Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 134 Entries. Saturday, March 12 View Page Started 291 Kent and 109 Kent for the Iowa State Fair Watermelon. Will start 2 more watermelons for backups later today.Going out to work in the high tunnel with ground cables and planting a few radishes.   Tuesday, March 29 View Page Both fair plants are up 1725 Harp and 1725 Sweet. 291 Kent and 109 Kent for early fair are outside looking good!   Friday, April 1 View Page Photo of my Iowa State Fair plants 1725 Harp and 1725 Sweet.   Friday, April 1 View Page 1725 Sweet in hoop at home. I plan to grow a fall plant in hoop this year so the the 1725 Harp will go to another location.I plan to cross the 2 if all goes as planed. Southeast Iowa plan to make a good showing at the fair with 3-4 growers making the trip hopefully.   Friday, April 1 View Page My first tomato of the year off the Harp cutting from the fall. This plant will be moved to the high tunnel in a few weeks after the rest of the tomatoes turn. It is a nice sized tomato for growing in a 1/2 gal pot.   Friday, April 1 View Page 48 degrees outside with 28 mph winds but inside the high tunnel it is 75 degrees and calm. Here is Helen and Thomas weeding the German Giant radishes first planting. I have ordered a couple more row covers from Tom today to help start a few more rows.   Sunday, April 3 View Page The 291 Kent for the Fair looking good so far,very aggressive at this point.   Sunday, April 3 View Page 109 Kent for the fair, not as good as the 291 but a lot of time to make up.   Sunday, April 3 View Page Here is my used 27 x 45 greenhouse, finally have plastic on. the wind is 25 mph from the SE today and tomorrow going to be 25-35 from the NW. That should test it.Still have roll up side to attach.   Sunday, April 3 View Page Another photo of the 27 x 45 greenhouse.Only single layer on will add a layer in the fall.   Saturday, April 16 View Page My Iowa State fair 291 Kent Plant about ready to grow out of the hoop.   Saturday, April 16 View Page A shot of both State Fair Plants side by side.Next wek they should be out of these hoops. I may need to build a bigger hoop if the weather stays cold.   Saturday, April 16 View Page 1725 Sweet ready to bust out.   Saturday, April 16 View Page The 27 x 45 greenhouse with the roll up side on now. Still no doors yet just too windy. I plan to grow a fall melon inside along with a cantaloupe in half of this.   Tuesday, April 26 View Page Started 1663 Zoellner 1610 Lieber 1536 Marsh 1325 Sperry 1504 Paton more to start Long Gourds up 135 Jacobus 125.5 Jutras watermelons up 291 Kent 260 Kent 110 Bright more to start Two 25 Schnicker Cantaloupes up will start 2 more Weather is wet and cold no hurry yet. Giant tomatoes will start this weekend.   Sunday, May 1 View Page Picture inside the new hoop of the 291 Kent and 40 heirloom tomato plants.   Sunday, May 1 View Page Helen with the Iowa State Fair watermelon plants 291 and 109 Kent.   Sunday, May 1 View Page 1725 Sweet plant with Helen at 6-7 Ft. range for the Iowa State Fair. Everything is on pace as the 2009 season did. The 1725 Harp is doing well also.   Monday, May 2 View Page Nice day in the 50's, I planted the 1663 ZOELLNER, 1536 Marsh,and 1325 Sperry outside in there hoops. The 1504 Paton started up then stopped, it had no root coming out of the seed so I started another one. Planted 1610 Lieber In the tunnel also today and the 135 Jacobus LG at its trellis. Started yesterday a 993 Vincent-Mcgill, 1495 Stelts, 1414 Rodonis, 700 Schnicker,688 Schnicker 1099 Schnicker   Sunday, May 15 View Page Radishes have been great again.   Sunday, May 15 View Page Inside the High Tunnel with the 109 and 291 Kent side by side. The 1725 Sweet is in the back ground.   Sunday, May 15 View Page 1725 Sweet   Sunday, May 15 View Page A few of my State Fair onions.   Sunday, May 22 View Page A 109 Kent a few days old,I will wait to see if I can get a few more set and pick the best grower of the bunch.I believe this is the earliest I have set a melon. We did use males from both plants so its a guess who did the job.   