Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 77 Entries. Saturday, January 19 View Page Well I purchased this nice 4 light grow stand for 2013. I have a few onions and tomatoes going and room for much more also got the humidity cover for it. I also buried 2 soil cables today for early tomatoes for farmers Market. Monday, March 11 View Page Iowa State Fair grafted watermelon, insertion method LG rootstock with 245 Bartoli Scion. Back ups are 270 Neptune and one of mine. Monday, March 11 View Page Family photo Me, My wife Mary, her Mom, Anne 12, Thomas 10, Clare 9, Helen 4, Matthew 3, Lucas 4 Months. Monday, March 11 View Page One of my German Giant radish planted by mistake, but getting large. Not sure how we will cut this thing up 7 ways. I will be starting a few in the high tunnel this weekend with some peas. Monday, March 11 View Page Way too much stuff going on here, did plant 13 onions outside in beds and have another bed ready for 12 more. The rest will be planted in the garden for eating. Started a 1725 Harp selfed and 129 Young long gourd Sunday. I will start more this weekend and melons. Saturday, March 30 View Page The 2013 Iowa State Fair watermelon plant out in its hoop. This is a grafted watermelon (245 Bartoli) to a long gourd rootstock (124 Young). This plant is really taking off so now lets see what the weather brings for 2013. Saturday, March 30 View Page My other watermelon plant for the fair is my 84 pounder that was 35 days old when the plant died of sudden wilt. This plant was started the same time as the grafted. Saturday, March 30 View Page Inside the high tunnel today with plastic everywhere. Under the plastic is peas, lettuce, radishes and started a few pole beans. Behind me we have strawberries and my long gourd trellis. Yesterday we planted potatoes, onions and 30 Chestnut trees. Saturday, March 30 View Page Here is a picture of lettuce + beets with soil cables about ready to be cut. Saturday, March 30 View Page Here is a photo of lettuce planted the same time as the other without soil cables. They are about half the size but will work out that it will not be ready for a couple weeks. Saturday, March 30 View Page My second graft is to a 124 Young long gourd to a 272 Edwards. Here it is after the graft, the scion is a little bigger than I like but will mist it a few times a day to help it out. Saturday, March 30 View Page All misted and bagged for the next week and on the heat mat. I will take the cover off to mist it to help it heal and give it air. I also mist the bag to start. I should know in a week or so if it makes it. I may do one more graft of something big and graft a few of my own seeds. I will grow about 50/50 graft to non-graft to see if there is a difference. Thursday, April 11 View Page My Iowa State Fair watermelon plant. 124 Young LG rootstock with 245 Bartoli Scion. Plant looks better than the photo and is going places. Weather is going to be cool for the next week with lows in the low 30s and highs 40s-50s. Thursday, April 11 View Page 129 Young LG plant for the Iowa State Fair and hope to keep it alive the next 2 weeks with the cold weather. Thursday, April 11 View Page 132.75 Wright LG a little behind the 129 Young. Thursday, April 11 View Page My cold frame with early tomato plants and hanging flower pots. I did get the heater hung this winter, now just need power and LP to get this thing a greenhouse. I bet it takes 2 years to get there but no hurry. Sunday, April 21 View Page Had a little wind on Friday and lost the plastic on the hoop. Had my crew helping out on my Birthday Saturday taking what was left of it of. The weather was almost perfect for this but could of been warmer. Sunday, April 21 View Page Wish I could of had more pictures of us pulling the new plastic on but had to get it up while the wind was low. I am on the end starting to attach the plastic. Sunday, April 21 View Page Photo of the plastic pulled tight and only have the roll up sides to get attached and rope added. We started at 11 am and finished at 8 pm. The kids (Anne, Thomas and Clare) were the only ones that helped all day. They said it was my birthday present and I thanked them very much. Sunday, April 21 View Page Here is my crew as we finished the clean up. Sunday, May 12 View Page Well been busy gain last week I lost my new plastic on the high tunnel ($930) ordered more plus repair stuff ($1150). They shipped it to my home address after I told them to ship it to my work address. No one was home so back to the warehouse, I called to see where it was at and said they had to deliver it to the address listed but I told them we got 5 inches of rain no way truck can make it down road. So I made road trip to get it picked up or else it would be more days of plants out in the elements. Last Tuesday was when I picked it up and by 10pm at night I had the new plastic up with ratchet sides to pull it tight. Yesterday we had strong winds and it held perfectly. All the plants inside are now looking better but took a beating for 5 days. My state fair plant had plastic wrapped around it and broke several leaves off and turned yellow from the cold nights. The grafted melon plant had it vines blown over and around, twisted but looks better after 5 days back under plastic. Going to have another cold night tonight around 36 degrees so not planting fall plants outside till this week or weekend. Saturday, May 18 View Page Opening day farmers market for us, sold lettuce,radishes, flowers, morel mushrooms. Saturday, May 18 View Page 1843.5 