Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 122 Entries. Tuesday, April 10 View Page Time to start our 2012 diary. This time of the year is an exciting but exhausting time of the year with everything needed to do before the seeds can be germinated and seedlings put into the ground...but so worth it!! Hope everyone has a great season!! Tuesday, April 10 View Page Nice cover crop on the upper patch... Tuesday, April 10 View Page ...even nicer on the lower patch. Tuesday, April 10 View Page Lower patch was alot tougher work, but is on a slight slope. Upper patch took only 2 turns with the trusty honda. I'll put up the hoophouses and turn by hand the rest of the clumps...germinate seeds in a week and out they go last week of April. Tuesday, April 17 View Page This years starting line-up. After a mildish winter, this spring is early and growing season has started. Friday, April 20 View Page This years starting line-up. With the weather we have been having lately, the soil is warming up nicely and these seedlings will see soil very soon. Sunday, April 22 View Page The squirrels don't stand a chance with this brute around. Sign says it, Cole enforces it!! Saturday, April 28 View Page Luke, can't quite see my patch from space like you can with yours, but these 175 Watt Infared heat lamps do a great job of keeping the seedling toasty warm during the night. Wednesday, May 9 View Page Every year I curse this prickle bush thing that grows between my house and next door...except for now...for this 3 week show of nice flowers! Then it sprouts growth everywhere and needs a big haircut. Anyone know the name of these bush/flowers? Wednesday, May 16 View Page Here's the new grafted apple tree replacement that we will dig in, then run wire out from the fence for the six varieties of apples it will grow. We've got Gravenstein, Fuji, Yellow Transparent, Red Gala, Red McIntosh and Yellow Delicious apples all on the same tree. Wednesday, May 16 View Page In the near small hoophouse is our 1161 Rodonis and in the larger hoop the 1725 Harp. Vince, you can see why these bushes remain in the middle!! This time of the year is spectacular in this city. All the flowering trees, shrubs and bushes are alive with colour. Wednesday, May 16 View Page This is one of our favorites. I've got all the mature bushes tamed and last year was able to grow our 898 pumpkin in the shade under one of them. Wednesday, May 16 View Page 1161 basking in the early morning sun...96 degrees inside at 9:30am. Wednesday, May 16 View Page 1725 Harp requiring a little help from above and below while settling to the ground. She's off and running now...Christy, Nick....I'll do my best!! Last year we increased our PB by 90 lbs from 808 lbs to 898 lbs...just need the 1725 plant to grow 102 lbs more for...well you know!! Wednesday, May 16 View Page As a 3 day old seedling the 1725 started to split or tear under the cot leaves so I needed a solution to a potential major issue. Shortly after planting outside I taped the gash loosly with this breathable hospital paper as I was concernted that as the plant grew and settled down, that it might open considerably more or even break all together. As you can see, I have now removed the tape after about 14 days on and it settled to the ground and started vining normally...whew!! Wednesday, May 16 View Page I cover the basal crown/stump area with a breathable basket with solid top anyways, so it wont get wet. You can see how it is starting to heal over and hopefully will be a crusty huge ugly looking beast by the time August rolls around. Wednesday, May 16 View Page The other side looks perfectly normal...all systems appear to be go!! Hoping for a late June or very early July pollination date and our weather is moderately better than this time last year. It is great that Ken keeps our previous diaries stored for years and years, and available to look back as a reference point when comparing weather...very usefull. Thursday, May 17 View Page Over at our cousin's house delivering their pumpkin plant, and Moira goes back in the house and rushes out with this book and says "you've got to have this book"... They have the cutest 3 year old boy Jessie and 1 year old daughter Lauren...I will read them this book everytime they are over to our house. Tuesday, May 22 View Page 1161 Rodonis needs more room, going to move the hoop forward about a foot and buy another 2 or 3 days till it comes off. 14 day weather forcast/trend for the coast looks good...but we know anything can happen. Tuesday, May 22 View Page Secondaries popping out all over, most likely will have to trim off the first one that is growing straight from the top...but will wait to make that call for later. My wife got first choice of plants this year, and took the 1161... Tuesday, May 22 View Page 1725 Harp has lots of room and several weeks that it can stay inside its home. Growing nicely... 