Sunday, May 22 View Page 291 Kent female, not very long but tried to pollinate Saturday.   Sunday, May 22 View Page 2 females on the 1725 Sweet back to back at 15-17 ft. The 1725 Harp plant has a female at 15 ft. and should open in a few days. We will self it and cross the 1725 Sweet with the 1725 Harp.   Sunday, May 22 View Page Photo of the 1725 Sweet plant. I will start turning side vines this week and dead ending some side vines next weekend. I must limit the size of the plant to get the fall plant (1610 Lieber) room to grow.   Sunday, May 22 View Page I like these photos of the tunnel as the plants grow. The tunnel is 30 ft. wide and the 1725 Sweet is running out of room. The plant even has a couple slight turns in it to get more room for the plants main.The 2 melon plants are filling up there space,(109 Kent left side 291 Kent right side).   Sunday, May 22 View Page 30 tons of what they call Dirty Sand brought in for fall prep.This soil is from Lee county Iowa where they used to grow watermelons everywhere years ago. I have been using some for the fall plant area inside the High Tunnel. The stuff is heavy but works in very well with the compost.   Sunday, May 22 View Page World record 135 Jacobus long gourd taking off.   Thursday, May 26 View Page Pollinated the 1725 Harp today (selfed) 4 lobe with seeds---Not Good :( Another one should open in 5 days or so.1725 Sweet should open this weekend but so far all females on side vines have seeds in blossom also. Still no takers on the 291 Kent watermelon plant with very few females to pollinate. The 109 Kent melon is taking off and about the size of a football.   Saturday, May 28 View Page 109 Kent somewhere around day 13, 34c-23ee-17ss= 74 ott. Starting to really take off now. Pollinated a few more today in case a couple look better at early growth.   Saturday, May 28 View Page This is a 291 Kent female that is a lot longer now. Hit it with many males from 9 am - 11 am off the 109 Kent. We had three females open off the 291 maybe we will get one set. Also had our first 291 Kent fall melon open today nice and long but wish plant was bigger.   Saturday, May 28 View Page 1725 Sweet about to open in the next 2 days on the main vine out 17 ft.   Saturday, May 28 View Page Another photo of the 1725 Sweet plant.   Sunday, May 29 View Page Pollinated the 1725 Sweet today with the 1725 Harp. A nice 5 lobe female no seeds, good shape. Now hope it takes. Will have #2 open tomorrow but will self this one. The 1725 Harp plant is too wet to get to for males. We have had over 5 inches of rain the last 5 days. Calling for the 90s tomorrow so will have the fans going to keep the female as cool as I can.   Monday, May 30 View Page 1725 Harp x self 4 days old, started the bend in main today. Another 1725 Harp will open tomorrow.   Monday, May 30 View Page 1725 Harp plant   Thursday, June 2 View Page More rain today over 1 inch again. Sprayed for the 10th time today for cucumber beetles. There are thousands dead on the leaves and they keep coming. 3 years ago it was like this and they never went away that year. Day 8 today on the 1725 harp and day 4 and 3 on the 1725 Sweet. Will have another 1725 open on Friday.The 109 Kent watermelon is 44 cir. and no big numbers just 2 inches a day cir.   Friday, June 3 View Page 109 Kent 47-22.5-31=100.5 OTT est.36 pounds around 17 days or so.73 days till fair. still no 291 set yet. Hit several females and no go yet.   Saturday, June 4 View Page Day 10 1725 Harp, Day 6 1725 Sweet, Both have grown some the last 2 days. 109 Kent melon has gained 5 pounds in the last day. I have only one nice fall melon plant now lost the 110 Bright and the 260 Kent is slow to take off from no ground cables this year. Lost most of the cantaloupe plants from the cold and heat.Still have time to get a plant going and a nice one yet. Another day of rain after I got the hay cut   Saturday, June 11 View Page First major cull of the year off the 1725 Sweet. Happy to be indoors after all the storms and rain. Outside plants took a beating with side vines riped out after they where buried. They will come out of it and be OK. Someone can turn off the water now for a few days.This will make 4 wet years in a row.   