Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 111 Entries. Sunday, March 30 View Page Welcome to latitude 61.. as the new season has officially started ... for me at least .. germination day was Saturday .. so let the good times roll   Sunday, March 30 View Page Welcome to latitude 61.. as the new season has officially started ... for me at least .. germination day was Saturday .. so let the good times roll   Sunday, March 30 View Page I decided to leave the roof poly up this year ... you can see it can handle a foot of snow .. more work on snow clearing , but leaves to a faster start in spring   Sunday, March 30 View Page Inside is actually pretty nice and I haven't even started any ground warming yet... the temps have been mid 30's during the day low teens at nite.. but plenty of sunshine   Sunday, March 30 View Page This years line up..going to go with the 2032 over the 1874, 2 of the 1623 wallaces.. and the 1317 clementz... I'll start 4 plants but go with only 1 plant per greenhouse this year ..thanks pap and mark for the chance   Monday, March 31 View Page potential backups if something goes wrong ..I really wanted to try the 1442 Matesa..but not enough space and I don't like germinating something that's not going to get planted.. thanks john and gene   Wednesday, April 2 View Page ahh ... finally found the reason the 2932 won't come out of its shell   Wednesday, April 2 View Page oops... that be the 2032.. dam bear got me all flustered   Friday, April 4 View Page Well the good news is both 1623's germed really nice , one was really strong, the 1317 clementz also did very well ... the bad news is the 2032 has done nothing to this date .. nada .. zilch .. zero .. lol.. I germinated 14 seeds this season , 13 of 14 came up pretty fast ... 4 were from the year 2009, 2 were from 2010 and 4 were from 2013.. so I 'm semi confident in my germination approach.. it is just crazy that the seed I paid big money for didn't show.. crap... exnay those plans.. oh well stuff happens..going to let it sit in there for another few days maybe just a late bloomer   Friday, April 11 View Page Working on my secret weapon .. I really think this is going to pay off.. bigtime...   Sunday, April 13 View Page Plants finally got a chance to get a little sun ..as ground warming is in full bore, insulated concrete blankets make a huge difference , in getting the ground temp from 40 to 75 in a few days .. I'm going to start the transplant process this week as the temps look good, with nite time lows that are starting to climb into the low 30's .. as Shazzy would say.. let the grind begin..   Sunday, April 13 View Page !874 is the newest team member ... big thanks to Scott Marley for the chance to grow it...awesome   Tuesday, April 22 View Page Plants are waiting to be transplanted..the two 1623's went in the ground on Sunday.. theses go in tonight.. now my mission for the next couple of weeks.. is to make sure they don't freeze to death ..game on   Tuesday, April 22 View Page the greenhouse in a greenhouse method ..a must for.. Lat 61 North's growing environment.. trying something new this year as each house will have 2 plants, planted perpendicular to each other . the general idea is the 1st plant to the middle wins.. hoping by that time any genetic defects will show up   Tuesday, April 22 View Page Mark , 1317 looking good at Day 20 or so..   Sunday, April 27 View Page Pumpkin Central is up and running .. this makes my early season a lot easier.. still tweaking a few things getting close to where I want to be   Sunday, April 27 View Page my best plant by far ..the 1623 (A) is on mission.. I glad I put it in the honey hole spot of the GH...since I probably going to have special guests from across the pond coming to the patch this year   Sunday, April 27 View Page Another angle of the 1623 Wallace.. its the first Wallace plant I ever attempted.. so I pretty excited.. good things come to those that wait..lol   Sunday, April 27 View Page 1623 Wallace (B).. Another strong plant ..both are looking normal so far, with no sign of any genetic problems.. nice   Thursday, May 8 View Page I got some cool news the other day , the BBC is in Alaska this year filming , in one of the hour long documentaries , there is going to be a piece about giant vegetable growing. After chatting with Alex, one of the producers for a while during a patch visit, they're interested in doing a little filming in my patch ..as well as other giant vegetable growers in the state ..how cool is that.. now I just need to produce ..or be cut out of the action...lol.. so this year is all or nothing ... yikes   Sunday, May 11 View Page got awaken by a 5.5 earthquake this morning around 6 am mother nature getting your attention   Sunday, May 11 View Page Homemade solar collector up and running .. actually works pretty good .. I had my doubts   Sunday, May 11 View Page The collector is tied into the GH return line using a injection pump.. nothing fancy ... the pump is controlled by a timer .. no need to run thru the collector when its dark out ..   