Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 148 Entries. Sunday, February 7 View Page Here are some of my veggies I have going, Cornish giants and Kohlrabi with one of my onions in front. My best onion ever at this point in a 3 gal. pot. Sunday, February 7 View Page Thomas with one of my Kohlrabi. Sunday, February 7 View Page Helen eating the last snickerdoodle cookie Erin made for me. Boy they were GREAT! Thanks Erin! Sunday, February 14 View Page Started two 7.18 and 5.416 Harp tomato seeds and two 2.14oz Maston. I have many more to start later and will use these for other starters. Should be fun. Wednesday, February 17 View Page Well at 2-17 at 7:59 pm we had our boy.7 pounds 14 oz and 21.5 inches. We had a scare and had to have emergency c-section. I have never seen people move so fast. We were lucky we were at the hospital and it was at shift change so there were lots of people there to help. The baby and mommy are doing fine. It is 12.52 am and I need some sleep. Monday, February 22 View Page More photos Of Matthew Martin Schnicker. Monday, February 22 View Page One more photo.He is so perfect! Monday, February 22 View Page Started a 5,58 Timm tomato seed yesterday. Moved 13 onions to bigger pots. My 4 large ones are still looking good. cabbage are getting leggy but no more room inside. Hopefully weather will get better soon so I can get them to the high tunnel. I plant to put a small greenhouse inside to hold them. Friday, February 26 View Page Tickets all ready to go for Sunday. 448 tickets sold total for the Mt. Pleasant weigh-off raffle. Thank you all! Friday, February 26 View Page 42 bubbles ready to be loaded for return after the raffle drawing. Everyone that entered will get a bubble with something. Friday, February 26 View Page Here are 6 of my early tomato plants.two 7.18 Harp,two 5.416 Harp,two 2.14 Maston and not pictured is 5.58 Timm just up. Sunday, March 14 View Page Started working in my high tunnel getting power and water restored after winter. 255 Mitchell, 131 and 179.7 Schnicker watermelons are up for state fair. Soil cables are in for one watermelon plant but will need to dry out this week to get the other one set for fair. Saturday, March 20 View Page Well its been a busy few weeks with the baby and my wife. We had to put Matthew (4 weeks old) back into the hospital at 2 pm Wed. and I had to go to Florida for work at 4pm. He was having a tough time breathing that morning so Mary got him an appointment for 10:30 but by the time of the appointment was was almost white with purple lips. They admitted him right away and started running tests but I had a flight to catch but he was doing better and all the test came back ok so I went ahead and went to the airport. I got back home Friday night at midnight and Mary and Matthew got home first thing Saturday and he is doing much better. Just some kind of virus that was not good for him. I am glad we go him there when we did. But now the bills after the emergency C-section almost $2000 and now what this one will be probably higher. Looks like it will be a tight summer now but at least everyone is healthy now( I hope).But some of the stuff I need for the patch and high tunnel will have to wait now till next year. Other then that I will start some tomato plants soon for summer and a couple more melon plants for back ups. I did an inventory of melon seeds I have. I have about 60 great crosses on the list with 20 of them just from last year crops. Saturday, March 27 View Page A couple of my Kelsae onions with tomato cages around them. Saturday, March 27 View Page Inside my high tunnel with all the fair hoops up and cables in. The close one has my 179.7 watermelon(251 x 267) inside now for the Iowa State Fair. Saturday, March 27 View Page The 179.7 Schnicker (251 Mudd x 267 Edwards) inside its hot house. This plant is twice as big as the 255 and 3 other plants so a easy pick to get the spot. Saturday, March 27 View Page Under this row cover are my early peas and the German Giant radishes. They are off to a great start and in 30 days they should be very large. So I started another row of them in