Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 43 Entries. Wednesday, March 7 View Page So my 2012 story really starts in 2011, since I am growing in a new spot this year. I decided to prepare early to try to get the soil up to a decent condition, since it had been in corn for several years. This picture was taken July 7, 2011, at the height of my buckwheat cover crop. Wednesday, March 7 View Page I knocked the buckwheat down - with a weed whacker. This took a couple days. When it was all down, I added some leaves, compost, manure, and some other amendments. This pic was from August 9, 2011. Friday, March 9 View Page Everything was plowed under and tilled. Seeded down with an 80/20 mix of oats and field peas. Picture from August 17 Friday, March 9 View Page Three and a half weeks later we have a nice cover crop. It was during this time that I sprayed a heavy concoction of biologicals, taking advantage of a coming storm to wash the products down into the soil. Friday, March 9 View Page A look at the cover crop at its peak - Oct 4, 2011. Friday, March 9 View Page And again with the weed whacker..... Friday, March 9 View Page An excellent fall allowed me to take advantage of the nice weather. Each pile is 10 yards of aged horse manure. Friday, March 9 View Page Piles were spread, and again with the plow. This picture was taken November 3rd - again, great fall weather. This is how it was left for the whole winter. Thursday, March 15 View Page Fast forward to this year. Amendments spread, leaf piles tilled in. Wednesday, May 16 View Page May 16th, the plants are out in their makeshift greenhouses... Friday, May 18 View Page ...well, most of them were protected anyway. Stupid surprise frost, that will teach me - I hope. This is my 1332, which will be ignored from here out. Wednesday, May 30 View Page End of May - plants out of their huts. Believe it or not, there actually seem to be fewer rocks in this new patch than what I'm used to. Monday, July 9 View Page Pumpkin plants looking good. Thursday, July 12 View Page 1634 Werner - looking good. Day 21: 84-55.5-55, not too bad. Friday, July 20 View Page Really taking off now - hitting high 30's per day. nice shape, too. Saturday, July 28 View Page And now things are getting serious. From 7/21 (day 30) to 7/27 the pumpkin went from 493# to 766#... Thursday, August 2 View Page Day 42 - Estimating 1036#, for an average rate of 45#/ day from day 36 to 42. Monday, August 6 View Page The duct tape is never a good sign - it blew up real good. Estimating 1160, still averaging just over 41#/day. Monday, August 13 View Page The last pic had the wrong date - should have been the 5th for that estimate. As of today, the estimate is 1363#, still putting on about 25#/day. Wednesday, August 15 View Page My 1421 stelts - weighed 719, which was almost 100# over chart. Wednesday, August 15 View Page My 870 - another blossom end split. This one estimated low 500s, didn't bother weighing it. This and the last one went to feed some pigs. Wednesday, August 15 View Page 1176 Lombardi - another blossom end split. This one was about 10% over chart, and is the pollinator plant to the 1634 that is currently my big split one. Deer food now. Thursday, August 16 View Page Thank goodness for paranoia. I had pollinated a pumpkin on the 1634 late July. I'm estimating it as a July 27th pollination. I forgot to put a tag next to it because, well... never thought I'd actually need it. Anyway, it seems to be taking off. Main vine, same side as the big split fruit. The big one seems to be slowing down. A combination of this fruit growing, and the mold taking over, I'm sure. I plan on weighing the bigger one this weekend. Saturday, August 18 View Page Removed some leaves, plan on dragging it out and weighing in the morning. Looks a lit bigger without all the clutter around it. Saturday, August 18 View Page Side view of the 1634. Sunday, August 19 View Page I found the hole! Sunday, August 19 View Page Final measurements: 402.5 inches. Final weight: 1236# No seeds kept, deer food now. Monday, August 20 View Page ... Wednesday, August 22 View Page 1495 Stelts Thursday, August 23 View Page 1495 Stelts Sunday, August 26 View Page 1495 Stelts Sunday, August 26 View Page They always look bigger when you rip the plant out first. Sunday, August 26 View Page Final measurements: 199 - 112 - 113, for a total of 424 inches, and an estimated weight of 1636#. Sunday, August 26 View Page Gathered some witnesses (thanks again for the help, guys), and put it on the scale........ 1640.0# Sunday, August 26 View Page The pumpkin had been doing around 20#/ day the last week, but I figured I would get it out before it got too smelly. Let's see... 1750 by Sept 1st, plus the usual weight gain for the final month or so.... nope, not going to add those numbers up. Sunday, August 26 View Page So I think I found my problem - apparently the foot is only lucky if is *NOT* still attached to the rabbit. Here, bunny, bunny.... Monday, September 3 View Page 1426 Wolf - It was a stench of historic proportions. Monday, September 10 View Page This is the pumpkin from the August 16th entry - same vine as the big split one on the 1634. That plant really wanted to grow pumpkins, but it really, really wanted to split them. I cut this one before a stem split worked its way into the cavity. I was amazed at how well this one wanted to grow, considering the rough shape the plant was in at this time of year. Thursday, September 13 View Page Found another stinker! Thursday, September 13 View Page 1139 Wolf 12 EST (1332 Wolf x 1495 Stelts) Split under pumpkin. Saturday, September 15 View Page Woo-hoo, finally got one to scale. Hopefully this isn't my heaviest official one this year. Fingers crossed.... Sunday, September 23 View Page 1417.5 Wolf 2012 (1381 Checkon x 1421 Stelts), not a bad finish to the season considering everything I've lost this year. Went plenty heavy, which made for a very nice surprise. Sunday, September 23 View Page The field pumpkins did ok this year, but could have been better if I had given them a little more care. These all came from the same 145 Crews plant - the one on the left is my 93.0 (selfed), and the rest were in the high 60 / low 70# range.