Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 219 Entries. Sunday, January 1 View Page Happy New Year everyone.. Today was a good day. I made a trip to the local dairy farm and got a load of cow manure for my small compost pile and turned the pile also.. I am a compostaholic.......   Sunday, January 1 View Page There is a nasty rumor going around that I may grow a greenie, this may not be a rumor...   Sunday, January 8 View Page Abbynormal what did you do this weekend, well I stuffed approximately 3400 seed packs into 40 bubbles.. I feel much better now.. Thank You to all that donated to make the Sngpg Promo possible..   Sunday, January 8 View Page Turned small compost pile today. It was 139 in center before starting...   Wednesday, January 18 View Page Turned small compost pile today was 111 at start..   Tuesday, January 24 View Page Turned compost today was 117 at start..   Tuesday, January 31 View Page Turned compost pile was 97 at start, about time for a little nitro boost..   Tuesday, February 7 View Page Added 3lbs of bloodmeal and turned compost was 92 at start   Friday, February 17 View Page Added 3 lbs of blood meal and turned compost pile was 117 at start.   Sunday, March 4 View Page Added 6lbs of blood meal and turned compost pile was 102 at start...   Saturday, March 10 View Page Getting ready for summer..   Monday, March 12 View Page While spreading 250 lbs of lime, 50 lbs of humic acid and 50 lbs of 0-0-50 I found this. Now I think I know the source of my woodchuck problem...   Tuesday, March 13 View Page I learned a couple things today first 20 mule team borax doesn't dissolve all that well and second I learned how to take apart the nozzle on a pump sprayer and it works..   Wednesday, March 14 View Page Frank.........This is how you pose for a picture, at least try and make it look real.. Spread half the pile today ,, Stay tuned..   Thursday, March 15 View Page Finished spreading compost today..   Sunday, March 18 View Page Spread 200 lbs of kelp today, with a little luck the tiller will be out tomorrow.........   Monday, March 19 View Page Sprayed about a gal of molasses, changed oil in tiller and tilled garden..   Tuesday, April 3 View Page And in the beginning there was a pile...   Friday, April 6 View Page When is the last time you had your picture taken with the Easter Bunny ?   Saturday, April 7 View Page Did a 17 mile hike today along the western end of the state.. Some times I just don't believe it is RI..   Monday, April 9 View Page Easter Dinner. Life is good..   Wednesday, April 25 View Page It's 5am, wonder who else is filing seeds now ?   Wednesday, April 25 View Page 7:30am all seeds are in germ box. Let the games begin and good luck everyone..   Wednesday, April 25 View Page Turned the compost pile was real dry in center..   Saturday, April 28 View Page I have 4 seeds germed in less than 72 hours, my 859 and 1000, a 1103 Young and a 1320 Faskel..   Saturday, April 28 View Page In 80 hours I have two more 1000 and one 859 Ganserts, 1216 Debacco, 1210 VanHook and I started another 1059 Vincent McGill.   Thursday, May 3 View Page This hasn't been my best year germinating seeds, I lost a 1498 Breznick, took two attempts to germ a 1059 but did and have a funky looking 1210 VanHook that only time will tell what I do with it..   Monday, May 7 View Page Weeded out my cold frames and put 6 plants in the ground today, gave them a little happy root and watered them with some compost tea. Plants that went in today are the 1320 Faskel, 1216 Debacco, 1103 Young, 723 Kaczenski, and my 1000.5 and 859.. Seeing today is May 7th, my first excuse why I didn't break a ton is I started too late. More excuses to come..   Tuesday, May 8 View Page 1210 VanHook is in the ground along with a little happy root the cold frame got a dose of tea yesterday. It's a gloomy dismal day here in Rhode Island and that will be excuse number 2 why I didn't grow a ton..   Thursday, May 10 View Page 1059 Vincent McGill went in the ground this morning, life is good..........   Friday, May 11 View Page Spent 3 hours bonding with my hoe today, more to come tomorrow..   