another spot inside the tunnel. Tuesday, April 20 View Page Some of my tomato plants. Tuesday, April 20 View Page My Kent watermelon plant looking good. Tuesday, April 20 View Page 255 Mitchell watermelon plant down and running. Tuesday, April 20 View Page And if anyone planted one of my 179.7 Schnicker (251 x 267) plants they will be happy. Probably the best plant ever after 6 years of growing. I hope it continues this pace and look at the size of this leaf already. Tuesday, April 20 View Page Not the greatest photo but this 2.14 Maston tomato plant is something. I have 2 plants this size and more started.Thanks John for the seeds. Tuesday, April 20 View Page Thomas,Anne and Clare with my early peas and German Giant radishes. The radishes will be baseball size this weekend.We have been eating the ones that are too close and they are so sweet and not hot at all again this year. Being in the high tunnel we water them everyday. The other row is coming along and are nickel size now. I started another row today. Sunday, April 25 View Page Ok mother nature attacked again last night with over 3.5 inches of rain in a short time with strong winds. Lost 2 small hoops over the watermelon plants and the 255 Mitchell was beat up bad and the Kent melon was twisted some but seems to be Ok. On the other note the kids and I started seeds today for the patches and also started 2 plants for Joe's patch. Joe's patch are 1316 N.harp 1236 C. Harp My second year patch is. 1161 Rodonis 1288 Wallace 1658 Young 1401 Privitera 1432 Northrup Not enough room for them all there but should have a place for the extras. Farm place for the kids plants that was made bigger last fall. 1101 Northrup-- Thomas 300 Schnicker--Thomas's backup 1622 Young---Clare 410 Schnicker---Anne We will start a few backups in case the coons rip them out again. The Iowa fair plants are slow but growing and are: 901 Hunt and 1370 Courson Sunday, May 2 View Page Some of my tomato plants.Harps,Timms,Big Zacs,Maston,Black and Yellow Brandywine,Perry,and a few others. Sunday, May 2 View Page Clare and Anne with some of the smaller German Giant radishes. Man they are good and I have 2 more nice rows going. Sunday, May 2 View Page Inside the high tunnel and some of the fair stuff inside. We have been picking strawberries for a week. The strawberries outside are just blooming so you can see how early you can get veggies with these high tunnels. Sunday, May 2 View Page 901 Hunt been outside for 3 weeks almost.They seem to be about 2 weeks later than last year so they should be OK for Fair time. Sunday, May 2 View Page The 1370 Courson plant(1161 Rodonis x 1209 Kuhn). Both plants seem to be about the same so far in growth. Sunday, May 2 View Page 255 Mitchell watermelon plant really taking off now. I have seen a couple females now a the tips. Sunday, May 2 View Page 2.14 Maston tomato plant.I have 2 of these out here and they really grow fast. Sunday, May 2 View Page My first row of radishes and first planting of peas that are 4 ft high and blooming heavy now.The outside peas are only 6 -8 inches high. Next year I am going to fill this hoop up early of veggies and should have no problem selling them and they should be done before the watermelon and pumpkins take off. Sunday, May 2 View Page Well heres a list of what up.1456 Rose,901 Hunt and 1370 Courson outside for fair down and running. Up and at the farm 1101 Northrup,420 Schnicker,300 Schnicker,109 Orr field pumkin,85 feild pumpkin. Up and not outside yet, 1658 Young 1662 Stelts 1622 Young 1544 McMullen 1432 Northrup 1401 Privitera 1161 Rodonis The 1288 wallace is 0 for 2 now and will try one more. Monday, May 10 View Page Not sure if I will ever get the rest of my fall plants outside. Winds are again 20-35 mph and raining again. We have flood watches out again and only 49 degrees outside. What happened to the 70s and 80s? Thomas's 1101 Northrup at the farm was dug up by raccoons again and a 88.5 Leland field pumpkin.I thought I had it figured out to plant before a rain and they would be fine(wrong).I have 4 more backups that can go in. I planted a 1401 Privitera and a 1596 