Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 85 Entries. Sunday, January 1 View Page Happy New Year !! Saturday, February 4 View Page Current patch conditions... was thinking about starting my seeds 2weeks earlier this year to give me more growing days after pollination, i would like to get 100 days of fruit growth, so germ day is about 6 weeks away or mid march , still not sure if its going to work out Sunday, February 26 View Page While waiting for spring, I have been playing around with some more 3 D wood work , this will probably be a top for a outside table , not sure... really not as hard to make as it seems , 60 degrees is the angle and follow the arrow heads for the layout and of coarse the contrasting colors make the effect ... Saturday, March 11 View Page Table is now finished , actually a few of them , as some friends wanted them, for me a good way to kill time waiting for germination day , which just might happen on the 18 th , so 8 days away until the season starts , Wednesday, March 22 View Page Current patch conditions and a new season is upon us ,I decided to start 10 days earlier, as the only weigh off is Aug 28 th this year , hoping to get 90 plus , pumpkin growing days , Its funny that the farther north you are, the earlier you have to start to compete Wednesday, March 22 View Page My line up , top tow is what I hope to go with , bottom row are potential back ups ,if needed,as I can only grow 2 plants , competitively, Wednesday, March 22 View Page Big thank you , to the anonymous donor who sent me this, I mean Wow!! Pumpkin growers are the best ,I hope I can do it justice Wednesday, March 22 View Page I made a new germ box , just for the occasion Wednesday, March 22 View Page And 4 days later , looks like everything germinated, the top 2 2147's were real strong the bottom left 1885 is going to be fine, along with the the other 2147, bottom right Thursday, March 23 View Page 1885 Werner is up and in the game ! , its always nice when a special seed germs Monday, April 10 View Page Current patch conditions, my planned early start isnt working out to well, as Easter was the coldest on record at a balmy 14 degrees, was really hoping to start ground thawing on the 7 th and plant on the 11th, but whatever the weather, plants going in sometime in the next week Monday, April 10 View Page 2147 marshall on left and 1885 werner on right , both need to get out of here Monday, April 10 View Page One cool thing about the planter boxes , is the sides slide up easily , so you can get a glance on what's going on , in the root zone , or whats not.... Sunday, April 16 View Page 1885 werner ready to see dirt, a pleasure to plant s quinn cross again , been since 2011 Sunday, April 16 View Page The breakaway boxes make planting a 24 day old plant , easy with minimal problems, Sunday, April 16 View Page The 1885 at DAG 24 , i dont usually carry a plant inside for this long , but weather handcuffed me, , the good part is you know what direction the man is going, and it's already sending out secondaries, I hope I didn't piss it off too bad Sunday, April 16 View Page All tucked in for the night, weather is still below freezing at night, it's supposed to be 23 on Tuesday , we will be fine Sunday, April 16 View Page 2147 Marshall ready to hit dirt Dag 25 ,i think Sunday, April 16 View Page A nice compacted plant,... let the games begin... I am just glad to get them out into natural sunlight, almost 15 hrs of sunlight now and gaining almost 6 minutes a day !! Sunday, April 23 View Page 1885 Werner , main is down and growing nicely Sunday, April 23 View Page Another look at the 1885, taking a page out of Don Crews playbook , and going with the green solar mulch, for weed control and soil warming, not sure how its going to work out... but have high hopes ...we will see Monday, April 24 View Page 2147 marshall, the main should be ready to lay down in the next few days, I am going to have to patient and move in small increments to get it down without issues Sunday, April 30 View Page 1885 Werner is on the move , both the main and the secondaries are moving along nicely , its out of its 8 ft house and into a 6 ft extension add on, its much easier to heat the smaller space then s 700 ft space , when temps are below 40, but for now things are looking good Saturday, May 6 View Page 2147 on the move , as growth is speeding up Sunday, May 7 View Page The 1885 Werner is free , as it out grew the mini gh, the night time lows are still in the high 30 's at night , yikes $$$ Sunday, May 7 View Page Soul temp is nice !! Sunday, May 7 View Page 1885 coming at you Sunday, May 7 View Page A little surprise at the 10 mark , not a option , but nice to see anyway! Friday, May 19 View Page 2147 is picking up the pace Friday, May 19 View Page 2147 front view Friday, May 19 View Page 1885 has been growing pretty good do far Friday, May 19 View Page 1885 front veiw Monday, May 29 View Page 1885 werner , growing good maybe too good , so far growing on only water and fall soil amendment's after soil test also still trying to get growing under as plastic mulch down , a lot more work than anticipated Monday, May 29 View Page 2nd female from 1885 snd 1 st option , should open tomorrow Monday, May 29 View Page 2147 has picked up the pace and should be ready to pollinate in the next day or so Monday, May 29 View Page 2147 hope full. should open in the