Sunday, May 20 View Page Finished the NST yesterday, had every intention of coming home and bonding with my hoe for an hour or so. After 14 miles on foot and 5 hours of bonding with the skeatres and ticks I changed my mind. This gave the weeds another day to suck the nutrients out of my soil, Never break a ton now be lucky to break 1950. So excuse #3 is weeds ate my amendments.   Monday, May 21 View Page Did a 20 gal tea drench on pumpkins, maters, and flowers. Also turned compost pile which was 122 at start..   Tuesday, May 29 View Page Took the cold frames off my 1000.5 and the 723 Kaczenski today, more to come tomorrow..   Wednesday, May 30 View Page 1103 Young and 1320 Faskel are out of cold frames..   Thursday, May 31 View Page Took my 859 and the 1216 Debacco out of cold frames today..   Saturday, June 2 View Page Ladies and gentlemen, the 2012 spy tour season has officially begun. You can't hide, I have my ways of finding you..   Saturday, June 2 View Page First stop of the season I was greeted by a killer watch dog. For the price of one dog treat he gladly gave me the tour.   Saturday, June 2 View Page And a rather good tour it was. Things look good here time to move on to next stop. Don't think I will need any treats there.   Saturday, June 2 View Page After about an hour ride we stumbled across this. Ain't no dogs here so I am safe for the moment.   Saturday, June 2 View Page Things look very good here, I may have to steal a soil sample before the owner catches me but then he will just have to explain everything to me. Hope he is in a good mood.   Saturday, June 2 View Page Chris getting some beauty sleep on the ride.   Saturday, June 2 View Page After another long drive we landed at our final destination.   Saturday, June 2 View Page Very impressive, I see someone puts in a large amount of effort here.   Saturday, June 2 View Page Melon plants are bigger than my pumpkins.   Saturday, June 2 View Page Any guesses to where we are ?   Saturday, June 2 View Page This picture doesn't do the landscape justice.   Saturday, June 2 View Page I would just like to say thanks to everyone that put it with me last night. I had a great time on spy tour #1, more to come. Please stay tuned..   Friday, June 8 View Page Taste like chicken !!   Friday, June 8 View Page 1210 VanHook is out of cold frame.   Friday, June 8 View Page Got my Fathers Day, Birthday, and Christmas present for the next three years today. Life is good.   Sunday, June 10 View Page Took cold frame off 1059 Vincent McGill and put up 140 ft of silt fence...   Thursday, June 14 View Page To all my friends who have been picking on me, I sprayed a tank of tea through my new toy tonight. It did 8 small pumpkins, 11 maters and about 10,000 sq ft of lawn.. Toys are great..   Monday, June 18 View Page Finally got my new super hi tech state of the art irrigation system with a human timer all set up.. There ain't no stopping me now..   Wednesday, June 20 View Page Did 3 pollinations this morning and made the crosses I was looking for, now see if they take. 1103 Young x my 859, my 1000.5 x 1210 VanHook, 723 Kaczenski x my 859.............   Thursday, June 21 View Page All three pollinations done yesterday were still shiny this morning.. Life has been good to me so far..   Saturday, June 23 View Page Pollinated the 723 Kaczenski second one on main with my 859, then I spent the next 5 hours playing catch up burying vines to make up for the time I lost in the heat..   Sunday, June 24 View Page Pollinated my 859 with 1103 Young and also pollinated my 1000.5 x 1210 VanHook second one on main..   Monday, June 25 View Page Pollinated 1103 Young x my 859 second one on main, also pollinated 1210 VanHook with 1059 Vincent McGill. I also had an open on the 723 Kaczenski that was unexpected..   Tuesday, June 26 View Page Pollinated two pumpkins on my 859 this morning, both on the main about a foot apart, used 1103 Young for both. One had 4 lobes other was a 3.   