Wallace at a new place Sunday. I hope this could be a good place, it is some of the richest ground in the world and were my grandparents lived when I was small.This may be the only year I can grow there so I hope it does good. Tuesday, May 25 View Page Well this may be a bad year for me, just no time with everything going on with the kids games and all the rain from warm to cold to hot and rain again. I have 9 ball games next week so no time for anything but get the kids to there games. I lost almost all my cabbage plants from rain to heat. My watermelon plants for the fair are GREAT! BUT! No one is home to pollinate them so looks like no fair melons this year. My long gourd plants seem to have a blight already from all the rain so may not have any long gourds for this year. The main garden is all weeds but still need to plant more stuff but when? Calling for more rain tonight and tomorrow. I had a crew to help bale hay today and as we started we broke a bolt off then it poured on us so the hay is pretty much ruined. My wife threw her back out Saturday and we had to carry her to the doctor so she is still not able to do anything so thats more for me. But still everything is great and the fall pumpkin plants look OK so far so if we can get all the ballgames over in 3 weeks I can still maybe have something later. The tomato plants look good and fall watermelon plants. The good things this year from the garden have been the radishes, my 6 ft pea plants that are loaded. I really love all this stuff but no time to do it to the extreme as the last 5 years. There is still plenty of time to get caught up and this weekend I should have 3 good days to get weeds pulled and more stuff planted and caged. I hope I can get everything in order before the fair in August. I have two tours to give here in late July and a weed bed is nothing to show. Friday, May 28 View Page Pollinated the 901 Hunt today a nice 5 lobe female and crossed it with the 1370 Courson (1161 Rodinis x 1207 Kuhn). The 1370 will open tomorrow.Still no watermelons set and may never inside unless I get one to bloom in the next 3 days. I keep taking photos but never get time to load them then by the time I have time the plants are so much bigger I need new ones. The Fall plants are way behind but are OK. The cucumber Beetles are everywhere and I have spayed several time already the last 2 weeks. There are piles of them dead on top of the leaves and they keep coming. Saturday, May 29 View Page Pollinated the 1370 Courson with the 901 Hunt, a perfect 5 lobe female around 13 ft out. Monday, May 31 View Page Pollinated the 1456 Rose today before the rain with the 1370 Courson, another perfect 5 lobe. So of the 3 plants I have had 3 perfect 5 lobe females. Its the first time since my first year when I had 6 for 6. On other notes I lost the 1401 Privitera to the coons. Saturday, June 5 View Page Well more rain and hail last night, more flood warnings again.We have had over 14 inches of rain the last 8 weeks.They say more rain next week and maybe heavy. I have several photos to add from what going on here. Saturday, June 5 View Page Well we have several watermelons set now on the 179 Schnicker plant.It is about 7 days old now and growing very well. Not very long but longer then last years melon. The 255 still has nothing set and is flooded on that end of the hoop. There is one going to bloom tomorrow and is very long. Saturday, June 5 View Page The 179.7 Schnicker plant that is now about 20 x 20. Its funny the melon that is set and is the best shape is about the same spot as last years fair melon.Still not sure how many I will keep on this plant(maybe 2) set at each end of plant. Or I will go for 200 pounds and one melon. Saturday, June 5 View Page 901 hunt plant that has nothing much set yet. The perfect 5 lobe at 12 ft did not take so may not have one for fair off this plant.there is one on the second side vine that Thomas pollinated and is 8 days old. Still trying to get one set on a side vine. The main has nothing on it for maybe another week. Saturday, June 5 View Page Here is the one 901 Hunt that Thomas set on