1566 Rodonis plant is enclosed in a remay hoophouse (no heat source) and is not yet photo worthy but growing well. 1544 Revier at my buddy Steve's house is on pace to be nice and other buddy Jeff has a 898 Dixon growing up the hill. 898 Dixon plants growing at the McIntosh house down the street, along with 2-898 plants being grown by our friends Dave and Janet...they are a very accomplished couple who have an incredible home and small farm set up locally in Richmond. Uncle Chris has 808 Dixon that we grew an orange beauty from last year. Monday, May 28 View Page Back from 3 days fishing and as usual, amazed by the growth in just that short time. Hoop comes off the 1161 Rodonis today and will be put onto the 1566 Rodonis plant that has been under the remay hoop that I'm now convinced does very little in the cool spring or at least overnight in the cool spring weather. Monday, May 28 View Page 1725 plant also doing great but is alot more long and lean so far than the 1161 plant which is more like a bush. Bamboo stick angled off to the right of plant was the growing tip marker when I went away on Thursday afternoon...plant grew over a foot in 4 days...game on I think!! Friday, June 8 View Page Over to Dave and Janet's place today, they are in England for a month or so and have almost everything set up on timers and drip lines...very nice!! Not too far from my place so I'll come over just to foliar feed and do maintenance....sorry Dave, you are gonna have to weed when you get home!! Nice set up...they are growing 3 this year. Friday, June 8 View Page 1187 Hunt on the left and 898 Dixon on the right. Friday, June 8 View Page ..then another 898 Dixon in the big house. Friday, June 8 View Page Dave, when you get home...you have to continue this diary. Friday, June 8 View Page Dave and Janet also have ornamental gourds with assorted vegetable gardens that are very impressive. Been cool lasts few weeks Dave, the gourds are just starting to climb. Tuesday, June 12 View Page Despite being cold and rainy on the West Coast, the 1725 Harp plant is exiting the far end of the large hoophouse. No girls showing up to the party yet, but they will be arriving soon...we hope! Overhead misting and watering system installed and I will hook it up to the ez-flow injector system soon too. Thursday, June 14 View Page 1161 Rodonis plant enjoying this evenings last few rays of sun. Starting to go sideways now and I've raked a few trenches in advance of the approaching vines and spread in some Myco.. Weather still won't cooperate and the local news is plugging this month as Juneuary in Vancouver. Saturday, June 16 View Page First night after taking the front off, a skunk obviously did the rounds inside the hoophouse but only dug around the edges..no harm...no foul. 1725 is gonna be a little sun sensitive till it can throw in a bunch more roots from secondaries and thicken up. The newer leaves are very thin and prone to wilting and resulted in some early burn on some leaves. Going to have to keep the main under the umbrella and remove the rest of the cover over a period of time, or install a shade cloth (never thought I'd need one) on this one...time will tell. Weather is supposed to be on the improve finally and summer can begin. Thursday, June 21 View Page Yes, girls at the party!! First one on the main of the 1725 Harp and at over 13'. Thursday, June 21 View Page First one on the main of 1161 Rodonis, at about 11'. Thursday, June 21 View Page And in all the years I've grown, I've never had a leaf and flower together. Looks to me like it was always going to be a flower and then morphed into a combo flower/leaf...neat! Tuesday, June 26 View Page Everything was going fine...then paps has to go and mention the ole issue...of a high reaching...er..vine... http://www.bigpumpkins.com/msgboard/ViewThread.asp?b=10&p=442493 Friday, June 29 View Page 1161 Rodonis open tomorrow at 13 feet on the main. Of course no males locally...I even sent out an APB to the Island growers for some pollen... Chad Gilmore was able to help out, we live about 100 miles from eachother only separated by the Sea to Sky Highway and Whistler Mountain. Chad being the buddy he is...offered to meet me half way so it was a nice drive today. 