Geddes recovering well after hoop plastic came off.Should have a female open next weekend around the 15 ft. mark. Saturday, May 18 View Page The grafted watermelon plant about 10 x10 now. Saturday, May 18 View Page Once again a lot going on in the big hoop. The new plastic has not burned any plants so far. Thursday, May 23 View Page Season maybe over a week ago had bugs eating everything so grabbed sprayer for bugs and added more and sprayed almost every plant including trees, rhubarb, cabbage fair pumpkin, fall pumpkins. My trees are dying all rhubarb dead cabbage dead,fair pumpkin plant dying,grass around trees dead. All done in one spray gone bad. Not sure what was in sprayer but did the job! I have a few apple trees that were still in full bloom that I did not spray with that dose so maybe OK. Thursday, May 30 View Page Major storm with 70 + MPH winds picked hoop up and moved it 6 ft.Amazing plastic stayed on. Thursday, May 30 View Page Windows blown out,limbs down,power poles snapped off. A house down the road has a full grown tree on top of the house.All tomato plants flat. The other tunnel is bent but still there. Thursday, May 30 View Page Oh and by the way we have had 12 plus inches of rain this month.I still have pumpkin plants to get out if it ever stops raining. calling for more of this tomorrow. Going to grow pumpkins for November at this rate. Sunday, June 2 View Page Grafted watermelon with baby about size of football. Still not getting any length on the new ones. Sunday, June 2 View Page 129 Young LG finally going places. Sunday, June 2 View Page One of the bigger onion plants this year way behind last years. Sunday, June 2 View Page High tunnel back in place AGAIN! for the 3rd time this year. Sunday, June 2 View Page 1843 Geddes plant back from the dead and pollinated June 1st a 5 lobe selfed. Its amazing what these plants can do. Wednesday, June 5 View Page Update pollinated another pumpkin on the 1843.5 Geddes Tuesday (4 lobe). Pollination from Saturday has doubled in size and watermelon has doubled in size. Went to Joe Christoforo's place and worked on plants there but will be to late for fair but one may open this weekend. Thursday, June 6 View Page 254 Bartoli watermelon selfed is 32 inches cir. for the record just to see how it is growing. Thursday, June 6 View Page That should be 245 Bartoli Tuesday, June 11 View Page Day 10 on the Geddes selfed. Tuesday, June 11 View Page 245 Bartoli selfed 2 weeks plus old. This is very different to say the least but time will tell. Wednesday, June 12 View Page My new spot for fall about 20 minutes away and have 2 plants here. You can see the wind protection I have looking west. I will try to get protection up this weekend and hope it not too late by then. I think I can see Don Young's place its so flat here. Thursday, June 13 View Page 245 Bartoli OTT 43-32-29=104 inches today. Going to be a very fat melon. 1842 Geddes is basketball size now around 12 days. Sunday, June 23 View Page Helen and Matthew standing in front of the long gourds and watermelon plant. Pollinating has begun on the guard plants and a few have been set but not too high up so may cut them off when we get a few more set higher up. Sunday, June 23 View Page Helen standing in front of the Geddes x self at around 22 days old. Sunday, June 30 View Page 1843 Geddes day 29 with Matthew. This pumpkin has started to roll over the blossom and is going to be wide if it keeps going. Friday, July 5 View Page Pollinated 1811 Graham 4 lobe to the 1843 Geddes. Pollinated 1414 Rodonis ? x self July 3. Grafted fair melon plant still growing like crazy but melon at a stand still at around 65 pounds. It should be well over 100 by now but plant is alive. The other grafted plant has 4 set on it now but like the other the melons are slow to grow. My non grafted melons are way behind and may be a week yet to get one set. The 1843 Geddes pumpkin is half way to fair now and wish it had a week or 2 more to gain. The pumpkin will be around 69 days old by fair. The 2 long gourd plants in the hoop have several set now and the Jutras sets are really growing well. The 129 Young has one that is very skinny and shows potential. Tuesday, July 9 View Page Thomas with the Iowa State fair pumpkin (1843 Geddes). Gains are still hanging in there. Plant still looks good but was 98 inside hoop today. Just very little wind to help cool it off. Next week it could be over 100 inside here even with the side up. Tuesday, July 9 View Page Long gourds for fair growing well. Tuesday, July 9 View Page More gourds off the 129 Young. Tuesday, July 9 View Page 245 Bartoli selfed for fair. Tuesday, July 9 View Page Gourd plants taking over. Thursday, July 11 View Page It seems that we lost 1622 Young plant to disease in the new patch. The other 4 plants seem ok at this time but I am sure they will get it as always.The 1622 was one of the best again and been applying fungicides but just can not stop this stuff here. Last weeks heat and humidity done it in. I have 3 pumpkins set on 3 plants here about 8 days old and will see if they hold up. The far patch with the Daletas and Werner looked good the other day but it rained there Monday when the Werner pumpkin opened and I did not have its rain gear on and of course it did not rain here. The Daletas DMG was pollinated Sunday with the 1843 Geddes. Monday, July 15 View Page All pumpkins aborted at satellite patch hope the last ones that bloomed over the weekend took from the bees or will just be growing salad there. No rain