the second side vine out 6ft. Saturday, June 5 View Page Here is the 5 lobe 901 Hunt at 12 ft not doing a thing after 8 days.I think it was just too hot in here that day. Saturday, June 5 View Page 1370 Courson plant for fair. I planted 3 plants for the fair in hopes to get one and it may of been a good idea again. Saturday, June 5 View Page The 1370 Courson crossed with the 901 Hunt at 7 days. Still not sure on this one also. Saturday, June 5 View Page The 2.14 Maston tomato plant with Clare. We do have a few set on this plant now. Saturday, June 5 View Page Here is one of them. Saturday, June 5 View Page 243 Kent watermelon plant. I hope thats the correct weight. If I can keep this plant from being hammered from wind it should do great. Saturday, June 5 View Page 255 Mitchell watermelon plant. Saturday, June 5 View Page 1432 Northrup. All of these pumpkin plants have been hit hard by 2 rounds of hail. Saturday, June 5 View Page The other fair plant that is outside 1456 Rose. Saturday, June 5 View Page 1662 Stelts Saturday, June 5 View Page Clare with here 1622 Young plant back from the dead.She was so upset when the hoop blew off and the main was snapped and was barely anything holding it. She wanted me to save it so we mended it the best we could.It should be down and running in 2 days. Saturday, June 5 View Page 1161 Rodonis plant that is a bit slow. Saturday, June 5 View Page 1288 Wallace. Saturday, June 5 View Page 1544 McMullen plant that is beat up. Saturday, June 5 View Page My other tomato plants that are outside.I have more inside and will get photos of them soon I hope. There is a 267 Edwards watermelon plant in the middle. It needs some help but I look for it to get better. Sunday, June 6 View Page Pollinated 2 more 901 Hunts(side vines) and 2 more 1370 Courson females on side vines all 5 lobes.Also pollinated 2 255 Mitchell watermelons and will have another nice one tomorrow but the bees will need to help because no one will be home.We only got 1 inch of rain last night so we are well over 15 inches now and most of it is the last 2 weeks.The hoop house is even too wet for all the rain run off has worked its way inside and can not even bury side vines inside. If it was not for the boards you would sink up over your boots. Should know in 10 days if I have anything for the fair.If so they will be young pumpkins. Monday, June 7 View Page My first big cull off the 179 plant. I still have 3 more to to go. Helen loved this melon. Monday, June 7 View Page Here is one at 8 days old 26 inches cir. It gained 4 inches today. Monday, June 7 View Page Here is the one that will probably be the keeper at 29 inches cir. a gain of 5 inches. day 8. Monday, June 7 View Page 1456 Rose day 7. My only main set pumpkin. This plant is so small compared to the hoop house plants but will not have a main set pumpkin in there. It is going to be a mess in there once we figure on a pumpkin to keep. It does not look like a repeat fair champ this year. Lost the 111 Lovelace long gourd plant. It was 4-5 ft up the trellis but the hail storm had a direct hit on the main at ground level. Thursday, June 10 View Page Day 10 1456 Rose 25 inches cir. Day 11 179 Schnicker watermelons 36 and 38 inches. Still working on pollinating 901 Hunt and 1370 Courson. 901 will have one on new main tomorrow. The 1370 has one set at end of main but nothing but a side vine to feed it after so will train it as the main. Friday, June 11 View Page Thomas pollinated the 901 Hunt today. He said it had 5 lobes and hit it with 10 males. If it takes it will be 60 days old by fair time. Saturday, June 12 View Page 3 more inches of rain today. I think my boards are floating.Well over 20 inches now the last 4 weeks. Its just a mess down here.calling for heavy rain again tomorrow and rain the next 5 out of 6 days next week. very hard to bury vines and pull weeds. But the plants are growing the 1662 Stelts is a good 8 ft long.1432 is 7 ft. 1288 Wallace is 6 ft.1544 McMullen is 6ft. 1161 rodonis is 4 ft. 1622 Young 4 ft. Monday, June 14 View Page 1456 Rose day 13. Monday, June 14 View Page 179 Schnicker watermelon at 107 