Saturday, June 11 View Page 1725 Harp pumpkin   Saturday, June 11 View Page This is what happens when it is 95 degrees outside and 115 degrees inside. High tunnels are great for several things but not heat. This is the 1725 Sweet plant with several fried leaves.I had shade and fans going but just too hot.This will slow down the fruit some for a couple days and hope it does not abort from the heat.   Saturday, June 11 View Page 1610 Lieber fall plant took the heat good but the female looks to be immature from the heat and I do not see another in the tip so probably will have another 17 ft set on this plant.   Saturday, June 11 View Page Photo of the melon plants and a big bump in there under the sheet. Not setting any records but should will have a nice melon for fair again. It is gaining only 2.6 pounds a day the last 8 days but the high heat 90-96 degrees outside or 100-115 inside did not help its gains.   Saturday, June 11 View Page 5 day old melon on the 291 Kent plant on a side vine. All the main vine sets were lopsided. I do have another set on the other side of this plant a day younger with the same shape.   Saturday, June 11 View Page Kelsae onions for the fair bulbing now. I should of measured the bulbs to set how fast they are growing.   Saturday, June 11 View Page Hunt tomato plant   Saturday, June 11 View Page My keeper on the 1725 Sweet Fair Plant at 13 days. Setting no records on gains just too hot the last week.   Saturday, June 11 View Page 291 Kent fall watermelon plant taking over the hoop. I should get a set here in a couple weeks if not sooner.This hoop I can control the heat better from being smaller and the sides open a bit higher.   Saturday, June 11 View Page This was a huge mega blossom on a heirloom tomato. Looks like only the outside parts took and not the middle.   Saturday, June 11 View Page Photo of the new hoop with the 291 Kent and 56 heirloom tomato plants. I also have long beans,cucumbers,celery and a 3 onion plants.   Saturday, June 11 View Page 123.5 Jutras long gourd plant going wild now. I hope to get one or 2 set for the fair in a couple weeks.   Saturday, June 18 View Page What is missing?   Saturday, June 18 View Page This pumpkin is missing from the 1725 Sweet fair pumpkin plant. It never really took off then in the heat it slowed down then stopped. I cut it off today and liquid just ran out of the stem so it was still getting flow from the vine.Just was too hot and rotted. I do have a couple side vine fruits yet that are 14 days old and are growing OK so not all is lost yet.   Saturday, June 18 View Page A side vine fruit off the 1725 Sweet selfed so no 1725 H x 1725 S this year. Gains are 4 inches a day as of the last 2 days.   Saturday, June 18 View Page The other side vine fruit one inch bigger.   Saturday, June 18 View Page Iowa State Fair watermelon off the 109 Kent 132 ott est.73 pounds. 58 more days to go.   Saturday, June 18 View Page 291 Kent melon for the Iowa State Fair. Needs to get going and play catch up,melon will be only around 68 days old by Fair.   Saturday, June 18 View Page Iowa State Fair onions at 18 inches cir. now. Might get 20 more days out of them I hope of gains.   Saturday, June 18 View Page Photo of the 1610 Leiber plant for the fall inside the tunnel. I see the first female way inside the cluster on the main. I figure it will be 18-20 ft. out on the main. This will put it on the outside of the tunnel or by my long gourd trellis. I could head it over by the fair plant and place it on the mat that I just cut the main fruit off of.   Saturday, June 18 View Page Tunnel getting full of green stuff.   Saturday, June 18 View Page Fall plants 1663 Zoellner left and 1536 Marsh on the right.Storm after storm have them beat up some but seem to be coming back. Just need a dry period to get them in shape.   