1161 Rodonis x 1818 Bryson with any luck tomorrow morning...thanks again Chad!! Friday, June 29 View Page 1725 plant has needed umbrellas on some of the growing tips on our rare good days here this summer so far. There is a female flower on the main vine at 15' out that is just about to hit the ground...been working on lowering the vine...working so far. Will be driving to see Chad again in about 4 or 5 days if pollen is needed once again. Bonus for me is that he is growing 1818 Bryson and 1807 Stelts...nice!! Tuesday, July 3 View Page All in on the main at about 15'. No other females on the main have shown up yet and it is getting late. There are females on most of the secondaries so that is comforting...now I really know why my plants are under-performing in flowering this year...from today's newspaper; "June rainfall in Vancouver totalled 3.25 inches - 40% more than average - while sunshine was significantly down at 157 hours - a whopping 68% under the average. We were 72 hours short of the average amount of sun, that is the equivilant to 6 fewer days of sun (based on 12 hours per day). The average daytime high as been 64 degrees and the overnight average was 50 degrees. June 2012 is the 4th gloomiest on record trailing only 1953, 1970 and 1980 in terms of total sunshine." Never say never...pollinations may be later this year. Thursday, July 12 View Page Like most of you, we don't just grow pumpkins... These roses are on a plant that we transplanted from an old family home on Vancouver Island where my 2 great Aunties lived out thier days... Always reminds us fondly of Aunty Kathy...wow what a cluster!! Thursday, July 12 View Page 1725 Harp plant has one set on the main, and one recently pollinated on a good secondary. Filling in nicely and quickly with the major change in our weather pattern...75-80 degrees and dry...nice ocean breeze!! Thursday, July 12 View Page 1161 Rodonis has 2 set on the main, I'll be leaning towards the 2nd one out (pollinated today) only because it is 3 feet further out at 16' but also the firest one pollinated was malformed and had some seeds in the blossom...while this one today was a nice 5 lober. Going away for 2 days so giving everything a good watering today. Got my buddy Steve coming over to check on things...we pollinated his 1544 Revier with the 1161 Rodonis this morning. Saturday, July 14 View Page So here is the 1725 stump now about 2 months after the initial stem split. Scroll up to pictures on May 16th to see the differance or cut and past this link; http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=178382 It healed up pretty much as good as I expected!! Sunday, July 15 View Page Doesn't he look happy and content...and satisfied? His job is done for the season as we did our last back up pollinations today. As expected we are only 10 days later than we'd like to be with the pollinations. 1725 x 1161 on main vine at around 20 feet, 1725 x 1544 Revier on a secondary, 1161 x 1725 on a secondary, and 1544 x 1161 at my buddy Steve's house. Jeff also has one pollinated 898 Dixon x 1544 Revier. Monday, July 16 View Page pumpkinpley on Vancouver Island is the first local to share photos of his babies, so here it goes; 1725 Harp x 898 Dixon at day 12. Monday, July 16 View Page First one on the 1161 Rodonis x 1725 Harp at 7 days (you can see the seeds in the blossom and deformed lobes). Monday, July 16 View Page And the second one on the main of the 1161 Rodonis x 1725 Harp at 4 days. Nice 5 lobe, this will be my keeper...but a few more days till cull time. Wednesday, July 18 View Page Like Capt 97, this year I had a couple undecided and switch-hitting flowers like this one... Wednesday, July 18 View Page Cool, a 2 lobe with its own pollen... Friday, July 20 View Page And, in the better late than never category...we just pollinated our 1566 Rodonis x 1161 Rodonis. I was hoping to pollinate the reverse cross as well (1161 x 1566) but the 1566 plant has been several weeks behind the other 2 plants. Full steam ahead with the current pumpkins on the 1725 Harp plant and 1161 Rodonis. Closing in on day 20 for both of them so the "backup" or "oh crap" side vine pumpkins are slowly being removed as we settle in for an all in affair...better hold on tight for the ride...this 1725 pumpkin is showing all the signs of being the real deal!! Saturday, July 21 View Page Always tough to cull the biggest one, but easier when they are not as nice as the one further out. First one has the seeds in blossom and deformed lobes, coupled with kind of stubby stem and poor position on the vine...second one seems ideal! Saturday, July 21 View Page First slice makes it official, no turning back now...I'll increase the depth of the blade tomorrow morning and slice it clean off day after that. Sunday, July 22 View Page Christy, this picture is for you and Nick of the 1725 plant with its lone poppy plant that decided to pop up this year off to one side. When we bought this home 13 years ago, these poppies were everywhere I did my darnest to eraticate them. All of a sudden after all these years, a few decided to pop back up so I thought it would look nice...and it does!! Monday, July 23 View Page So figures, covered only by a sheet, a skunk or racoon either scratched or tried to take a few bites...on the day before... Tuesday, July 24 View Page ...that we scheduled to put up the pumpkin huts... Day late and a dollar short...is that the saying? Tuesday, July 24 View Page Day 20 for the 1725 Harp and it is starting to rise above the canopy. About average for us for