Wednesday, June 27 View Page Pollinated 1103 Young with my 859, also pollinated my 1000.5 x 1210 VanHook. Both third ones on main, couple days to decision time..   Thursday, June 28 View Page Pollinated 1210 VanHook with 1059 Vincent McGill second one on main..   Friday, June 29 View Page Pollinated 859 with 1103 4th one on main, not sure why but I did it. Had an open on 1000.5..   Saturday, June 30 View Page 10 day cc on 1000.5 is 20", 10 day cc on 723 was 13" the one pollinated on the 23rd was 15" so I culled the smaller of the two. Spent the entire afternoon burying vines, plants are growing like weeds and the weeds are liking the heat and water as well..   Sunday, July 1 View Page Did a 4 gal tea folier today..   Monday, July 2 View Page Pollinated 1320 Faskel x 1059 Vincent McGill, set up a couple gal ice cubes and a shade cover, spent rest of day burying vines and bonding with my hoe.Can't keep up with the vine burying and hoeing lately. I guess that is excuse # 4 why I wont grow a ton, old guy can't keep up..   Tuesday, July 3 View Page Pollinated the 1216 Debacco x 1059 Vincent McGill, as you can see I have this orange theme going. Also spent a couple hours burying and weeding.   Thursday, July 5 View Page Pollinated the 723 Kaczenski wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy out on the main today. I read in the trends that some one was covering new pollinations with a strafoam cooler and had good luck so I figured I would give it a try.. Looked through the trends to try and find the post but couldn't. So whom ever I stole this from Thank You.. 10 day cc on 1210 VanHook is 19".   Friday, July 6 View Page Pollinated 1216 Debacco with 1059 second one on main. Kind of like an insurance policy..   Saturday, July 7 View Page Caught me a couple spies today. They didn't learn anything here.. After they left I culled all but one pumpkin on my 859. One down and 7 to go.   Sunday, July 8 View Page Down to one pumpkin on 1210 VanHook, my 1000.5 and 1103 Young, kept the oldest one on each..   Tuesday, July 10 View Page 20 day cc on 1000.5 is 67"..   Friday, July 13 View Page 10 day cc on 1216 is 27" and it is the one I will keep.   Saturday, July 14 View Page 20 day cc on my 859 is 71".   Sunday, July 15 View Page 10 day cc on 723 Kaczenski is 33", 20 day cc on 1103 Young is 74", 20 day cc on 1210 VanHook is 60"..   Wednesday, July 18 View Page 10 day cc on 1059 Vincent McGill is 37"..   Thursday, July 19 View Page 10 day cc on 1320 Faskel is 33"   Thursday, July 19 View Page BEWARE ..........coming to a patch near you...   Friday, July 20 View Page 30 day numbers on my 1000.5 are cc 110, ss 70, ee 70, ( 250 ott )   Monday, July 23 View Page 20 day cc on 1216 Debacco is 81"   Tuesday, July 24 View Page 30 day numbers on my 859 are cc 113, ss 69, ee 72, ( 254 ott )   Wednesday, July 25 View Page 20 day cc on 723 Kaczenski is 84". I really like the shape of this one..   Wednesday, July 25 View Page 20 day cc on 1210 VanHook is 98".. Biggest 20 day number ever here.. Not sure if this is a good or bad thing..   Wednesday, July 25 View Page 30 day numbers on 1103 Young are cc 109, ss 80, ee 78, ( 267 ott ). Life is good so far...   Wednesday, July 25 View Page You can't hide,,we will find you....   Friday, July 27 View Page The critter relocation program was busy this morning, I also had a skunk in another trap but I unlatched door and stuck stick in so it could get out on it's own..I just didn't feel that lucky..   Saturday, July 28 View Page 20 day cc on 1059 is 82"..   Sunday, July 29 View Page 20 day cc on 1320 Faskel is 80"..   Monday, July 30 View Page 40 day numbers on my 1000 are cc 139, ss 85, ee 83, ( 307 ott )..   Thursday, August 2 View Page With some help from Joe, Gene, and my neighbor Ed and his Jeep we moved my 859 and the 1103 young a couple inches today.. Thanks guys I really appreciate the help..   