Saturday, June 18 View Page 1495 Stelts plant a little slow from the storms but taking off now.   Saturday, June 18 View Page Front plant is a 1096 Paton plant that was about pulled because it was shredded by cucumber beetles and main vine snapped at 3 ft. Trained side vine for main now plant looking better. We may get a nice pumpkin yet for the kids.In the back ground I have back to back 1414 Rodonis with a 1325 Sperry behind it. All 4 big plants are 14 ft plus now and should have females open next week.   Saturday, June 18 View Page Clare's 638 plant that was burned some when it was 96 degrees out starting to take off now but the first 2-3 side vines were burned off so waiting for the 3-4 side vines to come. I will take another photo of this plant in 2 weeks to see the progress for reference.   Saturday, July 2 View Page Clare, Matthew,and Helen with the 109 Kent watermelon, Just slow and steady, still along time till fair.   Saturday, July 2 View Page Helen withe the 1725 Sweet side vine fruit around 225 pounds.It was gaining 15 pounds a day then>>>   Saturday, July 2 View Page I cut it off because I have 3 fruit on one plant.This one is the slowest and has a problem but very heavy to drag out.   Saturday, July 2 View Page Here is the side of the fruit with its cracking and sliming.   Saturday, July 2 View Page Here is my main vine set now at 13 days old on the 1725 Sweet gaining 5.5 inches a day.So this plant may of just turned into a fall plant instead of a fair plant. So may not have anything for the fair this year. I still have a side vine set still on gaining 20 a day but will not be competitive. Could get to 600-700 pounds if I leave it.   Saturday, July 2 View Page Hot day get out the water slide.We went a record 5 days now without rain after 14 inches for June and only 2 days in a row without rain if that.The fall patch is like concrete now.   Saturday, July 2 View Page Heres the other side vine fruit on the 1725 Sweet only 18-20 a day at 25 days old. Its in terrible position on the vine also but will hold on to for a while.   Saturday, July 2 View Page Finally a fruit on the 1610 Leiber a 3 lober but was so hot today. I do not know if it will stay so need to get a side vine fruit set here also because out of room now for main vine. The next fruit on the main is deformed also.   Saturday, July 2 View Page 1325 Sperry x 1725 Sweet   Saturday, July 2 View Page 1325 Sperry x 1725 Sweet 10 days   Saturday, July 2 View Page 1663 Zoellner x 1725 Sweet around 10 days.   Saturday, July 2 View Page A nice big Heirloom tomato turning.   Saturday, July 2 View Page Heres another one.   Sunday, July 17 View Page Well hot and dry outside, we have gone 21 days now without a measurable rain. I have been away for 2 days so no watering has been done. I have a few pumpkins still growing so thats good and a couple new watermelons have set outside on the 260 Kent and my cantaloupes are finally taking off so should get a few set later this week after it cools down maybe by Friday.long gourds are growing good but the trellis came down in the hoop while I was gone so thats a mess now but it did not fall on the pumpkin plant. Maybe this evening I can get out there and try to raise it back up some how.   Sunday, July 24 View Page A 1.95 pounder off a Big Zac seed.   Sunday, July 24 View Page A 1.77 off the same BIG Zac plant.Hopefully I will get something bigger but does not look good as of now.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Thomas with a couple 122 Jutras long gourds.The left one should be at 90 inches today. We need 2 gourds for the fair so we will see what ones we take.   Sunday, July 24 View Page The other trellis with the Jacobus gourd.The one on the left is about to the ground now only 12 inches left. So this one may get the cut for the fair in 22 days. It is already over 90 inches.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Matthew with one of the tomatoes.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Thomas with one of my Iowa State Fair O.S. cabbages. I am surprised they look this good with the temps being as they are over 90-100. Must be the no rain for 30 days to rot them. We did get 1 tenth today.