding them grain in the livestock section of the Franklin County Fair in Farmington on Monday.

Lauren Robinson, left, and Sage Whitehead spend time with young steers that were about to compete with handler Mia Hofmann during the Farmington Fair on Monday.

WHITEWATER FOAM: Whitewater river guides with North Country Rivers in Bingham clean rafts that will be stored for the season on Tuesday. The company will continue raft trips into October.

A LOT OF WIND: Josh Horne loads pieces of a 100-foot willow tree on Monday that blew down last week in a neighbors yard in Benton. Horne said he was going to cut and split the wood and use it to heat his camp this winter.

Larry Hotham, left, and Nick Brown of Hotham Concrete, prepare to pour a footing for the new Thorndike Congregational Church being built in town on Monday. The church was destroyed by fire on Dec. 28, 2011.