Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 71 Entries. Wednesday, January 6 View Page Happy New Year everyone. I got this picture from a friend as a reminder of how much enjoyment we can get out of this crazy hobby. This was truely the big one that got away. I believe this was the first 2-3 days in Sept and about 405-407" on the tape doing 20# / day! EEEEEEEEEEEK was right! Somehow this picture never made my diary during the stretch run. I think that was on purpose :) Wednesday, April 28 View Page Almost ready to go for 2010. My location required lots of wind protection. Wednesday, April 28 View Page This stuff is called "shake well before use". Monday, May 3 View Page Yes it's fast.... Monday, May 3 View Page ...no you can't drive it! Pretty appropriate color too!!! 425 hp "electronically limited" to 170 mph. Tuesday, May 11 View Page OK, I'll start making excuses now. It's 39, windy and rainy right now. 4 days of it this week, a couple last week. A couple hothouses scattered around the yard. About 1725 reasons to remain optimistic. Let the sandbagging begin. Tuesday, May 18 View Page Last night was the first night my heaters did not run. Wednesday, May 26 View Page Got my annual shot of hail last night. So that's out of the way should be smooth sailing from here out. 1.75" of rain. Planted the kid's pumpkins last night. Amber's 650 est (869 x 772) and Kailey's 1046 772 x self. Those were just direct seed. Wednesday, June 9 View Page Got hail? Maybe some pictures to follow if I get a sec. Weather hasn't been real cooperative this season so far. Thursday, June 10 View Page 1140, not looking real healthy...lol. Thursday, June 10 View Page 1288 Wallace.....no need for any holes from borers this year. I already have them. Ventilation for 1800++. Will allow for better drainage through the soil. Thursday, June 10 View Page 1161 Rodonis. Well ventilated leaves prevent PM. You can also see how I trench FAR ahead of the plant. Keeping the trenches ahead of the roots is a good way to guarantee a couple hundred more pounds. Digging trenches also adds more leaf stalk support for my windy conditions. Thursday, June 10 View Page 1544 Revier. This plant was a little slow. Needed to be hardened off. Done. Thursday, June 10 View Page 1421 DAVE STELTS. Plant was such a beast the vines were hard to lay down. Holes in the vines make them more pliable. I think I see 420" and 10% sitting in the growing tip. Thursday, June 10 View Page 1140 #2. This plant had some really wierd discolored leaves on a couple vines. Problem solved. Thursday, June 10 View Page picture! Tuesday, June 15 View Page .25" rain Sunday .25" rain Monday .10" last night 1.4" today I believe it was around 1.5 last week. My patch is hurting a bit. Never had this much water last year. Need sun real bad. Tuesday, July 6 View Page 2.15" of rain again last night. Over 9" now since the first of June. My plants look like they should the first of Sept...lol. I'm already cutting off "old leaves." Tuesday, July 6 View Page When I saw Don's diary and his 1068 at 36" D10 I laughed cause I thought it was so stupid big. Well..... Tuesday, July 6 View Page This one is a lot bigger! 1140 Stevens D10. I don't drink Monster. Monday, July 12 View Page OK now this one IS my 1140. D13....LOL" CC. Going my my measurements from last year this one is on pace to reach 3600#. Monday, July 12 View Page 1421 Dave "CAPS LOCK" Stelts. This one is VERY large for it's age also. Not quite on 3600 pace though. Wednesday, July 28 View Page Rain / storm again last night. Sweet corn down for about the 6-7 time this year. I think I could setup picnic tables in the center of each plant and not touch a single leaf....lol. Good thing I'm still growing plant! Wednesday, August 4 View Page Lost 1140 to stem split today. This was NOT a deep stem split, but 100% my fault for not keeping it dry enough. Hot / humid / wet weather rotted to the cavity. I'm not happy with myself, but can only put in so much time and effort. I probably cost myself a 1300++ fruit on the scale though. This one wasn't going to get real big. Thursday, August 5 View Page Kailey turned 6 today and she got to pick a pumpkin to take a picture next to. 1140 Stevens D37. 907#. Thursday, August 5 View Page Soil temp in canopy....76. 15 degrees warmer than last year same time. Wednesday, August 11 View Page 2" of rain last night and I got bit a little bit on a couple fruit. Hopefully the 90 / sunny / humid today doesn't finish me off. Monday, August 16 View Page We need some rain. At least it's fun for the kids. We spent an hour running around in "the pond." All this rain + 3 growers + 17 plants = ZERO Blossom end splits....as of today...lol. Wednesday, August 18 View Page Trying a new trick this year to go heavy. Let all main vines fill up with foam / water and see if that moves into the pumkin and fills it up. Guaranteed 100% heavy...or zero fruit on the scale...lol. Tuesday, August 24 View Page Kailey, Amber and Sprinkles posing with some sunflower heads and my COMPETITION hard stem. If you can grow it I can split it...lol. Still have one more going. Tuesday, August 