ott.I have anywhere from 58 days to 65 days till fair. Monday, June 14 View Page The other one that was cut off the 179 plant. Monday, June 14 View Page 901 Hunt maybe set at 20 ft.time will tell. Monday, June 14 View Page Yep rained again but only 3/4 of an inch so far.Calling for heavy rain tonight. What the heck do they call when been getting at 2-5 inches at a time.The hoop house is flooded now on the west end and on the sides about 6 ft in. Just no where for the water to go but inside the hoop. The far west side there is a river running through there so the watermelon and long gourd are in water but nothing set on that melon plant yet. I may just pull it if I can not get a melon set soon. The weeds are taking over on that end and just can not get there to pull them out of the mud. Other then that everything is great. Tuesday, June 15 View Page Another 5/8 of an inch of rain. Fall plants are in the weeds now just can not get to them. Plants look ok just can not get vines buried or trained. When I lay the boards down water comes up and over the boards.Calling for sun tomorrow so maybe by Friday I can get them buried and weeded. Tuesday, June 15 View Page The 901 Hunt and 1370 Courson now have pumpkins set on mains. Thomas and I worked on pulling weeds and getting the pumpkins on there fabric .Both plants are as big as they will get but only half of the side vines are covered.Just no dry dirt the last 2 weeks to cover them. Both pumpkins are growing fine for a few days old. Tuesday, June 15 View Page 179 Schnicker fair melon is 114 ott est. 50 pounds averaged 4 pounds a day now.It is longer than last years melon but not by much. Friday, June 18 View Page Well we had 48 hrs of dry weather then 2 storms between last night and now. We are under a severe thunderstorm watch now and there is a big storm heading this way.This is getting crazy. Plants as of now are OK. Give me 12 hrs and hope they are still OK. As of now everything is ahead of last year.Watermelon still gaining 4 pounds a day at 62 pounds now.The 2 pumpkins inside the hoop gained 5 inches each and I have culled all side vine fruit now.The 1456 Rose pumpkin day 18 hit 21 pound gain today. Monday, June 21 View Page storms all day........ Severe and tornado warnings....Things just will not improve.If I get anything this year will be a miracle.Plants are waterlogged and turning yellow. The plants are slowing down and side vines are stopping. Another storm is approaching with heavy rain. Tuesday, June 22 View Page Something is wrong with the 1370 Courson pumpkin. It has only gained 2 inches cir the last 2 days. We pollinated another pumpkin on the new main in case. 1456 Rose pumpkin still gaining 5 inches cir a day. 901 Hunt still gaining 5 inches a day. I am starting to get sudden leaf wilt inside the hoop from the water and the heat.115 degrees inside the hoop today.Watermelon still gaining 4 pounds a day.Female on the 1432 Northrup will bloom tomorrow at 12 ft. Thursday, June 24 View Page Lost 1370 Courson Fair pumpkin, just too wet.1456 Rose outside has slowed way down also, its just a matter of time now. The weeds have taken over most stuff now and not sure what I will try to save this weekend.They say the rains are over but I think it is way late now. The only pumpkin plant I have that is doing OK is the 901 Hunt and its pumpkin is only 13 days old. The 179 Schnicker watermelon is at est.82 pounds. Sunday, June 27 View Page My 1456 Rose early plant with a pumpkin now at 27 days old. The gains have slowed way down now after all the rains we have had. It has not stopped growing so thats good news. Sunday, June 27 View Page Really hard to get a good photo of the 901 Hunt at day 16 well over 100 pounds. Just not sure were this one will go if it continues to gain as it has. It looks like my whole season will be on this one plant. The fall plants have 20 ft. main vines but very little side vines. Sunday, June 27 View Page Not a great photo but this is a side vine set on the 1370 Courson plant.Not for sure how many days old this is and we did not have it in a good place. We had planed the main set to be the