Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 24 Entries. Saturday, January 2 View Page Snow again. I swear we had so much rain during the growing season and now we have the snow in the winter. way to much snow.I dropped another 5 gallons of coffee grounds on the compost pile. I left the filters in this batch. I also added some organic table scraps to the mix. Wacked it up with some blood meal and will thror it on the compost pile. Can't wait for it to start to cook. This year the entire compost pile will be taken apart and added to the patch. This pile has been there for quite some time and i'm almost sure it's ready to be added. Sometime this week the worm farm will be in and I'll be able to start making some castings for some soil soup or in R.I. I call it Field Chowdah! Monday, January 4 View Page Patriots without Russ Welker! Ouch that sucks....Just finished washing the suv. The salt was way to thick. I'll be looking for an air pump to start making a compost tea brewer. I'm starting to work on applying the knowledge that I've learned in the off season to this present time. Building a pumpkin career is like training for a title bout...lol! The preparation and time invested is well worth it. Pap was quoted on the message boards as saying that one secret is getting the right gear to make the job less time consuming. I'm certainly gonna take that advice to the bank. As for now I still have everyone saving the egg shells and banana peels as well as the coffee grounds....I hate seeing the salt and sand on the road it looks bad and I'm having a case of cabin fever.....I have some issues...and that WODDCHUCK is messing with the wrong Bull...I'm gonna reverse the curse on him. It appears that everytime a member of my family starts a garden a woodchuck seems to build a den dright near the patch. My grandfather shot, relocated these super bad ass guys only to have them populate like the Kennedy's. I've mad it my mission to get rid of those guys and put an end to the royal woodchuck blood line.....lol! Saturday, January 9 View Page Sun is out and snow is still out. Dumped another 5 gallons of coffee grounds on the compost pile. Mixed it with some native compost. If it cooks real quick in the early spring it will most certainly be good for the upcoming season. Monday, January 11 View Page Sunny and about 28 degrees here in the Ocean State. I have some 2x4's and other cuts of wood to start on making the small green houses..I'll start the project soon making sure that it's air tight and functional. After that I'll start on the tea brewer. I'm gonna hook up with one of the wisemen and see his. Isn't this hobby great...People always willing to lend a hand and help a poor Bagpiper out.....This years goal will be 800 lbs. A goal that can be met so long as I listen to what the wisemen have to say and apply all of it. I'll be planting the Oliver 1375 as well as the Wallace 1395 also in the mix is the 625 Rondeau,949 Sperry and the 1068 Radonis. I like the genetics of the 1068 Radonis and think it's a great seed I have so much to think about as far as seed selection.I'm just looking to meet my goal and have another great memorable season. I also wanna plant some squash. I got great seeds for that. I have to talk with my Carpenter about having him build a tressle in the back yard. I have little space at my house however my parents have some space and that might be a better place to have it built. As of now I'm gearing up for the season by getting the belting material and adding to the compost pile even though its frozen like a rock. I have the coffee grounds that I'll continue to save and add to the compost pile as well as give them away to the club if they desire any. I understand that the grounds do make the soil a little acidic. Although I've also heard this is a non issue if the grounds have been brewed which they have. Saving Bannana peels and egg shells all the time adding them to my infamous pile of crap.....Oh the life of a pumpkin grower always in search of good compost.....May the mycrobe's be with all of us... Wednesday, January 13 View Page Wouldn't you know it. Yesterday my Worm farm came in the mail. The only thing is they didn't mail the dam worms at the same time. I have to wait for them. I set the worm farm up with such excitment only to be upset at not being able to put the worms to work. I'll be setting the farm up in the basement. It stays reasonably warm and it stays reasonably dark throughout the day and is totally dark during the night. Hope this helps boost my pumpkin weights. There is no shortage of vegitable scraps to use on the worm farm.... Thursday, January 14 View Page Finally the worms came in yesterday, I was glad that the Mailman