this time of the year and weather looking good for awhile now might just be good timing. I'm hoping that pumpkinpley will post day 20 pics in his diary soon, think we pollinated on the same day... Monday, July 30 View Page 1725 Harp, we culled the pumpkin on the secondary beside the warning sign... Tuesday, July 31 View Page 1161 Rodonis needs a new blanket... Tuesday, July 31 View Page 1161 on day 19. Look at the size of that leaf on the right!! That is from the 1725 plant looping around, it is the last leaf from the first secondary. Tuesday, July 31 View Page 1725 at day 27. Only thing I am changing this year is watering, going to add 1 watering day per week when we have this nice and dry weather we've been experiencing. Add to that the rotation of foliar feeding potions and notions that we all use and hope we can keep the plants healthy and happy till October. Wednesday, August 1 View Page Our eventual 898 Dixon from last year on the 1421.5 Stelts x 1059 Vincent at 20 days. http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=164936 Wednesday, August 1 View Page Day 20 for this years 1161 Rodonis...no comparison... Chad Gilmore (not much diary this year) has some beauties going on great seeds) and Dave Chan (Archelon) has some great plants with young pumpkins on them now too. Thursday, August 9 View Page 1725 pumpkin on day 36...growing at a pace that I'm comfortable with... Thursday, August 9 View Page This one makes me nervous...1161 Rodonis at day 28. Gaining over 30 lbs per day now. A first for us...and never with a pumpkin this young. Usually day 40-60 is the best growth for my area, and we've got great weather forcast long term. After a slow start, things are picking up nicely here. Thursday, August 9 View Page Just what a guy wants to see parked at the end of the cul de sac...in front of my neighbours house. We've had a few bears doing the rounds...they seem to know the garbage routes better than the drivers. Lots of fruit and berries out now too so they are attracted to all the free food... Seems we have a problem bear...too bad...will be re-located and tagged as an offender if they can catch him...not a youngster so he knows there are no "free" sardine meals waiting for him...I think he will move on but be back next Thursday on garbage day. Saturday, August 11 View Page Day 30 today for the 1161 Rodonis x 1725 Harp. 97-72-68 = 237 OTT and 305 lbs on the new chart. A local heavy hitter whom I admire alot, told me years ago that 600-800 lbs was his goal for the end of August to have a chance at 1000 lbs by weigh-off time. There are still 20 days to go in August and I am hopefull that this pumpkin will continue to do what it is doing. Saturday, August 11 View Page 1725 Harp x 1161 Rodonis is at day 38 and has more normal numbers for our patch for this time of the year. 89-57-57 = 203 OTT and 195 lbs...not far behind our eventual 898 Dixon from last year which was also a long slow grower that continued to pach on the weight right into the first week of October. Monday, August 13 View Page So here is the result of that early stem split on our 1725 Harp seedling. As hoped, it healed and scarred over nicely. Paper tape that used and took off later really helped. Check back on diary to May 16th or look at this link to see a comparison; http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=178381 Monday, August 13 View Page 1725 from the pumpkin viewing area. Getting alot wider and deeper now, just not going to be a high growing pumpkin. Day 40 today and now now out of the low teens for daily gains and finally doing low 20s. 214 OTT. Last year we got 240 lbs day 40-50, and then 180 lbs from day 50 to 60. Same-ish numbers from last year would put this one mid 600 lbs by end of August. Monday, August 13 View Page 1161 really enjoys this early morning sunshine. Last few days the blankets are a bit moist from an obvious overnight dew and get dried out. That is the signal for the time of the year for me, that I add an extra treatment per month of Infuse to pre-battle powerdery mildue. At only day 32, I dont really know what to expect from this pumpkin but the plant is great and that is 1/2 the battle. End of August for this one could be in the mid 700s if all stays the same and growing patterns stay somewhat the same. I know that for some, a July 4th and July 12th pollination seems late in the season, but our weighoffs locally are in October so there is plenty of time to let them sit on the vine. Sunday, August 19 View Page 1725 Harp on day 46. Interestingly, is still showing steady weight gains every second day. I don't think we have seen the peak weight gain on this plant yet, which is exciting. Sunday, August 19 View Page 1161 pumpkin is widening out of its enclosure...and it was a bit of a faulty install.. Sunday, August 19 View Page Day 38 for the 1161. I was going to wait until day 40 to do my update on this one, but