Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 72 Entries. Saturday, April 19 View Page Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? With a 1327.5 Rea, an 1813 Northrup, an 1894 Mathison, a 220.3 DeBacco, and a giant toad to eat up the cucumber beetles and squash bugs!   Saturday, April 19 View Page This is L.L. Toad.....and he's not smiling. Toad patrol is serious stuff!   Saturday, April 19 View Page Oh happy day! The great feeling of a new beginning. To you, reading my diary, I wish you an amazing season!   Monday, April 21 View Page What a difference a few days can make! Last week I worried the soil would never be dry enough to till. Today its tilled with needed amendments and other goodies. Huts are in place with candles and thermometers. Garden cart path is packed down. The area to the right of the path will be growing 25 party pumpkin plants.   Monday, April 21 View Page Last year's experiment of 3" thick construction styrofoam huts worked very well to keep plants warm on cold nights, with the help of a candle inside. This year I've put raised walking boards around the perimeter.   Friday, May 9 View Page This is an 1813 Northrup. Also in the ground is another 1813, an 1894 Mathison, a 1327 Rea, and I changed my original lineup, to now include a 1634 Werner. The REA patch has to have a Werner plant!   Sunday, May 25 View Page 454 LaRiviere, like an athlete driven for success, wouldn't stand for being a backup....now playing in the major league!   Sunday, May 25 View Page The grand finale to my pumpkin growing season is our annual family & friends punkin pickin' party. Today was the kickoff!   Sunday, May 25 View Page "Cronus"...new pumpkin for this year. It should grow some nice big jack-o-lanterns.   Monday, June 16 View Page This is last week's photo of the party pumpkin patch. 28 plants that still fit under clothes baskets, when necessary, to protect them from storms, extra hot sun, and at night from hungry critters. Besides my regulars of One-Too-Many...Red Warty Thing...Prizewinner...Phat Jack ...Sorcerer...and Crystal Star, I have added Cronus...Little Giant...Lumina...Lil Pump-ke-mon...and Mrs. Wrinkles. Whew!!   Friday, June 27 View Page 1634 Werner...always a pleasure to grow. I thought things were going well, until I checked the 1894 Mathison plant. The pollinated pumpkin was chewed up! Went to the 1327 Rea...pumpkin 1/2 eaten. Went to the 454 LaRiviere...pumpkin gone! All had been covered with white sheeting.   Friday, June 27 View Page My line of defense...a wicked lizard to scare the critter and protect the Werner pumpkin, which is covered with a cloth and a small cage. The next females on the other 3 plants are also covered with cages.   Friday, June 27 View Page Next, 5 traps around the edge of the patch.   Friday, June 27 View Page And a camera, to attempt to identify the culprit! Bummer!   Saturday, July 5 View Page CROWS!! 8 big ugly crows....right down in the plants! Some shredded leaves and shredded male flowers with the stamens eaten. Is it a pumpkin patch or is it a zoo? I've added 3 yellow plastic eyeball balloons and.....   Saturday, July 5 View Page 3 bobble-head owls. Haven't seen a crow since! The traps have caught 5 raccoons and one really mad squirrel!   Saturday, July 5 View Page Since the feast of the pollinated pumpkins, I now have new pollinations on 3 plants.....each with its own snake for extra protection! This is the 1634 Werner with a short fat stem.   Saturday, July 5 View Page Sad to say, I had to pull the 454 LaRiviere and the 1813 Northrup. This picture is the 1634 Werner plant with its 10 day pumpkin, 32" circumference. There are also pumpkins pollinated on the 1894 Mathison and my 1327.5 Rea.   Saturday, July 12 View Page Sit up straight Miss Quinn! She took a notion to tilt toward her stem. A little creative pool noodle crafting straightened her up!   Thursday, July 17 View Page Miss Quinn, pictured at 23 days. Her 20 day OTT was 190.   Saturday, July 19 View Page 1894 Mathison - day 20 - OTT 167   Saturday, July 19 View Page 1327.5 Rea - day 15. Waiting for day 20 to get measured. Fabulous genetics here, for a big and orange pumpkin!   Sunday, August 3 View Page Miss Quinn, checkin' in....day 40 with a 131 waistline.   Friday, August 8 View Page The Rea patch. 150 feet of 25 regular pumpkin plants, 12 varieties, for our fall "pickin' party". Three giants on the left.   Friday, August 8 View Page Lil Pump-ke-mon   Friday, August 8 View Page 1894 Mathison....day 40....about 500 lbs.   Friday, August 8 View Page Rea of Sunshine....at day 35, still has baby soft skin.   