came to the house as I was working outside in the frigid weather. It certainly was a good thing that the package of worms didn't stay out to long in the cold weather. They certainly would have died. I put them in the bottom tray of the can of worms composter. I also filled up the second tray full of salad scraps and banana peels as well as the coffee grounds. After coming home from work I noticed that the worms had worked their way around the composter. I was told that the worms will do this at first until they get settled and get used to the new habitat. Those red wigglers sure do move fast. I hope to have them do their jobs and start eating the stuff that I give them. This particular system is a good one and doesn't smell and seems to be the thing of the future for people wishing to make their own castings for compost tea and general over all gardening practices.Now its just a matter of time till they eat their way to the second layer. The bedding consists of coca nut shavings and the second layer consists of vegtable scraps and coffee grounds egg shells and banana peels. I found that some of the worms made their way to the second layer. Thats not a great thing considering that they have the first layer to eat through. I guess eventually they'll get to it. Perhaps I put to much food for them or was it the coffee grounds giving them that blast of energy....LOL...time will tell. on my worm casting adventures and in this hobby theirs nothing short of the great pumpkin dreams and chasing the orange cantaloped fantasy... Tuesday, January 19 View Page The Rain has come to wash away the snow and the salt. The sand however still appears. The worm farm is going well the worms are used to their caffine filled hotel full of Hills Brothers Wet Newspaper and the greens and egg shells. busy eating all they can. Come on Boys keep em coming. Most people would find that the worm farm is smells. To the contrary, I find them to be clean and operable as if everything has has its place and there is a somewhat order to those slimmy things. Wednesday, January 20 View Page Turned the compost pile and added some of it to the patch. It looks like its done I turned it and was able to get to the center of it I dropped some blood meal in the center of it and layed down some more compost. Soon I'll get in contact with one of the wisemen to see his Tea Brewer. Small little work daily will help with the work load once the season starts. Saturday, January 23 View Page I got a small band saw from Sears. It took me about an Hour to get the Dam Blade set on it right. I even had to stop and ask God to help me.UGGHH.....I'm making small pumpkin signs to mark the seeds that I plant. I'll burn or get letters put down to mark the seed info and pollinator. I think it will be a cool thing to do not to mention give credit to the grower who gave me the seed.It's the least I can do considering the generosity that was given to me and not to mention it's a good thing to take pictures next to while giving the grower updates as to how their seed is doing. As of now i'll be growing the Oliver 1375 and the Wallace 1395 and the 1068 Radonis...The Pollinators may be the 845 Bobier, and possibly another seed to be named. So many things to think about. Monday, January 25 View Page What a weekend. I worked so hard on Saturday to get the Band saw set up and get the seed markers cut,sanded, panted and dried.I got a bubble pack from Matt Debacco..Awesome I got somemore squash seeds to grow a greenie.So I now have Joe's seeds and Matt's seeds. I do believe that Matt is on to great things with his squash seeds and lets not forget about the man from Scituate.I'm sure that he'll eventually get a green jacket to. Now I have some thinking to do as far as squash seeds are considered...I even made a green seed marker for the greenie. Kenny Is going green and Orange this year.lol! Not to mention Crazy. I got a spicket and a washer and nuts and made a 30 gallon rain barrel. It's an Ugly blue. But then again I got it from my dad for free. It has no cover so I have to get some plywood cut and get a metal handle fixed to it. I have it on the shed gutter. I'll see with the rain today if it works good. I think I'll be using that Barrel for making some worm tea after all it's at home near the small patch that I have going. I have to make more more barrels and use them at my larger patch that is at my parents house. Friday, January 29 View Page Its Cold that's what I have to say...I was out all day in this weather, Had a tactical team drill. It was cold Bone chilling....I worked on the Pumpkin signs and have them almost done. I varnished the outside of them. I'll be planting the Wallace 1502. Joe Jutras Squash and the Oliver 