wanted to use the pop can on top...in a few days it won't fit. Sunday, August 19 View Page After a nice watering, everything is looking great. We've been blessed with great weather over an extended period of time and have great expections for the next several weeks as well. Tuesday, August 21 View Page 1161 at day 40 today and is 120-91-81 = 292 OTT or roughly 557 lbs. After a feverish run of dialy gains nearing the mid 30's it appears that the growth curve may be on its way down. I have consulted my go-to mentor regarding normal growth curves and daily gains for our area in order to wrap my head around what might be in this pumpkin's future. After a posting regarding % gains and % heavy, I was looking at my last years numbers and see that at day 40 our eventual 898 Dixon was a mere 265 lbs. That was alot of growth from day 40 to day 90, however was nothing like the daily gains that I've seen on this pumpkin so far. Weather is good, plant is healthy, attitude is good...all systems appear to be still on go!! Tuesday, August 21 View Page Added another rib and slid the tarp open on the far end to make things easier. We will add a shipping blanket to the top of the sheets soon before the end of August and let things go on auto-pilot for the next 6 weeks or so. Tuesday, August 21 View Page Now that things are opened up, I wanted to show a picture of what those small teeth marks from the skunk on July 23rd turned into now. http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=185289 Tuesday, August 21 View Page And while moving the tarp over, I found these eggs in a wet corner...never seen them before. Slug eggs? Saturday, August 25 View Page 1725 Harp on day 52. Has grown nicely and consistantly and is settled into a pace that is normal for our patch and for age of pumpkin and for time of year. We are amazed every year how much the pumpkins change from the end of August till weighoff time... Tuesday, August 28 View Page ...and the 1725 from other side... Tuesday, August 28 View Page 1161 is now usually covered with 2 heavier blankets and is more of a hassle to measure so finally I'm not doing it every day...but pleasantly surprised that it continues to get 18 lbs a day. Tuesday, August 28 View Page ...and 1161 from the other end... Tuesday, September 4 View Page My daughter, Sydney, with our annual pumpkin photo before she heads to 3rd year University in Victoria. She said "oh this one is ugly" I was mildly offended... Day 54 today and is averaging 15 lbs per day, we are away for 4 days and have charged our friends Jeff and Steve to pumpkin duties. Wednesday, September 12 View Page 1161 on day 62. Still gaining moderately and starting to cantelope now, the silky smooth skin starting to mature. Our largest OTT on record. Wednesday, September 12 View Page With the cover temporarily off, I was able to get a picture from this side. Interesting when you compare the photo from July 23rd, you see the small skunk bites from when one bit it through the small sheet I had on it at the time. They have really grown and stretched with the pumpkin. http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=185289 Wednesday, September 12 View Page Trying to firm up some weighoff and pumpkin moving plans. Chad Gilmore and I will attempt to load up and take our pumpkins if he can get done with his own harvest in time. All my regular pumpkin mover/helpers have strongly indicated to me that we will have to somehow employ a differant strategy when lifting and moving pumpkins this year... Monday, September 17 View Page While we were on the Island, we did a drive-by-fruiting at Dutchman Acre. As we pull around the corner, we see the tell tale blue tare structures that we all use and I am thinking "Jake and Elaine have gone 4 for 4 this year" Monday, September 17 View Page We knock on the door to no avail, go beside the home hoping they are lounging comfortably in the patio area....not there...dang not home!! As we peered over the fence, school kids walking by saying "wow they are huge again this year". I spy over to one side to see what I think is a pumpkin from Jake's 1199 seed but I am not sure....Its huge!! My wife insists that we not enter the wired, fenced, electrified and latched portion of Jake's fruit and vegetable garden so I use the lense of the camera to get a better view. I text another grower (who shall remain nameless) about my predicament and he texts back and says "that would be a great picture of you taping Jake's biggest pumpkin" Again, over-ruled by my growing partner and the person whom I required to sit in a car with, for another several hours...did not enter the enclosure. But look at this big one...and tht was from several weeks ago. Look out Nanaimo, Jake has another monster or 2 in his patch again this year!! Monday, September 17 View Page 2 nice pumpkins for my buddy Steve from the 1544 Revier crossed with our 1161 