Thursday, August 2 View Page 30 day numbers on 1216 Debacco are cc 121, ss 82, ee 78, ( 281 ott )   Friday, August 3 View Page 40 day numbers on my 859 are cc 139, ss 80, ee 86, ( 305 ott )   Saturday, August 4 View Page 40 day numbers on 1103 Young are cc 130, ss 92, ee 92, ( 314 ott )   Saturday, August 4 View Page 30 day numbers on 1210 VanHook are cc 123, ss 81, ee 77, ( 281 Ott )   Saturday, August 4 View Page 30 day numbers on 723 Kaczenski are cc 117, ss 84, ee 78, ( 279 ott )   Tuesday, August 7 View Page 30 day numbers on 1059 Vincent McGill are cc 110, ss 81, ee 76, ( 267 ott )   Wednesday, August 8 View Page 30 day numbers on 1320 Faskel are cc121, ss 74, ee 75, ( 270 ott )   Thursday, August 9 View Page 50 day numbers on 1000.5 are cc 152, ss 95, ee 92, ( 339 ott )   Sunday, August 12 View Page We went to Vt yesterday and I must have been bad cause I got put in Time Out. Dam old people..   Sunday, August 12 View Page To be so lucky to have this view from your yard.   Sunday, August 12 View Page Hey I know these folks.   Sunday, August 12 View Page can you see me now ?   Sunday, August 12 View Page awsome   Sunday, August 12 View Page Gene on a good day.   Sunday, August 12 View Page On the rare side please.   Sunday, August 12 View Page Beautiful place   Sunday, August 12 View Page A little business.   Sunday, August 12 View Page Going through Smugglers notch on way home.   Sunday, August 12 View Page Ice Cream   Sunday, August 12 View Page 40 day numbers on 1216 Debacco are cc 150, ss 99, ee 92, ( 341 ott )   Monday, August 13 View Page Who are these guys ?   Tuesday, August 14 View Page 50 day numbers on 1103 are cc 140, ss 97, ee 96, ( 333 ott )   Tuesday, August 14 View Page 40 day numbers on 723 are cc132, ss 94, ee 90, ( 316 ott )   Tuesday, August 14 View Page 40 day numbers on 1210 are cc 132, ss 87, ee 83, ( 302 ott )   Thursday, August 16 View Page Had a foamer on my 1059 this morning.. Opened the wound with my trusty knife, thanks Bart, sprayed with alcohol and coated with sulfur.. Time will tell. I heard rumor there are 91 people coming here for the patch tour Sunday. I hope you folks are not allergic to weeds cause if you are stay in the bus. I have been weeding for two weeks and I just cant catch up. Stress is getting the best of me, hope I don't go postal..   Friday, August 17 View Page 40 day numbers on 1059 are cc146, ss 87, ee 85, ( 318 ott )   Friday, August 17 View Page 1210 loaded for Marshfield.   Saturday, August 18 View Page Went to the Marshfield Fair today where I turned the 1210 VanHook into the 567 Gansert and came in third. Not a bad day..   Sunday, August 19 View Page The patch tour at my place, this is an honor and a pleasure.   Monday, August 20 View Page 42 day numbers on 1320 Faskel are cc 153, ss 83, ee 82, ( 318 ott )   Monday, August 20 View Page 61 day numbers on my 1000.5 are cc 153, ss 100, ee 94, ( 357 ott )   Tuesday, August 21 View Page What you see here is the last 9 inches of a bamboo stake, if it isn't into the cavity I am a world record contender.   Tuesday, August 21 View Page What I found under the sheets this morning, really wasn't what I wanted to see but life goes on..   Tuesday, August 21 View Page My 1216 Debacco on day 49 cc 163, ss 106, ee 101, ( 370 ott ). I am going to try and caulk hole in blossom and use it as an exhibition at Woodstock Fair. Only time will see if it makes a week..   Tuesday, August 21 View Page So I figured I would go dig out under my bird bath and I found this..   Tuesday, August 21 View Page Like that wasn't enough.. The 1320 Faskel is no more..   Tuesday, August 21 View Page On a happier note I moved the 859 and 1103 about 3 inches each with the help of Gene and my neighbor Ed and his trusty Jeep, Thanks guys you rock..   Friday, August 24 View Page Some people have spy cams to catch the spies, just don't seem right..   Friday, August 24 View Page 60 day numbers on 1103 are cc 140, ss 99, ee 99, ( 338 ott )   Friday, August 24 View Page 50 day numbers on 723 are cc 144, ss 99, ee 92, ( 335 ott )   Monday, August 27 View Page Your mission if you accept it gentlemen is to spy on a south eastern Ct grower..   Monday, August 27 View Page A good spy has many props.   Monday, August 27 View Page Nice job John..   Monday, August 27 View Page 50 day numbers on 1059 Vincent McGill are cc 158, ss 90, ee 90, ( 338 ott )..   