Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 117 Entries. Thursday, February 28 View Page Hello 2013.. a new season is fast approaching 31 days to germination day.. I see big things in my future..lol Thursday, February 28 View Page Uummm... what to plant ..uummnn. Thursday, February 28 View Page slowly.. winter well lose it's grip .. then the north will turn green again.. gaining almost 6 minutes per day of light.. oh yeah .. time to get busy Tuesday, March 26 View Page Welcome to Latitutude 61 Tuesday, March 26 View Page Germination Day is around ..5 days or so, as you can see the weather is cooperating nicely Tuesday, March 26 View Page Cover crop.. doing nicely Tuesday, March 26 View Page temps are normal Tuesday, March 26 View Page The new command center , made out of a bunch of freezer panels , except the doors.. will hold the boiler for the radiant tubing in the soil .. the solar collector will come on line around april 21 st or so ... when the average nightly low is above 32 degrees.. as you can see alot needs to happen in the next 3 weeks or so .. the plants are typically grown indoors for about 3 weeks .. or when ever I 'm ready...yikes Tuesday, April 9 View Page ahh.. spring time in alaska.. with plenty of fresh snow .. and low's in the single digits..gotta love it Tuesday, April 9 View Page the good news is all the poly is up ..with each house sitting just a 700 sq ft Tuesday, April 9 View Page the bad news is inside doesn't look much different than the outside Tuesday, April 9 View Page Radiant / snow melt system..lol... almost ready to come on line. Then some serious melting can begin..plus I need the sno pact to help flush out some of the excess salts , that tend to build up Saturday, April 20 View Page update from the sub-arctic..lol..I like that maybe that should be my new user name Saturday, April 20 View Page as you can see ....spring is in full swing... Saturday, April 20 View Page snow melt / radiant tubing finally up and running.. all the components have been scavenge off jobs... amazing what people throw away when they up grade Saturday, April 20 View Page Inside... not looking to bad..considering the night time lows being in the teens at best...making progress Saturday, April 20 View Page the secret weapon...insulated concrete blankets.. they are rolled out every nite ... to hold in any solar gain ..plus retain all the radiant ground heat Saturday, April 20 View Page potentials waiting to see dirt..under the halide Saturday, April 20 View Page 1 of the contenders...thank you charlie Tuesday, April 23 View Page this is my 1770 Lieber seedling approx 14 days old or so... I have never had a plant do this before.. Monday, April 29 View Page Can't wait for spring to arrive..any longer..planting day is tomorrow... we have a late august weigh-off.. this is going to be interesting.. but we should be ready Wednesday, May 1 View Page Finally got the plants in the ground on Monday nite.. running about 8 days behind from previous years.. I had some issues with germination this year and a genetic problem pop up .. so this is my main plant 931 Marshall ( 1723 x 1794 Pugh) (1634 x self) x (1161 x 1725 Harp) It sure has the potential to go big ..now I'll just have to wait and see..why make crosses..if your not going to plant them Monday, May 13 View Page This is the HQ..been working on it for a while, the 55 gallon barrel with the radio on it is my mixing drum for feeding the plants..a transfer pump while send it thru the drip tape.. as soon as I get to it...the boilermate holds 60 gallons of 80 degree water that circulates thru the radiant tubing Monday, May 13 View Page bone brain smelling the liquid fish and molasses Monday, May 13 View Page another look at the new digs...just no room for the mini fridge..design flaw..lol Monday, May 13 View Page ground temp can now be dialed in ...makes my season so much easier in the early days Monday, May 13 View Page the green house.. inside the greenhouse..8 x8 ft x 32 inches high... trying something new this year by using remay fabric on the top ...easier on preventing overheating when the weather changes and I'm not around Monday, May 13 View Page my 931 growing like banshee...each square is 2ft x 2 ft.. main is around 5 ft Monday, May 13 View Page a look at the 771..so far sharing the GH with the 931.. I would really like to see what comes off this cross Monday, May 13 View Page the 1770 lieber..I really thought I had lost this plant to a double vine... but no signs of that now and its starting to take off .. note to self .. don't dump simple green mix on a plant again...yikes Monday, May 13 View Page the marrow starts..92 Wild and 86 Osmala Monday, May 13 View Page my 116 martin LG Tuesday, May 28 View Page A really nice day in the patch on Memorial Day.. almost 70 today... that's hot Tuesday, May 28 View Page 931 and 771 in the west GH Tuesday, May 28 View Page same to plants coming at you ..afternoon heat taking it's toll Tuesday, May 28 View Page East GH with 931 on left and 1770 on right Tuesday, May 28 View Page a better look at the 1770's side of the GH