Friday, August 8 View Page The stem is as bright orange as the pumpkin!   Wednesday, August 13 View Page Miss Sunshine....plumping up and showing her true colors!   Thursday, August 14 View Page 1894 Mathison at day 45. She sits in the patch beside Sunshine. Who could she be, other than Moonshine!   Monday, August 25 View Page The early morning patch. In the back is the 1634 Werner, which is actually the largest.   Monday, August 25 View Page Miss Werner has finally taped 1,000 lbs!   Monday, August 25 View Page Moonshine...1894 Mathison...losing her silver moon color, is about 800 lbs.   Monday, August 25 View Page Sunshine...1327 Rea...is 50 days, the youngest of the three, but the fastest growing.   Monday, September 1 View Page My grandkids and nieces & nephews are growing up fast! Here are the boys with Miss Quinn.   Monday, September 1 View Page And the girls with the Rea of Sunshine.   Monday, September 1 View Page The Rea Family has made a donation to ALS and has accepted the ice bucket challenge. We added a pumpkin theme for fun!   Monday, September 1 View Page The girls have extended a challenge invitation to Christy Harp....my friend and fellow pumpkin grower and the girls' high school math teacher!   Monday, September 1 View Page The picture says it all!   Saturday, September 13 View Page Miss Quinn....1634 Werner....still the leader of the pack, but not by much!   Saturday, September 13 View Page Moonshine...1894 Mathison, hanging in there at 12 lbs/day.   Saturday, September 13 View Page Sunshine...1327.5 Rea...still shinin'!   Sunday, September 21 View Page Our family pumpkin party is in two weeks. The wind was blowing so hard today, I got a good look at the Prizewinners.   Sunday, September 21 View Page 5 little pumpkins sitting in a row...Nope...there's 8 and they're not little!   Monday, September 29 View Page While many of you were at a weighoff, we were at Nick and Christy Harp's pond, where they put two of their giants in the water. Here is Nick giving some instructions to my granddaughter, Kasey, and her friend Erika.   Monday, September 29 View Page The girls had a great time!   Monday, September 29 View Page This is Christy, taking some little ones for a ride.   Monday, September 29 View Page Four year old Blaine Harp, taking his grandma for a spin around the pond. Thanks to the Harps for a fun afternoon!   Thursday, October 9 View Page Saturday was our annual "punkin pickin' party". The girls made our 2014 sign. Above is the 2005 sign. We save them and hang them all up the next year.   Thursday, October 9 View Page Looking for their favorite pumpkins   Thursday, October 9 View Page Getting pumpkins washed, then into the trailer, to go to their cars   Thursday, October 9 View Page Hauling pumpkins out of the patch   Thursday, October 9 View Page Cookie decorating table   Thursday, October 9 View Page Creative genius!   Thursday, October 9 View Page Kanon....proud of his pumpkin!   Thursday, October 9 View Page The group picture   Thursday, October 9 View Page The photo gallery lines the walls with 18" x 24" posters....now totalling 48. The kids love looking at them each year.   Thursday, October 9 View Page Maddie and Sunshine. Everyone had a great time!   Wednesday, October 15 View Page Congratulations to the Canfield Top Three!   Wednesday, October 15 View Page The grande finale!   Wednesday, October 15 View Page Moonshine...1894 Mathison. Estimated at 1125 lbs, but didn't get weighed.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page Miss Quinn...1634 Werner, is now the 1321.5 Rea   Wednesday, October 15 View Page Sunshine...1327.5 Rea, is now the 1134.5 Rea   Wednesday, October 29 View Page I grew the middle pumpkin from the 1894 Mathison. It was nearly white all season. Look at it now! Since I didn't grow a PB this year...and since many of you say its all about the fun...we decided to have some fun!   Wednesday, October 29 View Page Didn't you kids read on BP that you're supposed to stay off the pumpkins?   Wednesday, October 29 View Page GET OFF!.....RIGHT NOW!   Wednesday, October 29 View Page "Mario" poses. Don't admit if you don't know what this is.....we'll know your age!   Wednesday, October 29 View Page They couldn't get enough of jumping off!   Wednesday, October 29 View Page 9 year old Kasey   Wednesday, October 29 View Page Flyin' high!   Wednesday, October 29 View Page Show off? Naa! It was a fun photo shoot on a beautiful fall afternoon.   Wednesday, December 24 View Page MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Rea family!