Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 18 Entries. Thursday, March 13 View Page Well hello everyone. I'm just starting to get into the pumpkin growing frame of mind. I am expecting my seeds for the year in the mail within the next week. Thanks again Steve. The snow has just melted off the patch about a week and a half ago, but we still a little snow in the front yard. We had up to about 4 feet of snow at one time, but we were on vacation when it was heaviest. A great winter overall, but I am ready for Spring...Hailey and I packaged up some seeds the other day. She thought it was fun. So, good luck to everyone this year. Darren Thursday, April 10 View Page So, I sat the kids down and showed them pictures of the Zuhlke 1302 06 and the 802 Kurilich 05 and was hoping to get them to agree on one or the other. Sibling rivalry came into play. Hailey wants to go big and Ashton is more concerned with color and carving the "jack o lantern" I am wanting to grow my own seed this year, but may not get the opportunity. It may come down to a game of rock, paper, siccors (sp?). Sunday, April 27 View Page So we didn't resort to rock, paper, scissors, but we have come to a conclusion. Here is a picture of Hailey filing one of my 699's.The way it sounds Ashton and I are tag teaming on the 802 Kurilich 05.......he said he didn't mind growing 1 pumpkin together. Him being 5 he very well may change his mind and him and Hailey will grow their own on the 699. I also started a 1014 Zuhlke 07 as a backup. Sunday, April 27 View Page Here are the seeds ready to be filed and put in my high tech seed starting set up.... Sunday, April 27 View Page here it is. I was happy with all the dust. The seeds think they are IN the dirt and will want to come up quicker. Wednesday, April 30 View Page 9:04 Tuesday night........Hailey and I just went down and checked the seeds and 3 of the 4 are started. I will get them in peats tomorrow. I still haven't tilled the garden yet for the year. I will have to get a little poo, composted, this weekend and spend some quality time with my rototiller. Our weather has been garbage for growing. I will get my cloches set up next week and horray. You can't screw your season up much with any missteps this early in the year. Wednesday, May 14 View Page Ugh....my 699 and 802 are just poking their little heads through the soil. We have had very little sun and it has only been in the 50's and 60's as a high. We are supposed to get in the 80's this weekend and then back down to the 60's as a high. I will try and get the plants in my beautifully rototilled garden sometime this week. Thursday, May 29 View Page Finally got one of my plants in the ground yesterday. It is my he 802 is still in the pot...no pun intended. I went to turn on my sprinkler system in the patch and I had a couple of problem spots. Nicked the line with the rototiller and had a fitting that was leaking. I think I got everything sealed up, but I was a muddy mess when I finished. Ashton would have been proud. Thursday, June 12 View Page Not much going on in the patch. I have about 5 leaves on each plant. We have had nothing but cold and rainy weather and I got such a late start I haven't been too enthused about my year. My Grandpa, Clarence, passed away a couple of months ago andwas an avid gardener when he could get around better. I liken my love of pumpkins to him and my Grandma always having one. We are cleaning out his estate and I found this picture of him with some of their giant carrots. Those things must be a foot long...the little note on the back references "my giant size carrots" I have a picture somewhere of my Grandpa and one of my bigger pumpkins. I may have posted it previously, but this will be my nod to how i appreciated my Grandpa. 86 years ain't bad on this earth. Wednesday, July 9 View Page So, this is what happens when you lose motivation in the patch. The kids were a big help in getting the patch cleaned up. It has been a super busy summer and have just not had enough time. Wednesday, July 9 View Page Hailey had a bigger pile of weeds. She wanted to weed. Kind of suprised me. I asked her after about a half an hour if she wanted to quit and she said "no" Friday, August 1 View Page So this is what it feels like to be a month behind....Haileys plant just has its first set. I am planning on getting out in the patch and getting the rest of my pruning done today. Ashton and my plant has become frankenstein. It looks like the main has fused with a secondary and grown out about 6'-8'. I will try and post some pictures of it. Wednesday, August 13 View Page Hi....I did my first measure on Haileys pumpkin and it was 60 lbs last night and 73 lbs tonight. Decent average gains for us. I looked at my measurements last year for todays date and she was 200 lbs heavier than she is right now. Oh well at least it is growing. Ashton and I are just getting some sets on our plant. I went out and did some serious surgery on Frankenstine. We should have something to start measuring on our plant by next week. Monday, August 18 View Page I figured it was worth mentioning it was 102 degrees here yesterday. Hailey's pumpkin is over 100 pounds and growing alright. I am hoping I can get it over 300 pounds by the fair. Thursday, August 21 View Page It was 102 degrees this last weekend and it didn't even get to the 60's today. We have had rain the last two days. Our weather never ceases to amaze me. Ashton and my plant is putting fruit on and I am going to grow a couple fruit on it. I did OTT on Hailey's and it is putting on 12 or 13 pounds a day. The fair is in just under two weeks. I am hoping we can get it it over 300 pounds. It is a really nice looking fruit. It is just starting to turn a nice color of orange and still has a nice shape to it. Sunday, September 7 View Page First diary entry with new computer. Stupid HP. Got Hailey's pumpkin to the fair last week safely. We went to the fair yesterday and there were only three, yes three, big pumpkins. We made it a little over what I was thinking. 9% over at 328 pounds. Second biggest there and they gave her a grand champion ribbon. When I get this new computer figured out I will post a couple of pictures of her with the fruit. Some friends tell me her pumpkin was on the news on Saturday. I will have to go and check it out. Monday, September 15 View Page Here is the picture that I wait pretty much all year to take. Hailey and her big pumpkin at the Fairgrounds. I have to go and pick it up today. I have a friend that thinks the deer in his field will eat it. I went out to the patch yesterday and we have two fruit easily over 100 lbs. on Ashton and my plant. One is kind of a bird bath shape and the other is nice and round. They will be great for carving. Our weather has been in the 80's the last couple days, so it is still good growing weather. Monday, October 13 View Page Harvested three pumpkins out of the patch one is over 200 and the other is probably 150. I will try and weigh them this week. I rototilled the garden yesterday and need to get some leaves in there before it gets too much colder