Sunday, May 11 View Page the 1874 Mathison .. about 10 days behind the other plants .. main is down and plant is starting to run   Sunday, May 11 View Page The 1317 Clementz.. main around 6 ft mark now .. just a nice solid plant .. with no issues .. this will most likely turn out to be my # 1 plant for this GH... unless the 1874 puts on a amazing growth spurt ..   Sunday, May 11 View Page 1623 B ... a okay plant... but looking like it wont make it   Sunday, May 11 View Page the 1623 A.. the big dog ..this thing has been doing really well..main is now at 11 ft..and a little mothers day surprise..   Sunday, May 11 View Page the 1623 Wallace is showing the 1st female .. the mission now is to get a normal ..non irregular blossom .. and run with it... starting s vine curve tomorrow   Sunday, May 11 View Page my guinea pig plant ..this plant has just left out in the elements...still trying to figure out with what I can get away with   Saturday, May 17 View Page 1st male opened on the 1623 ..looked good   Sunday, May 18 View Page 1317 Clementz Day 47 or so ..   Sunday, May 18 View Page 1874 Mathison Day 37   Sunday, May 18 View Page 1623 Wallace 's A and B around day 47   Sunday, May 18 View Page side view of 1623 A .. by far the most aggressive of this years contenders   Sunday, May 18 View Page the 1623 should be ready to pollinate in the next few days, should be my earliest pollination ever...fingers crossed   Sunday, May 18 View Page 1623 Wallace B .. this plant has 2 females showing , its probably just a emergency plant, at this stage in the game   Wednesday, May 21 View Page 1st female on the 1623 Wallace opened today.. nice 4 lober , that's the earliest pollination ever for me   Wednesday, May 21 View Page luckily ...5 Wallace boys were in the neighborhood..   Monday, May 26 View Page cool shot of the sun ..thru the smoke from the Funny river fire , on the Kenai peninsula that has burned over 250 square miles already..as the smoke blows towards us   Monday, May 26 View Page a look at the 1317 clementz ... moving along nicely, has multiple females showing   Monday, May 26 View Page another look at the 1317 .. growing great ..but so is the 1874 ... decisions   Monday, May 26 View Page the 1874 also looking good, with multiple females showing   Monday, May 26 View Page last test plant to compost land , this had pure 1161 genetics...would have loved to give it a shot   Monday, May 26 View Page 1623 Wallace on a roll , looks like the pollination has set , so hopefully riding this baby all the way to the weigh -off ...around 92 days from now.. grow baby grow   Monday, May 26 View Page If , I have any chance to grow a big one , this has to take off and keep moving ..clock is ticking .. love the long neck and shape ..so far   Monday, May 26 View Page the 1623 B, probably gets the axe shortly. I'm really glad I took the growers advice to plant both and yank the weakest, as there is a real difference between these 2 plants ..   Wednesday, June 4 View Page the 1st female off the 1317 , around 15 ft mark... nice 4 lober   Wednesday, June 4 View Page was pollinated by the 1623 Wallace.. those boys get around.. taking extra measures with this one , in case the weather goes to crap like last week ... clock is ticking   Tuesday, June 17 View Page Finally , something to post about, this is the the 1st set off the the 1317 Clementz crossed with the 1623 Wallace.. I'm thinking DAP 13.. this plant has been trouble free   Wednesday, June 18 View Page front view of the 1317 hopeful, I say that because the 1623 has aborted 2 sets already , during our cloudy and cool weather so far .. but # 3 opens tomorrow on the Wallace plant .. and not going to let this one slip by   Wednesday, June 18 View Page side view of the 1317 set .. loving the shape and color ( looks like orange ) just grow . baby grow..the clock is ticking   Tuesday, June 24 View Page patch view at the end of June ...they have maxed out at the 700 sq ft mark   Tuesday, June 24 View Page the 1623 Wallace...   Tuesday, June 24 View Page the 3 rd attempt of the 1623.. hopefully its a charm...if this set takes.. I still could be in good shape with over 60 growing days to go ..to the the weigh- off..   Tuesday, June 24 View Page 1317 clementz plant... main is poking out   Wednesday, June 25 View Page looking nice   Wednesday, June 25 View Page 1317 clementz ..dap 20... looking like its going to be orange   Wednesday, June 25 View Page 1317   Thursday, July 3 View Page 1317 clementz Day 28   Thursday, July 3 View Page ever feel like your being watched..   