24 View Page Oh those sunflowers are from bird seed. Birds spill seed from feeder, sunflower sprouts, dig up and transplant in garden :) Tuesday, August 24 View Page Pumpkin pics to start tomorrow? Tuesday, August 24 View Page No kids in this shot sorry. This is just a mean looking pumpkin. Wednesday, August 25 View Page 1140 Stevens Wednesday, August 25 View Page Pete that's nothing. Check this one out.... Wednesday, August 25 View Page Yup, it's the 1161! Wednesday, August 25 View Page 1421 STELTS. Wednesday, August 25 View Page 1288. Super young fruit. Only 3 lober I've ever had to go with. Wednesday, August 25 View Page Amber's 1046....not sure this one will get real orange??? Probably 25 days old??? Lost stump and some main to rot as well as the first couple pumpkins. Kailey's 1046 lost entire plant to rot. Thursday, August 26 View Page Amber's 1046 split to cavity last night. Stem split....DARN!!!!! She's got the attention span of a typical 3 year old. The disappiontment lasted for at least 2 seconds. Friday, August 27 View Page Amber's 1046. It had been piling up bleed near the stem end for a week. There was a stem split inside the stem that finally showed yesterday. Too late as the inside of the stem was rotting badly. At least I learned something with the pumpkin. No giants for the girls this year! :( Oh wait...I forgot....Kailey already laid claim to 1140...lol. Wednesday, September 1 View Page Amber's first day. She's 3 so goes to a pre-school program. Pumpkin you ask? Well it's 1140. I met my goal with this one of going into September at 410++. Thursday, September 2 View Page Alright....not funny to whoever did this.... Who the heck ran the bulldozer through my patch last night!? NOT FUNNY....they whoever did it poured an inch of rain in my rain gauge! Oh well better than the first of Aug. Friday, September 3 View Page Kailey's first day. She's about 3'-11" tall. First coat day of the season today! Last year I was burying vines in a coat...lol. Friday, September 3 View Page Kailey's first day. Man they grow up fast! Monday, October 4 View Page 1468 Stevens 2010 With wife / kids of course. Monday, October 4 View Page John's 1675 #3 of all time. Monday, October 4 View Page Here's a nice load of pumpkins. Front to back 1561, 1326, 1675. Monday, October 4 View Page And I need to thank the wonderful people in Nekoosa and Chicago. All the workers in Nekoosa did a fantastic job with no lifting structure! Randy, Caleb, Cody, Joe, Glen, Margaret...etc....worked their rears off! Chicago: George and Shaz and the Ill. guys / gals put on a nice event also. What a fun farm for the entire family! Thanks too all of you. We sure hope to be back at each event next year! Shaz got a taste. Now he wants the WHOLE THING! Monday, October 4 View Page If you look at my 1468 picture you can see Caleb's WR long gourd. Unreal. Wednesday, October 6 View Page Wow, get my facts straight. John's is let's see....#5 of all time...I think...lol. I guess I need a calculator. Monday, October 11 View Page 1161 Stump. You can see the rot at the top from freezing 9-25. Monday, October 11 View Page 1161 main vine hail hole #1 Tuesday, October 12 View Page Pencil vines. Plant had 3 more hail holes in main vine as well. Tuesday, October 12 View Page October 4th. Monday, October 18 View Page TV deal with Eric Perkins and Kare 11 in the Twin Cities. It was pretty cold and Perk was shivering the enire time...ha. He's a great guy and I think even more skinny than me! Very very funny man! Monday, October 18 View Page Nice family shot. Amber was REALLY hamming it up for these pictures. We took a couple hundred! Monday, October 25 View Page Patch prep 2011 complete. Hopkins / Stevens all amended / tucked in ready to rock. Hopkins is on brand new and very good soil. Maybe he'll grow a big one next year...ha. FYI New Bremen Giant Pumpkin Ale is fantastic. Tuesday, October 26 View Page This pic looks somewhat familiar! Thanks again to Nick and Christy :) Tuesday, October 26 View Page Me and my secret weapon with 1810.5. Tuesday, October 26 View Page Here's the gang. Tuesday, October 26 View Page Regis and Kelly Tuesday, October 26 View Page Here's a shot just after arriving at the Live studio. I was just thankful to be done driving in Manhatten! Tuesday, October 26 View Page http://www.biggerpumpkin.com/Giant_Pumpkin_News.html I guess no more secrets....LOL. Wednesday, October 27 View Page I think this is my favorite... Tuesday, November 2 View Page 1810 bottom. I believe it's about 8" thick. Incredible. Tuesday, November 2 View Page Another shot showing all the empty seeds. Tuesday, November 2 View Page Here's a shot looking through the bottom up toward the blossom. Blossom was cut out and you can see it's fairly thick. Thursday, December 2 View Page GrowZ'emm BIG Monday, December 13 View Page 16" of white gold Saturday. 160hp tiller got a good workout. 160hp tiller you ask? Well maybe some pictures to follow.... This particular tiller does 0-60mph in under 3 seconds. :) Monday, December 13 View Page Tilled a little too deep here...oops. Nothing a little shoveling couldn't fix :)