next day or so, Wednesday, May 31 View Page 2nd female opened today May 30th, from the 1885, somewhere in the 16 to 18 ft range ( didnt measure) with about 20 secondaries behind it Wednesday, May 31 View Page Close up view of the flower, a normal looking 5 lober I believe, Wednesday, May 31 View Page It was crossed with the 2147 , and should give me about 87 growing days before weigh off, if it takes... so basically all in on this one Friday, June 2 View Page The second female opened on the 2147 today, a nice four lober, Again I'm all in on this hope the pollination takes Friday, June 2 View Page It was crossed with the 1885 Werner Friday, June 2 View Page Side view of the 2147, pollinated at 18 feet out with 22 secondaries behind it should have 85 growing days ahead of it, before way off do you Wednesday, June 14 View Page 2147 moving along nicely , despite our lack of sun and cool temps, nothing is more fun than running your heaters in the middle of June .... Wednesday, June 14 View Page A closer look at the 2147 x 1885 at dap 12 Wednesday, June 14 View Page 1885 Werner , also growing ok, this gh gets a little more sun than the other one, We have only hit 60� twice this year for daytime high, hopefully things change quick, I think in our mostly cloudy conditions this year the leaves get bigger than normal, last year with a lot more sun a lot smaller leaves Wednesday, June 14 View Page 1885 x 2147 dap 15 Wednesday, June 14 View Page A better look at the pumpkin Thursday, June 22 View Page 2147 DAP 20 Thursday, June 22 View Page A closer look At the 2147 fruit , still hanging in ther Thursday, June 22 View Page 1885 werner , not setting the patch on fire but still growing DAP23 Thursday, June 22 View Page This the 10 day forecast, been this way all season, hard to get motivated somedays Saturday, June 24 View Page I was plant pruning down in the gh, had my ear buds in , then happen to look up.. next thought where in the heck was momma ...they can be pretty protective Saturday, June 24 View Page Another look at the brand new 2023 model Friday, July 7 View Page The 2147 dap 35, amazingly it is still growing, lousy weather year so far, not expecting anything big this season and starting to lose interest , unless weather changes drastically, and soon Friday, July 7 View Page The 1885 werner day 37 , Sunday, July 16 View Page Patch view of the 2147 ,making progress Sunday, July 16 View Page 2147 Dap44 It is taping 358 inches-or 1043 lbs from the 2017 chart, amazingly less than 100 lbs off from last year pace, if you grow in s cloudy rainy spot this might be the seed for you ..lol..42 days until the weigh off , hopefully the sun will come out a couple more times before then Tuesday, July 18 View Page 1885 Werner , still in the game Tuesday, July 18 View Page 1885 Dap46, not breaking any records but a solid pumpkin Thursday, July 27 View Page 2147 from afar Thursday, July 27 View Page My 4 year old grandson helping me out, posing by the 2147 Thursday, July 27 View Page 1885 Werner Saturday, August 5 View Page 2147 dap 62, 181-123-113 for a 417 ott, for a estimated weight of 1573 lbs, average over 28 lbs for last 11 days , nothing great but still going with only 23 days left to grow until weigh off still has a chance at 2k , never know , Saturday, August 5 View Page 1885 still chugging along , havent taped it , I want it to be a surprise , thumps solid Sunday, August 20 View Page I had a great surprise visit today from Connecticut today, they drove here !! I had to ask Alex how in the heck to you go 26 % heavy , I don't get many top growers my way, so I was all ears ... Friday, August 25 View Page Wyatt my 4 year old grand son has his rally wagon ready , we lift pumpkins Monday Friday, August 25 View Page 1885 Werner Friday, August 25 View Page 2147 Marshall Tuesday, August 29 View Page 1885 werner coming out of the gh and heading to the landing zone Tuesday, August 29 View Page A cool shot of the 2147 in mid air , also a great way to check the bottom and brush it off Tuesday, August 29 View Page Ground crew checking things out , looks like all good Tuesday, August 29 View Page At the rear of the fair grounds an getting ready to unload Tuesday, August 29 View Page Lets go Tuesday, August 29 View Page The 1885 Werner now the 1878.5 marshall ( 1885 x 2147 ) 437 ott est 1768 , about 6% heavy Tuesday, August 29 View Page The 2147 marshall, now the 2023.5 (2147 x 1885 ) It taped at 1878 lbs est, so almost 8% heavy Tuesday, August 29 View Page Stem end of the 2023 grown in 2023 Thursday, September 21 View Page Pumpkins on display , should start taking seeds out next week Thursday, September 21 View Page The stump or crown as some call it, off the 2147 , is looking good , no problems with it or the vines Tuesday, October 31 View Page A young bull paying visit Tuesday, October 31 View Page A better look Tuesday, October 31 View Page Happy Halloween, always nice when there is no snow on the ground!! Tuesday, November 14 View Page A moose dug up pumpkin gold ! In the compost pile, we got almost 40 inches in the last 8 days or so , making it the snowiest November on record , with 25 days to go, so 1/2 our annual amount already,,, not good Monday, January 1 View Page My gate to the patch , winter wonder land .. Monday, January 1 View Page 5pm ak time , on new years eve Monday, January 1 View Page Happy NewYear!! Have a great 2024 season