Rodonis... I am going to grow the 1544 seed next year...now that I've seen what you can grow...very nice indeed!! A couple of real nice carvers for them again this year. Monday, September 17 View Page My buddy Jeff's patch at the front of his home. I give Jeff full credit for growing technique and plant pruning as he grows this on his boulevard, up a rocky slope and onto an upper garden area. Jeff is a good gardener and soon enough, will weigh a monster from this patch that he has built up over the past few years. Monday, September 17 View Page 1725 Harp x 1161 Rodonis is still growing and will be harvested in the first week of October to be used for a guess the weight contest at a local Home Depot where it will be on display for Thanksgiving before we take it to weigh-off. Monday, September 17 View Page When I can, we are going to open up the 1161 to do some sun tanning....looks like there is some orange in there despite being brilliant yellow right now. This one can sit on the vine for almost another 4 weeks, as it looks like the weighoff is scheduled for mid October. Has gained almost 200 lbs so far in September and not showing any signs of shutting down anytime soon. Day 70 coming up soon and I will post some numbers when we can both get in there to put the tape around it. Weather is phenomenal right now and our 14 day forecast is for more of the same...sunny...warm and dry!! Friday, September 21 View Page Day 80 for our 1725 Harp and she tapes out at 541 lbs or around 289 OTT which is the same cubic inches under the hood of my 1963 Ford. Gets picked and put on display on October 4th so has plenty of time to sit till weighoff. Last time we picked one for display somewhere, still went 12.5% heavy after sitting for 23 days...hoping for the same!! Starting to get some colour. Tuesday, September 25 View Page 1161 starting to look crispy and getting tired at the beginning (if you look close you can see the seed coat at the base) but plant doing great for this time of the year. Tuesday, September 25 View Page Most of the plant looks nice still like these vines... Have not uncovered or measured for quite a few days now, but look at stem and blossom end daily just because that is what I do in the morning with my coffee. 4 days ago it taped around 950 lbs and was still doing about 7 lbs per day at but is in the ending 15 days or so in the growth curve, it is at 75 today. Tuesday, September 25 View Page Not so much the 1725 plant...a little more beat up and more leaves crispy than the others. Tape has not changed on this one in the past few days but it is really lumping out and cateloping at the back...so something is still happening. Thursday, September 27 View Page Good kitty Cole!! Since the weather has cooled off now, the squirrel population comes out of the hills down lower to where the food is more plentiful. Since our immediate area was cleared of squirrels in the spring and early summer, the young males are looking to secure a territory and ours appears to be open since Cole has been bringing home and eating about 2-3 each week. He has a special spot in our yard that he comes to hide from the crows that like to steal his catches, and the only thing left over are the tails. I keep them to proudly show off for a short while, then give them to my buddies and brother-in-law to use for making flies for rainbow trout fishing...recycle/re-use!! Tuesday, October 2 View Page Harvest time for the 1725 x 1161 as it heads off on display. Wish I had taken its shelter down earlier for more sun...you can see that it most likely would have all gone orange and not just the stem area that was exposed to morning sun. Tuesday, October 2 View Page Took the shelter and hoops down for the day as our local Newspaper is coming by for a photo shoot with some friends kids and the pumpkins. A very last minute weighoff in the Vancouver area has popped up at a big pumpkin farm/christmas tree farm/diary farm called Aldor Acres. http://www.aldoracres.com Saturday, October 6 View Page Good kitty Cole!! Get on our near our property and a squirrel is done for. This is how he leaves me all the tails for fly tying....starts at the head and eats his way to the tail. I'm telling you, got a squirrel or varmit problem...get yourself a bengal cat...pricey but worth it!! Monday, October 8 View Page My two best buddies! I'm a lucky man!! Sydney is home for Thanksgiving dinner from University and the weather still could not be better. 