one but aborted a few days ago so we have this one on the seventh side vine down. We do have another side vine set on down the plant that is 5 days old. Sunday, June 27 View Page 179 Schnicker watermelon for the Iowa State Fair est. 90 pounds. Has slowed to 3 pound gains now. Sunday, June 27 View Page 5.58 Timm tomato plant around 7-8 ft tall. Sunday, June 27 View Page A 5.58 Timm tomato growing nicely. Not a mega bloom but nice. Sunday, June 27 View Page This one is a double bloom that set. Thursday, July 1 View Page Well It has been a couple days measuring the pumpkins and when I did the thing I was afraid of happened. The 1456,901 and 1370 pumpkins have stopped growing and have white spots showing. The 901 was gaining 7 inches a day and just stopped.The 1456 Rose is over 300 pounds.901 Hunt would of been 20 days and over 200 pounds. The plants look great but thats what happens here. Just way to much rain this year along with the high temps brings disease.Hard to apply fungicides when its raining all the time. I will try to apply to the fall plants but they are so beat up I am sure they have it also. I still have the melon plants to keep me busy and the kids! Wednesday, July 7 View Page Another 4 inches of rain. Tuesday, July 13 View Page Got hammered again with rain and some wind but just under 2 inches this time.I would like to get my hay cut but it will not give me 3-4 days without rain. Puled 901 Hunt plant finally just not sure what got it. The roots are nice and white but there is some rot in spots from all the water that came inside the hoop house.I still have a 1370 Courson plant inside with a side vine set growing yet. I had a better side vine set but I had to move it some and cracked the stem most the way through so its done. Just one of toughs years.Still trying to get a couple sets on the kids plants. The 1662 Stelts main rotted about 2 ft from stump so that plant is history. The 1228 Wallace pumpkin aborted at 18 ft. 1432 Northrup pumpkin aborted at 20ft. Still have a couple side vine sets that we may try. Just trying to get something for fall now. Saturday, July 17 View Page Here is the 268 Edwards melon set for the fall. This is one of my longest melons. The shape was not the greatest at first but has come around.This melon is 2 weeks old. Saturday, July 17 View Page The last photo was 267 Edwards not 268. This is my 179.7 Schnicker for the fair. It has 30 days more to go and looks just like its mother did last year.Not sure how much this one will grow the plant is about done unless I get new growth. It is 118 degrees inside the hoop today that does not help.The girth of the melon is around 55 inches I think. Saturday, July 17 View Page Here is the 239 Leonard melon growing Ok so far. Saturday, July 17 View Page Picked my first 5.54 Timm tomato today and will weigh it tomorrow. It is 17.5 inches circumference. Saturday, July 17 View Page Here is whats left of my patch. The plants seem to be fine except for the rotting stumps and aborting pumpkins.This has been my worst year here in 12 years of gardening. Well this will give me time to prep for next year.I am just happy to have a few melons growing to keep me interested. Sunday, July 18 View Page Heres my 5.58 Timm at 2.265 pounds 17.5 cir. Now I hope I have more out there. Monday, July 26 View Page This was my only fair pumpkin left and split a week ago.Just would have been nice to take something. I still have a 200 pounder maybe I could take that. Monday, July 26 View Page The split going bad fast. Monday, July 26 View Page I still think this one will be my best ever if the plant holds together. Monday, July 26 View Page The 267 Edwards melon growing well also. Monday, August 2 View Page Well 2 weeks till The Fair stuff goes. We have 2 melons 2 long gourds a couple tomatoes, 2 onions. 