Monday, August 27 View Page First one to make the porch this season, slightly battered from the fair but fine...   Wednesday, August 29 View Page Was going to take this to Woodstock fair as an exhibition, but my patch job was only so good and the blossom is getting soft. Measured 380" today, worms will love it.   Wednesday, August 29 View Page My Woodstock entry and the magic toy.   Wednesday, August 29 View Page Almost finished.   Wednesday, August 29 View Page Every pickup should look like this..   Friday, August 31 View Page 4th place at the Woodstock Fair, life is good..   Friday, August 31 View Page We have a winner................   Friday, August 31 View Page Green Gene   Friday, August 31 View Page Hey John, I ain't leaving until you smile.   Friday, August 31 View Page The crew   Monday, September 3 View Page 70 day numbers on 859 are cc 173, ss 94, ee 100, ( 367 ott ). The weeds have taken over and the plants look older than me. I have shifted into survival mode, come on Sanford Maine.   Monday, September 3 View Page 70 day numbers on 1103 are cc 142, ss 101, ee 101, ( 344 ott )   Monday, September 3 View Page Guess who got the HD award at Woodstock Fair ?   Tuesday, September 4 View Page Future spies in training..   Tuesday, September 4 View Page Think I am going to like this job...   Thursday, September 6 View Page 60 day numbers on 1059 Vincent McGill are cc 163, ss 90 ee 90, ( 343 ott ). This one is getting very hard to measure, seems like it has grown more than the numbers show..   Thursday, September 6 View Page ^3 day numbers on 723 Kaczenski are cc 149, ss 101, ee 95, ( 345 ott ). I am really liking this one..   Friday, September 7 View Page Tis the season.......   Friday, September 7 View Page Main on 1103 had a soft spot near pumpkin, scraped, sprayed with alcohol, and coated with captain. Sprayed whats left of plants with Infuse. Come on Maine.......   Friday, September 14 View Page Cut the main and stem off the 1103 today, had some rot issues.Scraped all dark areas with a spoon, sprayed with peroxide and coated with sulfur. Weighoffs can't get here soon enough.   Thursday, September 20 View Page What little that was left of my plants took a serious beating the other night, it could possibly change the order of harvesting.... Stay tuned for further updates...   Friday, September 21 View Page 1103 Young heading to Sanford Maine in the morning.   Saturday, September 22 View Page Went to Sanford Maine and came in 4th.. The 1103 young is now the 912 Gansert..   Sunday, September 23 View Page Went to Sanford Maine and look who I ran into..   Sunday, September 23 View Page They start them young there..   Sunday, September 23 View Page Nice job Charlie.   Sunday, September 23 View Page Pete and his HD winner..   Sunday, September 23 View Page Happy old guy.   Sunday, September 23 View Page We have a winner.   Sunday, September 23 View Page Never know who you will see..   Sunday, September 23 View Page Some entertainment..   Sunday, September 23 View Page Old guy was worn out on the ride home, someone check and see if he is breathing..   Monday, September 24 View Page Found a business card under my windshield wiper yesterday, MY STALKER IS BACK.. S.O.B. Thought I got rid of this guy, proves that no good deed goes unpunished.. Don't worry George, I won't bring him to Topsfield.. Promise..   Wednesday, September 26 View Page First time ever we loaded in the dark. My neighbors rule..   Thursday, September 27 View Page It's 12:15 am and I just got home from Durham Fair where I weighed a pumpkin at 1126 lbs off my 859 seed. Only if Ron Wallace, Pete Sweet, and Gary Vincent made a wrong turn I would have won.. Was a great night,, Scott ,, we had pie................   Thursday, September 27 View Page Discussing the rules with Bart. he seems to think I am not in compliance with rule #37684631 paragraph 17 line 3.   Thursday, September 27 View Page Well he was wrong...................   Thursday, September 27 View Page My stalker's back and he is going to be in trouble..   