1375. After e-mailing Pap I decided that the 1502 would be a repeat performer and I could do good planting it. I'll do it justice. Also I'll be planting Bill Rodonis's 1068. I don't have the room for all the plants and I'll have to till more area to acomidate all the plants I do suspect that the patch will be crowded to say the least. My nephew will be planting a plant also my Watkinson 679. It has the 1180 Pukos and the 1289 Holland as the pollinator. He's 12 and will certainly have some fun watching it grow. I told the little guy that I'd help him but he was gonna do the work. I also said that I'd make sure I paid his entre fee to get the pumpkin weighed at the Freriches Farm weigh off. This is all contingent on if he plants the seeds and takes care of them...Make me proud kid!!!!!! I went to the local Lumber yard to get some 2x4's to start on the small green houses. This year I'll take more time in getting the right kind of design. I cut the wood and set it aside. It's gonna be 4x3 and 3 ft high. I have such little room to have a huge housing area that this will have to do. Luckily for me May is a slow year since the roots are developing and taking hold. Sorry people that I haven't posted many pics. I'd like to show some of you the corny signs that I've made to mark my plants. Yes it is a bit overkill however I plan On giving the seeds original owners weekly updates as to how their seeds have done. I think it's the least I can do for them since they're given me a great deal AND ASKED NOTHING IN RETURN...YOU GUYS KNOW WHO YOU ARE.THANKS for the seeds and thanks for the helping hand and e-mails and attention to my soil issues.... Saturday, January 30 View Page Almost done with the pumpkin signs. Just gonna mark them and take the wood burner to them to make the ribs. God I can't wait to get the season started this weather is killing me and I'm so bored I wanna start to work on getting the patch ready and work in the yard......Please God let there be sun......I'd like to get a priest to the house to bless the patch....I wanna get a nice size pumpkin. This year I fed the pumpkin a generouse amount of Mollasis. It seemed to help out. The worm farm is busy at work. Those little guys gotta start getting busy and eating now! Wednesday, February 10 View Page Well another snowy day. AHHHH...Took a look at the worm farm. the worms are busy at work. The green house project has been postponed due to the bad weather that we've been having. I'd like to get them out in Feb To help warm up the soil. Plenty of coffee grounds in the patches and the seed selection is almost complete. The Oliver 1375, Wallace 1502, Jutras 1020 (squash) and the Radonis 1068. I've got the seed signs made to mark the plant with the seed that I'll be planting. Also made one for Mike Oliver and one that represents the S.N.G.P.G. I just have to plant the stakes that will be holding the signs up. I'll be painting them an Emerald green....Wasn't able to post any pictures as my computer is acting up. I'll be going to work and coming home to the Snow. I'll certainly have to shovel for 2 hours to get the cars free of all the icy slushy snow. God, I wish the snow would just go out to sea. Let the games begin....Got 25 pounds of salt to help break up all the ice that will form.... Saturday, February 20 View Page What a week. Been a while since I posted in my log. I've been busy with the house. Up keep and repairs. I got the pumpkin signs done and I gave one to The Mighty Mike Oliver. He loved it. that's a good thing. On Thursday I went to the mail box and discovered that the Wallace Clan had given me a bubble pack full of great seeds and My dream seed A Wallace 1288. What a great surprise I had had a bad week at work and getting such a great seed made my day. Made me feel like 1288 million dollars. Today I made a green house. A bit bigger and higher then it should be but then again I'll work out the kinks. I've found a good way to keep the greenhouses warm at night without having a light on them all night. Soon I'll add the plastic to them and staple away. Made a practice batch of soil soup. Or Field Chawdah as I like to call it. It's bubbling away quite nice it has a frothy spray on the top. My wife's plants certainly will enjoy the cocktail. I got a big case of cabin fever. Some of it was cured because of the sun. Power washed the driveway and will be getting the shed re shingles. So much to do. One thing a man always needs is 1. A good Doctor. 2. A forgiving priest. 3. A great Accountant. 