Tuesday, May 28 View Page the 92 Wild ..this year's marrow plant Tuesday, May 28 View Page the 116 Martin.. this years lg plant Tuesday, May 28 View Page the 116 Tuesday, May 28 View Page my right hand man..hard to believe, Leven will turn 18 in a few days .. man time flys by Wednesday, June 5 View Page Well .. finally things are starting roll along as I pollinated the 771 with 7 happy 931 males today...I want to give a big shout out to John Butler of the Ontario GVG club for making sometime on his vacation in Alaska.. to come visit my patch and share his growing expertise. I really enjoyed it ..awesome Wednesday, June 5 View Page the 1st female off the 771.. nothing spectacular but its a normal looking blossom...hoping for big and orange out of this one Wednesday, June 5 View Page 931( West GH) was pollinated on the 1st by the 771.. I was really hoping to get the 1770 lieber more involved during the pollination process but the timing wasn't there Wednesday, June 5 View Page the 931 east GH / 1770 lieber plant ... the 931 is a exceptionally strong plant ..main is at 20 + ft.. but if the 1st or 2nd pollination attempt.. doesn't set ..it's history, as I chased that plant all last summer with really nothing to show for it... letting the 771 and 1770 have the whole GH's to themselves ..should know by the end of june Sunday, June 9 View Page another day of beautiful weather .. ventilation is in full swing Sunday, June 9 View Page pumpkin plant madness coming your way... every year I promise myself I will keep it under control .. lol ..I am finding out .. without as much disease pressure I can pack the plants in a little closer than normal .. kinda like the sq ft garden AG style Sunday, June 9 View Page another angle of the green monster Sunday, June 9 View Page pollination #1 off the 931.. day 8 Sunday, June 9 View Page the 1st pollination off the 1770 ..it was crossed with the 771... so I'm sure that makes it the 1st pollination with that many 7's in it ..lol..which equals the 1634 x self x 1161 x self x 1495 x self.. could be orange... Sunday, June 9 View Page East GH same deal.. plants in overdrive Sunday, June 9 View Page the 1 st set off the 771.. day 4 I think..loving the shape all pruned females had the same shape Sunday, June 9 View Page 2nd female off the 931 E .. probably open tomorrow..which would be good news ..since Friday ..I'll be heading to the kenai river..to plumb a friend's retirement house and hopefully wet a line Tuesday, June 18 View Page these next pics have nothing to do with pumpkins, just a little trip , with a glimpse of my part of Alaska on a clear day Tuesday, June 18 View Page 20 mile river valley Tuesday, June 18 View Page turnagin arm at low tide Tuesday, June 18 View Page looking down the arm Tuesday, June 18 View Page local scenery Tuesday, June 18 View Page more of mid june Tuesday, June 18 View Page a moment of reflection Tuesday, June 18 View Page more boring scenery shots Tuesday, June 18 View Page down here to work not play ..bummer on some of the nicest weather we have had in years Tuesday, June 18 View Page kenai river from 2nd story deck..water's pretty high Tuesday, June 18 View Page left the apprentice on the job.. time for some fishing... this is how you launch a 32 ft boat from the beach Tuesday, June 18 View Page mt iliamna volcano in a sleeping state Tuesday, June 18 View Page the gang.. in front of the mornings catch Tuesday, June 18 View Page another view of the halibut Tuesday, June 18 View Page last pic on the way back Wednesday, June 19 View Page I would like to thank to Lou and Sue Chadwick from Massachusetts for coming to visit my patch while on vacation up here.. always nice to hear from other growers and get there perspectives on growing..it was a good time Sunday, June 23 View Page East GH with the 1st and 2nd set of the 931..plant about maxed out at 700 sq ft...the 1770 was sharing this space but has been pruned back and taken over by a much more aggressive plant.. all males on the 1770 were sterile.. ah genetics and the life of the draw.. will try again next season Sunday, June 23 View Page the stump off the 931 and 1st set in the background Sunday, June 23 View Page Day 22... not the biggest in AK at this time.. but starting to ramp up.. next week or so will tell if this set has what it takes to compete.. Sunday, June 23 View Page 1st set off the 771, day 18 in the W GH.. I'm liking this a lot .. could be a beauty Sunday, June 23 View Page side view of the 771 Sunday, June 23 View Page overhead view of the 771 .. nice shape so far Sunday, June 23 View Page West GH ..plant madness .. everything is pruned back.. main vine still running.. past 30 ft mark now.. hoping kin growth will start to take off.. Wednesday, July 17 View Page The patch ..771 is on the left and the 931 is on the right.. been a strange year Wednesday, July 17 View Page this one of my many issues, the 1st set on the 931 0n the left at 256 est wt and the 2nd set on the right at a est wt of 450 lbs ..the 1st sets stem was cut 3/4 thru a big wedge piece taken out , and it still grew 100 lbs ..wasn't expecting