Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 62 Entries. Friday, April 29 View Page One of my favorite sayings: Dream it....Believe it....Do it! Yes - we know that "Do it" is the most important. So plan your work, then work your plan. And remember, we're playing Mother Nature's game. So figure out how to play by her rules!   Friday, April 29 View Page The garden angels say, "LET'S DO IT!!"   Thursday, May 5 View Page Like many other Ohio growers, I had to play hooky from work, to take advantage of a warm sunny day and get the seedlings in the ground, before our next batch of rainy days. I over-sized the hole and back filled with 50% garden soil & 50% dry potting mix.   Thursday, May 5 View Page All three seeds germinated with no problem, but were in need of some sun. Please note my high tech ventilation system! I'm a little nervous about the cool wet soil, (no electric...so no heating cables)so I held off on planting backup plants with the first string. I might need them later, if I experience "return of the maggots!"   Monday, May 16 View Page All winter, I felt sure this was going to be a great season. But my seedlings got off to a slow start. And even though I did everything I know of, I lost one to........seed corn maggots!! I right away started backups. Now my luck has changed, because...........   Monday, May 16 View Page ...."I'm looking over a four leaf cl...." Uhhhhh.....four leaf 1725 Harp?   Monday, May 16 View Page Yep! All on one stem. I'm sure it means GOOD LUCK!!!!!   Sunday, May 29 View Page Party pumpkins....Prizewinners - 150 Rea's - Phat Jack - Phat Nana - and my new cross for this year, Phat Kat. They are basking in the sun, waiting for the garden to dry and get retilled.   Monday, May 30 View Page Here they are!   Monday, May 30 View Page Storms kinda ruined my finely prepared patch! Those ruts are a foot deep! I think our weather has finally changed. The sun is shining. Yeah!!!   Friday, June 3 View Page What a difference a couple days make! Taken from the same spot as the last picture...retilled...sectioned off...SVB traps in place...party pumpkins planted!   Friday, June 3 View Page My 75' x 155' patch. The left 2 rows are for 30 party pumpkin plants. The center, packed down row, is the drive for my garden cart, so I can work from the center as well as the outside. The right row is for 5 AG's. They are behind schedule, but determined to catch up!!   Friday, June 3 View Page SVB traps...lookin' good!   Friday, June 3 View Page Happy to be in the ground! Phat Nana seeds gave us some great pumpkins last year. We're looking forward to seeing what the Phat Kat cross produces.   Saturday, June 4 View Page Planting party today at Gourd Hill. Thank you, Tom Swain ("swaintech") for your designer gourd seeds.   Saturday, June 4 View Page The girls planted 20 gourd seeds with a perimeter of marigolds.   Saturday, June 4 View Page Making the finishing touch.   Saturday, June 4 View Page "Ta - daaa!!"   Thursday, July 7 View Page A message board topic over the winter, was about whether yellow vines indicated orange pumpkins. This 150 Rea plant is a cross I made a few years ago....Prizewinner with 669 Muller. The vines are yellow....   Thursday, July 7 View Page Yep! They're yellow! And the pumpkins are ALWAYS very bright orange.   Thursday, July 7 View Page Another topic was, if it was better to grow the main vine one direction or another. After asking several top dogs, it seems it makes no difference for the pumpkin! I am growing all my plants this year from west to east. So far, the vines have been very easy to manage.   Thursday, July 7 View Page 150 Rea....just a pretty picture of a new beginning.   Thursday, July 21 View Page My first pumpkin to hit the 20 day mark....1610 Lieber at 75" CC. I had two 1610 plants growing. One plant had male flowers that didn't mature, or open. Plenty of females, but two aborted at melon size. Soooo....a plant with no pumpkin = goodbye plant!!   Tuesday, July 26 View Page I'm so glad that of my two 1610 plants, one was normal! Here she is at day 25. OTT 198   Tuesday, July 26 View Page 1161 Rodonis....a little tipsy!! I tried to straighten her up, but I think this is as good as its gonna get! Day 20....OTT 185   Tuesday, July 26 View Page 1725 Harp....I'm liking this! What do you think, Christy? Day 22....OTT 198 (correction on 1610's OTT. Its 227)   Sunday, August 7 View Page This stone patch sign is a gift from my terrific nieces and nephews. My plants have gone from 5 to 4 to 3 to 2!! The 1725 Harp has officially stopped growing. No known cause yet. Hopefully, when I pull the plant, something will show up. I'll also send in for a tissue test. Boo hoo!!!   