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Anne and Clare with my fair kohlrabi and a couple megaton cabbage.   Sunday, July 24 View Page The onions finishing up now with the largest 23 cir. Not bad for a later start and the heat we have had.   Sunday, July 24 View Page The fair melon at 165 ott now around 130 pounds still 22 days to go, off the 109 Kent plant.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Anne with one of the 291 Kent melons for the fall gaining fine but no big numbers.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Clare with a kitten and another 291 Kent melons.   Sunday, July 24 View Page A new 260 Kent melon outside the hoop house. The plant is small but starting to take off.   Sunday, July 24 View Page A 35 day old 1725 Sweet pumpkin on the main vine 25 ft out. Small gains but gaining in this heat.   Sunday, July 24 View Page The side vine set of the 1725 Sweet for the Iowa State Fair that will not die as of yet. I thought it was over but as of now it has healed and still gaining slowly. This thing is a wide pumpkin but short. Gains are at 10 pounds a day now.Hope it makes it but time will tell. The main vine pumpkin will probably catch it by fair time.   Sunday, July 24 View Page 1610 Lieber side vine set. This plant would not put females on the main vine so we set several on side vines.We did get one set on the main vine 11 days ago at 32 ft or so out.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Another 1610 side vine set with Thomas. This was a 3rd side vine set out 12 ft.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Here is the main vine set of the 1610 and another side vine set in the back ground.The main vine was at 35 inches at day 10.   Sunday, July 31 View Page 1725 Sweet side vine set rotting from the bottom at 305 ott. This was going to the Iowa State fair but days well over 90 plus with dew points over 70 has it very hot inside the tunnel. We have also only had 2 tenths of rain for the entire month of July. My long gourds have some kind of rot going on the tips with all this humidity. Be glad when the fair is here in 2 weeks to put an end to this suffering.   Sunday, July 31 View Page One final photo of the 1725 Sweet pumpkin and there were no seeds inside.I still have one pumpkin on the main vine at 280 ott around 48 days gaining only 15 a day. The plant is shot so this will go to the fair unless it goes bad. The 1610 Lieber plant has aborted 3 pumpkins that were set with 2 over 100 pounds.Just trying to get any pumpkins again this year is nuts again. Even the melons are slow this year from the heat.   Friday, August 5 View Page Still only 2 tenths of rain for the last 40 days.   Wednesday, August 10 View Page Thomas's 1536 Marsh pumpkin. This may be its last photo because of a hole caused by a bug and water was inside the hole and got soft.We tried to dry it out with the fan but way too deep now.   Wednesday, August 10 View Page Anne with a small 1495 Stelts pumpkin. This plant is very small but should hold up Ok for the local weigh-off.   Wednesday, August 10 View Page Thomas with the 1096 Paton pumpkin set on a new main that was set on a plant that was nearly dead. These plants amaze me what they can do. Thanks Ian for the seeds again.   Wednesday, August 10 View Page Anne with the 1414 Rodonis pumpkin. This plant has been beat up but pumpkin in good shape. Not big gains but a nice shaped pumpkin with a lot of bumps and knobs. The weather has cooled down so maybe things will improve. We did get 3 tenths of rain the other day so now we have had 1/2 inch the last 45 days. The nice thing is I do not have to mow the yard.   Wednesday, August 10 View Page Side view of the 1414 Rodonis.   