2 Zuc. Maybe a small cabbage. Not one of my better years. Fall Watermelons 235 Leanard is 70-35-44 = 149 ott est. 100 pounds 267 Edwards is 70-27-45 = 142 ott est. 88 pounds 255 Mitchell is 64-29-41 = 134 ott est 75 pounds Note the 267 is very long but plant has issues. Friday, August 6 View Page Well we are finally getting a few nice days, maybe 2-3 without rain and heat.We should be around 40+ inches since May 1st. All I can say is what a year with all the rain,heat and humidity. We are one week from the Iowa State Fair and hope to have a good time once again at Don's. I may even have a small pumpkin to take for Friday.The watermelon plants look very bad and the fall melons have slowed way down but the 235 Leonard is around 110 pounds but only gaining 1.5 pounds a day now. The 267 Edwards is still at 2 pounds a day at est. 98 pounds. The fall pumpkins are at small numbers but have a few out there hanging on. The best is off the 1622 Young plant that snapped early on which is Clare's plant and is a small plant, around 340 pounds. Anne's plant is small also with the 1161 Rodonis around 235 pounds. None of these are gaining much at all but I will take anything. The 1288 Wallace plant lost its stump. The Stelts plant lost its main the Northrup plant lost its stump also. The other growers here are really struggling and many do not have anything set. They seem to be Ok with it and are looking forward to next season. Maybe we can have a normal year down here in S.E. Iowa. WE ARE DUE! So everyone here in S.E. Iowa we will plan again for next spring and we need to get together for some meetings once more. Hope to see some of you at the fair! Monday, August 16 View Page Well getting things ready for the Iowa State fair other veggies. Not much to take this year, tried to do things different and it did not work out. The cabbage I started later to have them hang on till fair time but the heat was to much.Never did get long beans started they were washed out several times by storms.Cantaloupe plants are huge but no cantaloupe from the heat.Same with the field pumpkins. Onions rotted from the heat and rain and they were my best plants ever at April. This is all we have going this year. 2 jumbo watermelon, 2 long gourds, 2 jumbo zucchini. 2 jumbo tomatoes. Ready for next year. The fall pumpkins and melons are growing but slow. We have 6 pumpkins from 225-445 pounds.Most will not get any bigger from stump rot to vine rot. The fall melons have slowed also, the 235 Leonard has almost stopped for some reason at about 115 pounds and was growing so well but plant was flooded several times.The 267 Edwards is still gaining 1.5-2 pounds a day and is 79 cir.31 inches long. Tuesday, August 17 View Page Iowa State fair results for us. 1st and 2nd watermelon jumbo 1st and 2nd long gourd 1st and 2nd jumbo zucchini 1st and 2nd jumbo tomato 1st place giant kohlrabi 1st and 4th jumbo onion 3rd jumbo cabbage other reg veggies 1st and 3rd place watermelon long 2nd tomato red 2nd tomato pink 5th zucchini yellow Not bad for an off season. Placed in everything we took but 2 things. Tuesday, August 17 View Page 1370 Courson loaded for the Iowa State Fair. This pumpkin was hidden and opened pollinated on the second side vine out 15 ft. The stem was even torn 2/3 the way through. It healed itself most the way and grew to this. Tuesday, August 17 View Page The Night before at Don's place. The next day was a blur and I was moving slow. Note for next year drink more soda. Tuesday, August 17 View Page Pumpkins at weigh-off at the Iowa State Fair. Tuesday, August 17 View Page My small pumpkin at 524 pounds 6th place. Next year WILL be better. Tuesday, August 17 View Page 5th place John Shepherd at 816 pounds. Tuesday, August 17 View Page 4th place Marc Petersen/Dan Carlson at 906 pounds. Tuesday, August 17 View Page 3rd Place is Don Young at 922 pounds. Tuesday, August 17 View Page 2nd Place is Rob Seals at 960 pounds. Tuesday, August 17 View Page 1st Place is Dan Carlson/Marc Petersen at 1323 pounds and new Iowa State Fair record! Congrats guys! Tuesday, August 17 View Page 1st and 2nd jumbo watermelon at 136 and 88 pounds.Both melons were off the same plant again.The plant just cooked inside the hoop this year and the melon shut down early. Tuesday, August 17 View Page 1st and 2nd Jumbo tomato at 2.25 and 2.15. Tuesday, August 17 View Page 1st place giant kohlrabi at 12.5 pounds. We lost our big ones to splits this