Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 80 Entries. Monday, March 22 View Page First Day of Spring. Friday, April 2 View Page Hungry deer. "dreaming of pumpkin vines" Wednesday, May 5 View Page Dropped below freezing last night with frost pedicted low temp. was 39 actual was 31 (swing and a miss weather guys) started a Hester 675 squash for the virtual contest which germinated on April 25th also started a Rose 1370 a Whittier 1458 and a giant watermelon 199 lber seed, the Rose is up as is the watermelon the Whittier 1458 failed to germinate hopefully my backup 1458 will come up? moved the plants outside into hoop-houses on May 1st. made sure i had the lamps on last night! checked the plants this morning and all seem fine. Monday, May 10 View Page Hester 675 Squash (contest) Monday, May 10 View Page Rose 1370 Monday, May 10 View Page Whittier 1458 - first day out in the hoophouse. Thursday, May 20 View Page Hester 675 VWO starting to vine. Thursday, May 20 View Page Whittier 1458 Thursday, May 20 View Page Rose 1370 starting to vine. Thursday, May 20 View Page 199# water melon plant. Tuesday, June 8 View Page Rose 1370 Tuesday, June 8 View Page Hester 675 VWO Tuesday, June 8 View Page Whittier 1458 Monday, June 14 View Page 675 Hester VWO first male flower opened small female appearing on end, some minor woodchuck damamge to Hester 675 and Whittier 1458. Thursday, June 17 View Page found first squash bug of the year yesterday, still no sign of cuke beetles or SVB "knock on wood" Rose 1370 is at approx. 8' feet long Hester 675 VWO squash approx. 7 1/2 foot main first female should open within a week. Whittier 1458 my youngest plant is at about 4 1/2 feet on length and gaing fast. Friday, June 18 View Page Hester 675 VWO squash Friday, June 18 View Page Rose 1370 Friday, June 18 View Page Whittier 1458 Friday, June 18 View Page Fist female Hester 675 VWO squash Friday, June 18 View Page While weeding under the Whittier 1458 i found this guy, my kids named him Blackie Friday, June 18 View Page and yet another one under the Rose 1370 this one they named speedy. Friday, June 18 View Page This is Sqeaky he was also under the Rose 1370 he's a regular in the garden as he lives in the stone wall that borders it. Wednesday, June 23 View Page Hester 675 VWO squash first female failed, 2nd female about a week away, vine now at 11 feet in length. Rose 1370 has a female should open tomorrow, vine at 12 1/2 feet. Whittier 1458 my youngest plant now at 8 feet long also has it's first female, several days away from opening. Insects have been almost non-exsistant! zero cucumber beetles, two squash bugs and no borers or eggs sighted! counting my blessings! Monday, June 28 View Page birds-eye view of the patch, my son Cameron agmonst the Rose 1370 foreground Hester 675 squash background and Whittier 1458 leftside. Monday, June 28 View Page This is the second female on the Hester 675 vwo squash, the first one didn't make it. Monday, June 28 View Page This is the second female on the Hester 675 vwo squash, the first one didn't make it. Monday, June 28 View Page Female on the whittier 1458. Monday, June 28 View Page found this animal digging in the garden. Monday, June 28 View Page no more digging for this animal. Monday, June 28 View Page only joking folks!! this is B.P. (no relation to this website) top notch rodent remover! also check out those double paws in the front. 7 toes! " i hear banjo's" Monday, June 28 View Page pollinated the first female on the Rose 1370 approx. 9 feet out, also spotted the first cucumber beetles this morning two of them, latest i,ve ever seen them in my 16 years of growing AG's hope this insect free trend continues! Monday, June 28 View Page found a new use for the old Topsfield Fair scale stanchions, make great walking boards, My son Cameron on them next to the Hester 675 left side and Appalachian semi-bush pumpkins on the right. Monday, June 28 View Page of course the picture of the pumpkin with the beer on it image # http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=21824 is not correct as it's from last season. it sure aint the hester 675 female. Tuesday, June 29 View Page Pollinated a female on the Whittier 1458 this morning crossed with Rose 1370. Wednesday, June 30 View Page FISH ON! looks like the pollination on the Rose 1370 was sucessful. Rose 1370 X self. 6/26 Wednesday, June 30 View Page Whittier 1458 pollinated with Rose 1370 on 6/29 Thursday, July 1 View Page Hester 675 VWO squash -- first viable female almost ready to open, nice stem length on it, pacing back and forth like an expecting father waiting for the darn thing to open! Tuesday, July 13 View Page Just an update--- one word-- CHIPMUNKS!! the chipmunks have been culling all the females on my plants-- have several set on the Hester 675 Squash VWO however most have damage on them, here are the measurements on the pumpkin that was pollinated on the the Rose 1370 on June 28-- dispite having a bite mark in it it's growing well -- cir 46 inches 28iches s-s and 31 inches front-back Ott = 105 inches. Wednesday, July 14 View Page Pumpkin on Rose 1370 measurements taken 7-13 circ.51 ss 31 fb 33 ott= 115 Wednesday, July 14 View Page one of the squash on the VWO hester 675 *note the nice chipmunk bite taken out of it. Friday, July 16 View Page Rose 1370 x self measurements circ 59 inches font/back 38 inches side/side 36 inches total 133 inches. Tuesday, July 20 View Page Hester VWO 675 Squash several bowling ball size squash will cull tonite most have chipmunk bites in them, ROSE 1370 pumpkin growing well latest measurements Circum 79 inches f/b 48 inches s/s 46 inches OTT= 173 Tuesday, July 20 View Page ROSE 1370 X SELF ott 173 inches est. 120 lbs. Tuesday, July 20 View Page squash on VWO Hester 675 - this ones a keeper no chipmunk bites. Tuesday, July 20 View Page retiring the old old pumpkin hauler. Tuesday, July 20 View Page the new pumpkin hauler. Monday, July 26 View Page update on the Rose 1370 day 30 circ.=106 inches s/s = 58 inches f/b = 67 inches 0tt = 231 inches estimate weight = 265 pounds. this one should break 300 lbs by the end of this month. Tuesday, July 27 View Page Rose 1370 x self 110 inches circum. Tuesday, July 27 View Page Hester 675 vwo looks like the cats have been using it for a sratching post? Friday, July 30 View Page Hester squash 675 VWO measurements - circ. 72 inches f/b 51 inches s/s 50 inches. ott= 173 estimate weight 119.5 pounds Friday, July 30 View Page Rose 1370 measurements day 34 --- circum. 119 inches f/b 67 inches. s/s 64 inches ott= 250 inches estimated weight 330 pounds. Monday, August 9 View Page Hester 675 vwo squash-- circ. 86 inches f.b 68 inches s/s 67 inches ott= 233 estimate weight = 271 lbs measured on 8/8 Monday, August 9 View Page Rose 1370 x self measured on 8/8 circum.= 139 inches f/b = 79 inches s/s = 71 inches ott= 289 estimated weight = 492 lbs. Wednesday, August 11 View Page Rose 1370 X self (aka JoJo The Whale) circ 144 s/s 73 f.b 81 ott total 298 inches estimated weight 536 lbs. Wednesday, August 11 View Page JoJo The Whale side view Wednesday, August 11 View Page Hester 675 VWO Squash -- circ. 96 inches s/s 72 inches f/b 69 inches ott = 245 estimated weight 312 lbs. Tuesday, August 17 View Page Hester 675 VWO Squash -- circ. 111 inches. s/s 77 inches f/b 75 inches. ott = 263 est. weight 378 lbs. measured on 8/16 Tuesday, August 17 View Page Rose 1370 aka JoJo the Whale-- circ. 153 inches. s/s 78 inches f/b 85 inches ott = 316 inches estimated weight 648 Lbs. measured on 8/16 Monday, August 30 View Page Rose 1370 x self est. weight on (8-29) 777 lbs. Monday, August 30 View Page 1370 rose front view Monday, August 30 View Page Hester 675 vwo squash OTT. on (8-29) 283 inches. Tuesday, September 7 View Page 675 Hester VWO squash --cir. = 124 inches s/s 86 inches f/b 81 inches ott = 291 inches estimate weight 508 lbs. measured on 9/6 Tuesday, September 7 View Page Rose 1370 -measured on 9/6 circ. 169.5 inches s/s 83 inches f/b 94 inches ott = 346.5 inches Estimated weight 846 lbs. Thursday, September 9 View Page Madison and Cameron with JOJO The Whale estimated weight 850lbs. Thursday, September 9 View Page Mad and Cam with Hester 675 VWO Squash. 508 LBS EST. Thursday, September 9 View Page Madison and Cameron with JoJo the Whale back view. Wednesday, September 22 View Page Hester 675 VWO SQUASH circ. 127 s/s 87 f/b 82 ott 296 est 533 lbs Wednesday, September 22 View Page Rose 1370 aka JOJO The Whale -- circ. 172 f/b 96 s/s 86 ott= 354 estimated weight 907 lbs. Monday, October 4 View Page JoJo The Whale left 1011.4 lbs and Phil the Squash 606.4 pounds VWO Hester 675 -( i have no idea why or where my kids came up with that name for the squash)? Tuesday, October 5 View Page The Topsfield Totem-pole! a plaque for the top grower in each 6 new england states. Tuesday, October 26 View Page Hester 675 VWO squash on the way to the scale Tuesday, October 26 View Page Hester 675 VWO squash being loaded on scale with help from Mr Jones. looks like some great pumpkin spirit jumped in front of the lens. Tuesday, October 26 View Page Hester 657 VWO Squash the official weight 606.4 lbs. Dam that spirit. Wednesday, November 3 View Page Ahab(George Caron) with his pumpkins. Wednesday, November 3 View Page JoJo the Whale shows why she went heavy -- 14 inches thick! (Peters 1011.4) Wednesday, November 3 View Page another tale of the tape 14 inches Peters 1011.4 Wednesday, November 3 View Page JoJo The Whale (Peters 1011.4) all decked out for Halloween. Wednesday, November 3 View Page 1700 lbs of pumpkin mush. Tuesday, November 16 View Page Still had not tilled the patch when mother nature decided to bury it in over a half foot of snow, cow manure and leaf compost piles lay buried in the middle of the patch. Tuesday, November 16 View Page Needless to say the snow was a blessing as it kept the ground from freezing despite overnite temps. in the teens and 20's and i finally was able to till it, snow and all on Sunday.