Tuesday, August 16 View Page Well the Iowa State Fair is over for me for the year and here are my wife Mary and my results. Giant pumpkin 8th place 510 pounds 1st place jumbo watermelon 119 pounds 2nd place jumbo watermelon 114.3 pounds 1st place sunflower 3rd place sunflower 1st place long gourd 92.75 inches 2nd place long gourd 83.5 inches 1st place jumbo cabbage 23.1 pounds head only 2nd place jumbo cabbage 19.4 pounds head only 1st place kohlrabi 19.17 pounds 2nd place kohlrabi 15.34 pounds 1st place jumbo tomato 3.49 pounds 2nd place jumbo tomato 2.04 pounds 3rd place jumbo zucchini 1st place jumbo field pumpkin 1st place jumbo onion 4.68 pounds 2nd place jumbo onion 3.71 pounds 4th place long bean 2nd place in heirloom tomato 1st in round green cabbage 3rd in round green cabbage 4th in large red tomatoes 1st in pepper cherry bomb 1st in yellow tomatoes 1st in watermelon long type 2nd in watermelon long type   Tuesday, August 16 View Page Here is my first place Iowa State Fair tomato at 3.49 pounds. This tomato came from a volunteer plant inside my hoop house from one of my large plants from last year.   Tuesday, August 16 View Page Here is the 2.06 tomato that got 2nd place at the fair the next day at 2.04 pounds official This is off the 7.33 Hunt..   Tuesday, August 16 View Page Clare standing by the jumbo stuff with my 1st and 2nd place cabbage.   Tuesday, August 16 View Page Here was the big one the day before the Fair. It was 22 inches cir.   Tuesday, August 16 View Page Sunflower 1st place.   Tuesday, August 16 View Page 1st place reg. green round cabbage. Looks good for the heat we had this summer.   Tuesday, August 16 View Page 1st Place tomatoes yellow.This is an heirloom that originated from NE Iowa called fuzzy peach.or Wapsipinicon Peach.This tomato also got 2nd in the Heirloom tomato contest.   Tuesday, August 16 View Page 1st and 2nd place Watermelon regular long type.   Tuesday, August 16 View Page Our onion at 24 inches but the heat must of made it lite. But still 1st place at 4.68 pounds and 2nd place at 3.71 pounds.   Tuesday, August 30 View Page It rained! maybe 4 tenths! The grass may change from brown to green before frost. Now I hope the pumpkins hold together after this gully washer lol.So that puts us at an inch of rain the last 2 months total.   Saturday, September 3 View Page One of the Kelsae onion slices held by Thomas.I think this one was just around 4 pounds.   Saturday, September 3 View Page Time for a change around here after walking behind a tiller for all these years.   Saturday, September 3 View Page The rest of the beast,this will greatly help the clean up and soil amending process.   Saturday, September 3 View Page The 260 Kent watermelon still growing at 158 ott now and still 4 weeks to go.   Saturday, December 10 View Page Matthew with a sweet potato.   Saturday, December 10 View Page Seed removal and good eaten.   Saturday, December 10 View Page loading the 1414 Rodonis.   Saturday, December 10 View Page Up it goes.Lucky to get anything again this year.   Saturday, December 10 View Page Loaded for Anamosa. This is one of the better looking pumpkins I have grown.   Saturday, December 10 View Page Went over chart too.   Saturday, December 10 View Page End of the year tomato pick.I though I took a picture of the tomatoes off the 7.33 Hunt plant but I could not find it. These are just heirlooms. The Hunt plant had 20 tomatoes over 2 pounds and 15 tomatoes from 1-2 pounds with 2 over 3 pounds. I have keep seeds from 3 tomatoes off this plant.I still have tomatoes on the porch off this plant.Unreal.   Saturday, December 10 View Page Pumpkins, watermelon gourds loaded up for the Mt. Pleasant Giant pumpkin contest.   Saturday, December 10 View Page Gourds ready to be measured.   Saturday, December 10 View Page An other load of pumpkins showing up.   Saturday, December 10 View Page Unloading crew hard at it.   Saturday, December 10 View Page Dave Miller with a nice one.   Saturday, December 10 View Page Pumpkins and watermelon lining up nicely in front of the Agri-Center that helps put this thing on. I want to again thank everyone that donated seeds and purchased raffle tickets.It was another trying year in SE Iowa with swamp conditions early and drought conditions and heat during the summer.