here for 2 weeks now and getting very dry again looks to be a last year repeat. The two plants here that have pumpkins set are 10 and 12 days old now. The fair pumpkin still chugging along with around 25 days to go. One long gourd has touched the ground so need to do something tomorrow. Monday, July 22 View Page The Henry County Fair just finished and here is Anne standing in front of there clubs booth. She got 5 purple ribbons for State Fair consideration that made her happy. We were going to enter in the open class in vegetables but after picking for farmers market in 105 heat index and warmer then that inside the high tunnel I said no way. Monday, July 22 View Page This was a last minute planting of the 1414 Rodonis after the other plant was about torn out by wind. This pumpkin is around 19 days old and is a small plant but love the color. We grew this plant back in 2011 and grew us a very pretty 670 pounder. With some of my children Clare, Matthew, Helen and Thomas. I believe the pumpkin is around 50 pounds and only have 2 fall plants left here now. The other large plant has aborted everything and the leaves are turning a molten yellow green color. This is a new patch and applied clearys, eagle 20,Banrot,Agri-foss, and 2 other fungicides with not much success again but still have 2 plants and the Fair plant. Monday, July 22 View Page 1843 Geddes starting to rib out now. Monday, July 29 View Page Matthew sitting by the 1843 Geddes pumpkin for the Iowa State fair. It has not grown in 3 days after 20 a day so not good. Only 11 days till Fair so I hope it holds together. Not the biggest but for Fair I will take it as it is. Wednesday, August 7 View Page Preparing for tomorrow lift-off 1843 Geddes and hope it holds together. Wednesday, August 7 View Page Another view. Wednesday, August 7 View Page Made pathway so just need to cut and lift tomorrow. Wednesday, August 7 View Page Pumpkin set at new patch about 22 days old off a 1788.5 Daletas. We really love the shape of this on and gains are up to 20 a day now and hopefully climbing. Wednesday, August 7 View Page This one is on the other Werner plant set on 1st side vine but all we could get to set. Both plants mains fried when it was hot so the one set on the Werner plant is lopsided and only gaining an 1/2 inch a day so looks like the 1st side vine is a keeper. Other than that the plants are great and just need rain someday. Wednesday, August 7 View Page Picture of the new patch with 2 plants. Next year we may try 4 plants here and cut back at home. Friday, August 9 View Page Loading the pumpkin for fair. Friday, August 9 View Page Pumpkin in the truck. Friday, August 9 View Page The only 2 pumpkins at the Iowa State Fair for 2013. Mine is on the left and Don Young's pumpkin on the right. It was a terrible growing season for early pumpkins and it showed here. Friday, August 9 View Page Dons second place 759 pound pumpkin at the Iowa State Fair. Congrats! Friday, August 9 View Page Moving the 1843 Geddes to the scale. Friday, August 9 View Page Clare and I with our first place Iowa State Fair pumpkin at 908 pounds. Friday, August 9 View Page The resting place for the 908 pounder in front of the agricultural building so thousands of people to see for the next 9 days. There maybe not much left of it to pick up by August 19th. already many fingernail chunks cut into it after 3 hours to see if it is real and kids tugging on the stem. Thursday, August 15 View Page Iowa State fair results 1st giant pumpkin 908 pounds 1st and 3rd Giant cabbage head only 21.2 pounds 1st and 2nd jumbo kohlrabi 20.1 pounds 1st and 3rd jumbo onion 4.4 pounds 1st and 3rd jumbo sunflower head 2nd long green bean 38.5 inches 2nd and 3rd long gourds 96.25 2nd and 3rd squash 2nd and 4th field pumpkins 3rd and 4th jumbo tomatoes 2.7 pounds and 2.6 other veggie results 1st cherry bomb peppers 1st and 2nd mini pumpkins 1st and 3rd round green cabbage 2nd yellow potato 3rd cantaloupe 3rd and 4th red onion 4th round watermelon Thursday, August 15 View Page Things growing here are slow and small. The largest pumpkin sits at 255 ott then 234 and 210 with a month of growing weather. Long gourds are 106, 103 and new ones outside growing but will never catch Dave Millers long gourds.Field pumpkins are small and no rain does not help.No competitive watermelons again this year. I do have a cantaloupe that is 108 ott and flying around 30 pounds with a couple week to go anyway. Monday, August 26 View Page 1 inch of rain for July and 0 for August so far and 90 + degrees pretty much sums it up here for fall stuff. My newest long gourd that was screaming was found broke off the trellis at 93 inches and was still gaining 6 a day. I will try to get another going but may be too late. Lost both pumpkins at remote farm to YVD. At least I got one to the Fair. Monday, September 23 View Page This was some of my Iowa State Fair ribbons for this year. Monday, September 23 View Page Grabbing seeds out of the State fair pumpkin. I think they played on it for a week. Monday, September 23 View Page This was our Anamosa pumpkin that went down after that last few 100 degree days we had. We did get several seeds from this one,now just need to remember where I put them. Monday, September 23 View Page Our biggest cantaloupe at 116 ott and weighed 43 pounds.I had several on this plant that turned at the same time in the extreme heat we had. Monday, September 23 View Page Another photo with Clare,Helen and Matthew and kitty. The other melon was 21 pounds Clare is holding.