that.. the good news is the 2nd set is averaging about 25 lbs a day now, hopefully it will keep that up as it is only at day 36 .. still bugs me that I let it get this far out of hand Sunday, July 28 View Page Overall patch shot, with the 771 on the left and the 931 on the right. Neither one is anything to get excited about , but you can't blame the weather this ... best I've ever had in my growing career Sunday, July 28 View Page Inside the 771 house, the big hole on the left was a 931 great growing plant ..but pulled for lack of performance on the fruit end.. you would think with a plant that vigorous the kin would grow like crazy .. but not the case on this one..the 771 plodding along on dap 54 with an 312 ott an est wt of 641 lbs Monday, July 29 View Page the 931 is doing a little better ..dap 48 with an ott of 330 inches and a est wt of 756 lbs.. still hoping to get over 1000 lbs with this one..got 30 days left to weigh- off Monday, July 29 View Page 931 stump.. this plant is real strong grower Monday, July 29 View Page another look at the 931 fruit Monday, July 29 View Page long gourds looking good .. best ever Monday, July 29 View Page my right hand man.. Leven... an my head of security...he definitely keeps the neighbors out..lol.. Monday, July 29 View Page my marrow plant off the 92 wild.... I missed the first 4 pollinations when I was out of town... Sunday, August 11 View Page the pumpkin off the 771... 16 days to go as the weigh-off is on the 27th Sunday, August 11 View Page pumpkin off the 931.. still gaining .. in spite off the usual august deluge... Sunday, August 11 View Page marrow off the 92 wilde.. this one should still be going right up to weigh-off Sunday, August 11 View Page there that's better Friday, August 23 View Page Weigh-off is now 4 days away.. this is my biggest marrow entry off the 92 Wild...I'm thinking new PB Friday, August 23 View Page The kin off the 771 entry.. I'm really curious to see what this one weighs in at...solid Friday, August 23 View Page the entry off the 931...should be the 2nd biggest pumpkin I've ever grown..( that's not saying much ..lol).. but progress is always good.... now if this can go a little heavy...and.. JD goes a little light ...ummm .. could be interesting Tuesday, August 27 View Page 1 up ... 1 to go... Thursday, August 29 View Page exhibition pumpkin on the trailer ... Thursday, August 29 View Page main entry airborne.. nice flat bottom.. now I can exhale Thursday, August 29 View Page just fits Friday, August 30 View Page my nephew Kyle in a marrow moment Friday, August 30 View Page long gourd entry heading to the truck.. new state record at 89.25 inches Friday, August 30 View Page unloading at the fairgrounds Friday, August 30 View Page the entry off the 771 Friday, August 30 View Page the entry off the 931.. myself standing with scott rob.. Scott is a great guy and probably forgot more on growing things then I know..yikes Friday, August 30 View Page another look at the entry off the 931 Friday, August 30 View Page JD pulling up with the big dog... Friday, August 30 View Page myself and JD next to the 1289 TB... folks he just drove over 4 hrs with a back that was hurtin bad , just to be here , in my mind that really shows a lot of this man character, since he already knew his entry might be DQ.. he is the man... Friday, August 30 View Page time Bandit Friday, August 30 View Page the 925 Friday, August 30 View Page the 1182... I posted all the info on my pumpkins from the weigh-off, on the Weigh-off message board... Alaska mid nite sun ... Friday, August 30 View Page another glance off the 1289 ...a beauty Friday, August 30 View Page Sorry .. Mardie I forget to post a pic of you and the 430.. nice shoes Friday, August 30 View Page my new favorite t shirt .. gotta love neices Tuesday, September 3 View Page Packed up and heading home, this year was a lot of fun for me ... it was no pressure . didn't matter the weight .. just get a couple to the scales and enjoy the moment.. Tuesday, October 29 View Page I finally got around to getting my solar collector outside and in place ..It's a flat plate style at 32 sq ft and has 22 vertical risers.. really hoping it helps with early season soil warming ..interested in seeing how well it works especially on cloudy days Tuesday, October 29 View Page Fall soil test and recommendations are all in place I'm going to go with some proven genetics this year ...trying to catch up with all the other good growers out there.. Tuesday, October 29 View Page This is all that is left of my 925... as a few moose came by and camped out for a couple days... they literally ate 900 lbs of pumpkin in 3 days .. moose poop everywhere..lol Tuesday, October 29 View Page I can't believe my garden is still going .. on Oct 29th ..never happened before... but temps are about 15 degrees above normal for this time of year .. I'm loving it .. but it won't last long...crap Thursday, November 7 View Page thinking about giving cabbages another try this coming year.. the competition is pretty stiff..since the last 2 world records came from about 40 miles from me.. .