Thursday, September 27 View Page How to improve the looks of your truck..   Thursday, September 27 View Page Jeep needed a running start to get up hill..   Thursday, September 27 View Page After 3 tries ed got there   Thursday, September 27 View Page All loaded and ready for Topsfield..This could be my best looking pumpkin ever..   Friday, September 28 View Page Back to Durham, someone caught me working. There goes my image..   Friday, September 28 View Page Nice job Joanne   Friday, September 28 View Page New PB , congrats Dan..   Friday, September 28 View Page Nice job Paul..   Friday, September 28 View Page New CT. record, and even a smile..   Friday, September 28 View Page We have 3rd place..   Friday, September 28 View Page 2nd place.   Friday, September 28 View Page My buddy Pete Rondeau.   Friday, September 28 View Page We have a winner...   Friday, September 28 View Page Just came home from Topsfield where I witnessed the first 2000 lb pumpkin ever weighed. Grown by Ron Wallace.. Also I won the HD award, I may be happier than Ron.. I almost forgot , I tied the Knot..   Saturday, September 29 View Page Welcome to Topsfield Sam..   Saturday, September 29 View Page Glen and Cam   Saturday, September 29 View Page Good job Bry.   Saturday, September 29 View Page John Young with another great pumpkin..   Saturday, September 29 View Page Did I tell you I won the HD award..   Saturday, September 29 View Page Glenn and his family.   Saturday, September 29 View Page Great job Armand   Saturday, September 29 View Page Awesome job Woody   Saturday, September 29 View Page The picture says it all..   Saturday, September 29 View Page Congrats   Sunday, September 30 View Page Life is good at The Bates Motel.. Two HD winners on the same porch.. Top that Ron Wallace..   Thursday, October 4 View Page My Jack O Lantern ready for Frerich's Farms Sat..   Sunday, October 7 View Page I came in 14th at Frerich's Farm with a 963.5 pumpkin and also got my 3rd HD award of the year.. Life is good..   Sunday, October 7 View Page Me and my best friend...   Sunday, October 7 View Page Everyone's friend Pete Rondeau.... Good job...   Sunday, October 7 View Page Nice job Paul..   Sunday, October 7 View Page Another nice one Armand..   Sunday, October 7 View Page The mayor of Prudence Island Eddy G..   Sunday, October 7 View Page Nice job Jim...   Sunday, October 7 View Page Dick and his bride...   Sunday, October 7 View Page Woody,,,,,,,,,,,careful guys he is fragile....   Sunday, October 7 View Page Charlie Leiber for second place.. Nice Orange Pumpkin Charlie..   Sunday, October 7 View Page And the winner is..............   Sunday, October 7 View Page I say you had a very good year..   Thursday, October 25 View Page Some one told me I wasn't a competitive pumpkin grower i was a Jack O Lantern grower, maybe they were right..   Thursday, October 25 View Page I even got a blow up pumpkin, what more could I ask for?   Tuesday, October 30 View Page Hide your children.. The Goblins are loose..   Friday, November 2 View Page Bring me the children !!!!!!!   Friday, November 23 View Page Poured about 10 gals of a diluted molasses on my compost pile today. Need to find some blood meal to add to it also..Busted up about 300 sq ft of sod on the top of the hill. Top 3 plants will be on almost flat ground next season.. Oh Boy..   Friday, November 30 View Page I am a month behind on this project.. My challenge is to get this pile of hay, leafs, and corn stalks composted by mid April with only a very small amount of manure as a heat source.. This should be interesting..   Sunday, December 2 View Page Poured 4 gals of fish and seaweed, spread 6 lbs of blood meal and about a half yard of Gene's special sauce on the compost pile.. If it doesn't rain tonight I will soak and turn it tomorrow..   Monday, December 3 View Page Sprayed compost pile with 8 gals of molasses mix and turned...............   Sunday, December 9 View Page Sprayed 8 gals of molasses and fish and seaweed mix on compost pile and turned it.. Center was 93 at start up 26 from last week but way off where it needs to be..