year. Tuesday, August 17 View Page 1st and 2nd Jumbo zucchini at 12.4 and 12.1 pounds. Tuesday, August 17 View Page 1st and 2nd long gourd at 80.38 and 79 inches. Tuesday, August 17 View Page 1st place at reg. watermelon long. Tuesday, August 17 View Page 2nd place plate of five red tomatoes (Early Girl). Tuesday, August 17 View Page 2nd place plate of five pink tomato. Monday, August 23 View Page Well we thought maybe we may get something for Anamosa yet. the weather dried up and the pumpkins took off then at 600 est. it B.E.S. Anne was upset but took it OK. As of now there seems to be no seeds inside but maybe 12 that may be 1/2 to 3/4 filled. This was the 1161 Rodonis plant we crossed it with the 1288 Wallace. I hope there is one seed that is good. Monday, August 23 View Page Clare and her 1622 Young pumpkin. Monday, August 23 View Page Our two Iowa State Fair Long Gourds 1st and 2nd place. Monday, August 23 View Page Anne and Thomas working hard removing the pumpkin.Nice thick walls on this one. Monday, August 23 View Page Nothing to big yet but at 170 ott 267 Edwards watermelon average gains the last 20 days is 2.7 pounds. Saturday, September 11 View Page Thomas lost his main pumpkin today at est.500 pounds. Only 1 week till there weigh-off.Not much else to report from here but ready to start cleaning up. Tuesday, September 14 View Page My 1662 Stelts that did not make it. To bad it was a looker. Tuesday, September 14 View Page This is Thomas and his pumpkin that did not make it 5 days from his weigh-off. Tuesday, September 14 View Page Thomas with my only thing for Anamosa as of now. Not huge but nice. It needs to fill out but I do not think it will. I hope it does not rot as everything else has in all this rain. Sunday, September 19 View Page The Mt. Pleasant, IA weigh-off 2010. Of course it was raining, why not it has rained all year. We had the most pumpkins watermelons and long gourds ever even with the terrible weather. We had some great looking pumpkins for very late sets. Sunday, September 19 View Page Helen with her watermelon, look at that serious look. For her age she just loved this. Sunday, September 19 View Page Jerry Mills watermelon. Sunday, September 19 View Page Clare with hers. Sunday, September 19 View Page Doug Smith with his. Sunday, September 19 View Page Anne with hers, you like her watermelon rain coat? Sunday, September 19 View Page Thomas with his winning watermelon. he really worked hard in the melon patch this year with his pollinating and weeding. He also was my main man at pollinating the long gourds this year.Anne also was a big help with weeding and watering. Sunday, September 19 View Page This pumpkin is what Helen wanted to bring. We were all loaded up ready to go and she went running back to the house and carried this pumpkin back, and said My pumpkin dad My pumpkin.So we took it. Sunday, September 19 View Page New grower. Sunday, September 19 View Page Alison's pumpkin Sunday, September 19 View Page Brynn's pumpkin. Sunday, September 19 View Page Colin's Pumpkin. Sunday, September 19 View Page Helen's Pumpkin. Sunday, September 19 View Page Jerry's pumpkin that is very young as are most of these. Sunday, September 19 View Page Abby's pumpkin. Sunday, September 19 View Page Anne with my exh. Pumpkin that I just wanted to weigh. Sunday, September 19 View Page Emma's pumpkin also very young pumpkin. Sunday, September 19 View Page Diana Smith with her pumpkin. Sunday, September 19 View Page Doug Smith with his that was 3 pounds under his wifes. Sunday, September 19 View Page Clare with her winning pumpkin. Its a long story with this plant. She picked it out and it was Don's 1622 seed. We planted it outside and a storm broke it almost completely off. I told her I better pull it and she said no. so we propped it back up and covered it again. It was a long time before it took off and way behind all the others and I told her it may never get one on in time. Boy was I wrong, this plant was only 250 sq.ft at the most and no side vine were buried but the first 2 side vines. It went very heavy around 18 percent over chart.She can pick em.