4. A good set of tools or a great carpenter. lol! The worm farm is going strong. I checked out those guys and noticed that there where some baby worms that just hatched. Small tiny ones that have taken residence in the compost. That tells me that the farm is a working and functional one at that. The worms enjoy a good load of leaves and organic crap. The patch will be tilled once the weather softens up the rock hard ground. We need a good rain the totally rid us of the snowy spots. I dread having to till up the patch lotta work. It always seems that I have to wrestle that power tool around to get it to do the job it's intended to do. Hey My grandfather in the old country had a donkey to do that. Saturday, February 27 View Page What a strange Weather pattern that we've been having. It appears that the Sun wanted to come out but was forced to hide. Well I've gotten a lot of work done on the homestaed. The Shed will have new siding next week If we get things done right and the weather cooperates. St. Patrick's day will be here soon and. I'll be playing My Bagpipes at the Pawtucket Parade for the Friendly Brothers of St. Patrick.....The Worm Farm is still at it and the coffee grounds are still being collected in the shed. I have another 10 gallons that will stay in the shed. I'll wack it up with some bloodmeal and hope it starts to cook. I'm eager to get the season rolling.......The weather should break in the next few weeks. Seed selection is already finalized and plans for the greenhouse designs are finished.....Please let there be SUN! Thursday, March 4 View Page Cold weather with snow. Busy week. I got the entire yard rid of those dam wild onions growing. I have 4 barrels full of them. About 600 lbs of them in all and I'm sure I didn't get all of them. Last night I hayforked the smaller patch at my house where the 1288 Wallace will be going. The soil looks rich and fertile. Only a good soil test will determine that. I'll be looking for some great numbers when it comes to that I may need to add a bit of epson salt to it. The Cabin Fever has curtailed due to the snow being off the ground. Small projects before work seem to suit me fine staying busy is never a problem. Will post pics soon as the computer decides to cooperate....St. Patrick's day will be here soon and I'll be playing for a number of Parades...There's something special about the Bagpipes. Saturday is supose to be around 50 degrees. That'll be great weather to play. Not to much cold and not to hot. The pipes sometimes don't like to cooperate in a harsh enviroment. Kilts and loaded flasks will be the uniform of the day with plenty of beer at the Irish Social Club after its done......Erin Go Braugh!!!!!!!!!!!! Tuesday, April 27 View Page Its been forever since I posted a diary..Sorry bout that so much has been taking place. Had the SNGPG'S Seminar on Sunday. It was great. Matt D did a great job and so did Mike Oliver with the set up as well as the rest of the club. I started the Wallace 1288 as WELL as THE Oliver 1375, Wallce 1596 and the VanKooten 1142. What A Great Line up. I also Have a 1068 Rodonis. And My seed..Watkinson 679.The plants are opening up the 1st true leaf. The 1142 Van Kooten seems to be in Second And the Wallace 1596 leading the way along with the Wallace 1288. The Patch needs one more till to get the kelp down a bit. I've been getting up the grass clumps up from the patch. I extended it for a bit. I'll be planting 4 plants and one pollinator. The Pollinator will be pulled to let room for the other's to grow I haven't chosen which one yet....Decisions, Decisions! Right now the plants are outside for a few hopurs a day then I move them back under the lights. They get rest at 8 oclock at night until 7 in the morning then they get moved outside to help harden them off. I think I finally got it. No formula just paying attention to the plants. I got this magic number the other day 746...It keeps popping up! Wonder what that means? lol Friday, April 30 View Page What a great Day. I awoke early and quickly made my way to the depot and loes. I bought to trees amall ones to plant. I made my way to the larger patch to transplant the Wallace 1596. It had to go in the ground quick. The first true leaf was about the size of a baseball and it was growing leaps and bounds. I mixed the myco and some kelp into the planting area then I carefully removed the taped up pot. The roots where at full tilt ready to rumble. Mounded up the soil and mixed more myco around the roots. I'm a pig with this stuff. Layed down some native soil around it and watered with some sea weed at the base and lightly on the plant. I also added some compost to the base of the plant . I must say that this plant is stocky and aggressive to say the least. I closed the green house and that was that. I went back a few hours later to unzip the cloch to give the plant some air the temps in the greenhouse are hot anfd god knows I