Sunday, August 7 View Page Still hanging in there, is the 1161 Rodonis. D30....OTT 264   Sunday, August 7 View Page Lookin' good at 35 days....1610 Lieber....OTT 293   Thursday, August 18 View Page Mirror, mirror on the wall....who's the fairest of them all? My two pretty pumpkins look almost alike. 1610 Lieber is a little bigger, but also a little older at day 45.   Thursday, August 18 View Page 1161 Rodonis at day 40. I like this plant (some might not). Sprawled over a large area...short leaf stalks...medium sized, lighter green leaves...lots of air flow. Hope this plant is still cookin' for some good Sept pumpkin growth!   Friday, August 19 View Page Hoe, Hoe, Hoe! Once a week the kids had a work day at Gourd Hill. It is burstig at the seams.   Friday, August 19 View Page Working in the garden always ends with popsicles.   Saturday, August 20 View Page This is my sweetie girl, Kasey and the 1610 Lieber. Both looking pretty sweet!!   Monday, August 22 View Page Sunday, the kids chose their pumpkin and carved their name on it. Everything is exciting to Kasey!   Monday, August 22 View Page This is Morgan. The pumpkins are either Prizewinners or 150 Rea's....a cross I made a few years ago, of a Prizewinner & 669 Muller.   Monday, August 22 View Page Heath, with the sun in his eyes, has the biggest pumpkin. It tapes over 300 lbs. My son is always thrilled to pick these up and take them home in October!!   Monday, August 22 View Page This is Megan. We used to use a large nail to scratch the names on. Now we use tools for sculpting clay. They work great. When the carving was done, it was time for pizza and wings and, of course, more popsicles!!   Wednesday, September 7 View Page A Prizewinner here....a Prizewinner there.....Ee i ee i oh!   Saturday, September 10 View Page Now is this a cheerful sunflower plant, or what?   Saturday, September 10 View Page 1610 Lieber....She's getting some stretch marks, but at least she still wants to grow!   Friday, September 16 View Page Can you say....."GROUND HOG HOLE?"   Friday, September 16 View Page Can you say....."LUNCH?"   Sunday, September 18 View Page 1610 Lieber plant - I worked really hard this year to keep the plant healthy....with the goal of getting good Sept growth. 2 more weeks & I'll know.   Sunday, September 18 View Page 1161 Rodonis - closing in on 1100# est. "Mirror, mirror....OK, I might not be the prettiest girl in the patch....But I'm not too shabby either! And crossed with the 1610 Lieber, I betcha I'll have beautiful babies!"   Wednesday, October 5 View Page Christy and I, getting ready to head for the Canfield OVGPG weighoff.   Wednesday, October 5 View Page The 1161 Rodonis gave me a new personal best. Now, the 1244.5 REA 11. The pollinator is the 1610 Lieber.   Wednesday, October 5 View Page Bringing the 1610 Lieber to the scale, before it was declared "damaged"!! A mouse hole was discovered when we lifted it on Thursday, and by Saturday, it went into the cavity. Bummer! It is now the 1213.5 REA 11 dmg.   Wednesday, October 5 View Page Our grand prize winners....Dave and Carol Stelts with their mean 1807.5!!!   Wednesday, October 5 View Page 2011 Ohio Valley exhibitors. What a great bunch! What a great day!   Thursday, October 6 View Page A few people have asked me for the most recent photo of my 1610 Lieber......Here ya go!!!!   Thursday, October 6 View Page OK....rewind about 2 weeks. My adult nephew...really just an over-grown kid...asked me if he could blow up one of the giant pumpkins. The answer, "Absolutely NOT!" At the weighoff, when the pumpkin was declared damaged, he leaned over and said, "Now can I blow it up?" So on Sunday, about 30 people were here...eating pizza...and standing on the hill in the rain, to watch the "Pumpkin blowup"! Not the most successful blowup, but everyone had fun!   Friday, October 14 View Page Time for our annual "Punkin Pickin Party" when we give away all the pumpkins. Each year my grandkids make a sign for everyone to put their name on.   Friday, October 14 View Page I save all the signs and put them all up the next year.   Friday, October 14 View Page Here's a few more.   Friday, October 14 View Page This year we added a photo gallery.   Friday, October 14 View Page At sunset....so everything's looking a little yellow!   Friday, October 14 View Page Cleaning up the pumpkins.   Friday, October 14 View Page Some more kids and moms.   Friday, October 14 View Page Granddaughter, Megan, posing with the pumpkins. Everyone had a great time!   Sunday, November 6 View Page Today Hannah helped me get the seeds from the 1244.5 REA 11 (1161 Rodonis x 1610 Lieber). What a beautiful day!   Thursday, December 29 View Page Wishing you a new personal best in 2012! HAPPY NEW YEAR from the Rea's