1161 is still growing 1" OTT every 2 days and we are at day 88 today. Sits at 364" and likely will still be growing next week when we harvest for weighoff. This has been a fantastic plant to grow, and as healthy and vigourous as any we have ever grown. Hopefully a good seed count, I figure I will be growing it next year...1161 Rodonis x 1725 Harp...can't go wrong with those genetics Friday, October 12 View Page Getting the tripod set up and wrapping the chain around the rebar in preparation for attaching the chain hoist and lifting onto a pallet. Friday, October 12 View Page Chad attaches the chain hoist that Dave loaned me, and clips it onto the lifting ring that Craig Sandvic donated to the cause. Friday, October 12 View Page Up she goes, plywood and pallet go under...yes, flat on the bottom and no flaws...whew!! Friday, October 12 View Page Onto the pallet and roll her out on the plywood...man we should have been doing it this way for years... Friday, October 12 View Page Move the plywood as we go and the pallet jack make quick work of getting it out of the back yard... Friday, October 12 View Page Out the side of the house, through the carport and out to the waiting trailer, tilted the trailer down and used the chain hoist to roll the pallet jack onto the back of the trailer...worked like a charm. Thanks to the crew of Dave, Dave and Chad...it only took the 4 of us to do this task in less than an hour. Saturday, October 13 View Page Chad Gilmore and myself before the weighoff with our fuirt while we were still friends and on good talking terms... Saturday, October 13 View Page Chad's pumpkin taping at 956 lbs being lowered onto the scale as it lands with a mighty thump... Saturday, October 13 View Page ...are you kidding me? While Chad misses a personal best and new lower mainland record by a mere 6 lbs...his pumpkin goes over 9% heavy and over the estimated weight of a larger pumpkin yet to be weighed... Saturday, October 13 View Page Chad directs the lifting ring operator to lift and move the final pumpkin of the day onto the scales. The 1161 Rodonis x 1725 Harp from our patch is the last one to be lowered onto the scale...taping at an estimate of 1036 lbs on the new chart...just hoping that it will go a bit heavy and topple Chad to 2nd place in the overall... Saturday, October 13 View Page ...again...Are you kidding me? Goes bang on chart at 1037 lbs... Honestly, while we are thrilled to grow our first pumpkin over the 1000 lb mark...I really wanted to best Chad, but it was just not to happen this time...again!! In 10 years against Chad, he has kind of owned me when it comes to the weights...8 of last 10 years I have been the runner up to my buddy Chad...and you know what, if I have to be the runner up...I can't think of a better guy to do it against. Not sure when or if we will be back on talking terms, but mot likely at the next hockey game we watch together in the coming weeks. Great job Chad, always a good time. Saturday, October 13 View Page Here is Chad collecting his first place plaque and the winning cheque of $500 Saturday, October 13 View Page Chad and I with the winner and the runner up... Saturday, October 13 View Page Father and daughter growing team of Steve and Charlotte Perrault proudly display the Howard Dill award in front of the GPC Banner. Saturday, October 13 View Page Many thanks to the GPC for our late entry and addtion to GPC Weighoff group. Also, many thanks to the sponsors that jumped on board with very little notice...mainly Albert and Dorothy owners of Aldor Acres, BC Scale Ltd for the donation of the scale, Lanstone Homes, Envision Financial and Aldor Acres for sponsoring and paying the prize money...well done. We will be building upon this success for next year...bigger and better for 2013. Tuesday, October 16 View Page Caption in the local newspaper says "Glenn Dixon, centre, reacted after learning that his monstrous pumpkin had missed victory by a mere seven pounds" Defeat with a smile... Anyone interested, the link is at; http://www.langleyadvance.com/life/Gigantic+gourd+squashes+competition/7395637/story.html Bigpumpkins.com gets a nice mention...good job Chad!! Wednesday, October 17 View Page Front page of the Langley Advance today, Chad looking pretty cool!! Wednesday, October 17 View Page And front page of our local North Shore News today too. One of Andrea's running buddies kids got the nod for picture time in the pumpkin patch this year...this is why I started growing giants and this is why I continue to...look at the smiles on those kids...priceless!! Everyone loves a giant pumpkin!! Saturday, October 27 View Page My buddy Eric dropped by to see the pumpkins and I could not resist this shot with his mini cooper... Sunday, October 28 View Page 549 Dixon and 1037 Dixon find themselves fulfilling their final destiny on the front lawn... Saturday, November 10 View Page Linus, untill this one stops puking, I will leave them in the front of my house. We still get people by every day that have been looking for the 2 giants they heard about. Friday, December 7 View Page Yikes...just behind my neighbour's house and up the hill a little we have the white stuff creeping its way down lower and lower to the big city. Would be nice to have another white Christmas, its been a few years that snow and Christmas landed on the same day.