don't want to loose this plant do to the greenhouse being to hot. I quickly put some water on the cloch to cool it down a bit. fingers always crossed. Now I have the 1142 Vankooten planted at my house and the Wallace 1288 and Th Wallace 1596 at the larger patch. Cloches are working well and the plants are healthy and strong. I have the materials to build another house for the Oliver 1375, After Uncle Joe tills the patch one more time I'll put the cloch in palace and transplant the plant into the ground..Hope it turns out good. I have the Rodonis 1068 as a back up and will plant that in another location....growers start your engines!!!! Saturday, May 1 View Page Wow another productive morning. Had uncle Joe till up the patch one more time. The kelp was added and the final plant was added for my line up the 1375 Oliver. The greenhouses where set up and the plant was transplanted. I have a back up of the 1068 Radonis. I'll wait before planting that one in another patch because I may need it If I have any mishaps in the beginning. The 1288 looks like a keeper and the 1596 looks great. I opened up the cloches to air the greenhouse. Its pretty hot out here and IO don't want to over stress the plants more then they are. Soon I'll be adding some fertilizer to the soil. high phospherouse. The plants need to reach the 5 ture leave before they can get that cock tail. I'll be just waiting till the roots take hold May is the most boring month of the year for growing. The roots are taking hold and little progress will be made. On Monday the 1020 Jutras will go into a small are. Its a green squash and then the long goards will be researched and then planted in the grape vine area,I love the growing season. Monday, May 10 View Page Boy talk about stressing it last night with the frost..The Frost that didn't come....Tonight it may..that means it MAY...NOTHING definite. I'll take no chances. This morning I double wrapped the hoophouses with additional plastic and then I vented the entire structure. Its vented at a 80 degree temp. Before leaving for work I'll make sure I lay down the rubber maid containers then blanket them up. Its a stressor to say the least. The plants are looking good although I see that the 1596 Wallace plant looks a little unsettled. It has some damage to the leafs. My own fault of using some fish early on. Perhaps the mixture was to rich. At any rate I won't be fertilizing at all for quite some time. I may use more seaweed but no direct applications. Now the wait begins for a nice frost night or maybe not. I don't want to get to motivated and fry my plants before the frost comes in. Hell I bet the entire pumpkin growing world will laugh at that on.lmao! Kennytheheat did the reverse of what he was trying to do and still managed to kill of his plants lol! Never, Never Never I say!!!! Wednesday, May 26 View Page Another Hot day For growing Today I made sure I weeded the garden. I left some of the weeds as I will give the patch one more tilling. It's been fun and stressful so far. The Wallace 1288 Is growuing at warp speed. I'm worried about the direction of the main vine its growing towards the lawn as opposed to where it should be. I'll correct those problems today and friday. The 1596 Wallace is looking great and is starting to run. Not enough to bury the main vine but its close. The Oliver 1375 looks strong soon in about 2 days the vines will run on the ground. The 1375 has gotten less attention then the Wallace plants but it looks really strong. I weeded in the green houses and gave the plants some seaweed and fish I also gave them some Molasis to feed the mycrobes. I have to get one more till in the garden. Then I'll be in buisness. I planted some of my seeds and they're up and doing okay. I must admit that I put them in a spot that wasn't the best and they're shoewing signs of Iron deficiencies. nO WORRIES AS ui INTENDED SOME OF THEM TO BE POLINATORS. tHE 1068 rODONIS WAS ATTACKED BY AN IDIOT COMMANDO rABBIT. lEAVES CHEWED AND RIPPED APART. tHAT GOT ME CRAZY.... Thursday, July 15 View Page I know its been a while. The pumpkins are getting big and starting to put on weight. The Wallace 1288 IS starting to put on some big gains. I just measured the circumferance and it was at 250 lbs. Not bad I have more work to do as the pumpkins are growing great and I weanna keep it that way. The rooting systems on the Wallace genetics are the best I've ever seen. You can't beat those genetics. Friday, August 6 View Page ! Yahoo! Friday, August 6 View Page What a great day today.The pumpkins have been making such great progress. I'm having a great year. I must admit I'm sandbaggin lol. Won't tell ya the weight..It will be big and heavy I will not disapoint....lol