Saturday, July 5 View Page beautiful July 4 th day in my part of Alaska .. greenhouses ventilation in full swing .. as plants are enjoying the sun and 75 degree temps...   Saturday, July 5 View Page east GH .. and the 1623 plant   Saturday, July 5 View Page west GH with the 1317   Sunday, July 6 View Page 1317 clementz .. on the move   Sunday, July 6 View Page 1317 DAP 32.. finally broke down and decided to tape it .. cc 127 ss 73 ee 75 .. est wt of 468 lbs ( 2012 chart )   Sunday, July 6 View Page one of the 8 pollinations on the 1623 secondary's..probably the one I'll go with .. (1623 x 1874) DAP 14   Sunday, July 6 View Page 1st set on the marrow   Sunday, July 6 View Page one of my cabbages... spudley is probably laughing right about now..lol..oh well   Sunday, July 20 View Page the 1317 clementz at day 45 -- 157 - 87 -86 for a 330 ott and a est wt of 793 lbs   Sunday, July 20 View Page top veiw   Sunday, July 20 View Page 1874 mathison moving along   Sunday, July 20 View Page looking like the end of the line, for any kins of the 1623 .. never had a pumpkin do this to me before.. but sure looks like an abort... which is a shame because this a great plant ...maybe to great ..   Sunday, July 20 View Page stump of the 1623 huge and healthy ..just like the vines.. I just couldn't get a pumpkin past the 30 day mark   Monday, August 4 View Page the 1317 clementz still going strong   Monday, August 4 View Page 177cc- 97 ss- 97 ee == 371 ott for est wt of 1113 lbs on new chart   Monday, August 4 View Page 1874 mathison ..growing nicely   Monday, August 4 View Page kin off the 1623 ..its still growing   Monday, August 4 View Page side view of the 1623 .. this plant has been interesting to say the least   Monday, August 4 View Page still fighting the soft blossom end issue.. its crazy its only soft for about a 1/2 inch in .. after scraping , applying fungicides and adding a fan . the underneath is really hard..... thought for sure the blossom end split was coming .. but not here yet   Monday, August 4 View Page of course , while I'm worry about the other end , this appeared ..lol..yikes getting hit on both sides now ... but... being only able to plant a few plants a year,.. I'm just going to let it ride and have fun with it .. see how it turns out .. winters coming   Monday, August 4 View Page giant marrow   Monday, August 4 View Page giant cabbage   Monday, August 4 View Page my new fence I have been working on .. taking up all my time ...main goal is to keep moose out and the dogs in   Monday, August 4 View Page another view.. had to steam bend the wood on a few parts .. which was pretty cool ..   Tuesday, August 12 View Page patch shot of the 1317 ...weigh -off is 2 weeks away   Tuesday, August 12 View Page Dap 68 with a 189.5-99.5 -99 ott for a total ot 318 inches and a est wt of 1201 lbs... never had a pumpkin with this kind of shape before.. low to the ground and really wide   Tuesday, August 12 View Page 1874 .. curious as to what this will weigh-in at ..its solid   Tuesday, August 12 View Page that should be 381 inches for the ott measurement..its late   Tuesday, August 12 View Page and the cc was 182.5 also   Wednesday, August 27 View Page must be that time of the year.. weigh-off day   Thursday, August 28 View Page had some special guest this year as a BBC film crew visited the patch , as part of an Alaskan program there working on   Thursday, August 28 View Page the pumpkin off the 1623 Wallace is airborne   Thursday, August 28 View Page camera man getting into it   Thursday, August 28 View Page the 1st fish in the boat ..1 done 2 to go   Thursday, August 28 View Page the pumpkin off the 1874 mathison ..heading up   Thursday, August 28 View Page heading for the truck   Thursday, August 28 View Page getting ready to lift the 1317 ...take one..those guys were hilarious   Thursday, August 28 View Page okay 1317 almost ready.. take 2   Thursday, August 28 View Page not quite .. had to add the go-pro...ready   Thursday, August 28 View Page an action..the 1317 is on the way ...Mark yours may be heavier .. but I'm higher..lol   Thursday, August 28 View Page touchdown...   Thursday, August 28 View Page After 10 1/2 hrs with these 3 guys...I was really running out of things to say ..bad jokes , stories ..ect..but just loved their stories   Thursday, August 28 View Page want to say a big thanks to my buddies, Bruce the operator for his steady hands and Sam ,at Hotwire Electric..for helping out and and make this happen.. made my day so much easier ...lol   Sunday, August 31 View Page the 1283 at the fair ..all decked out   Sunday, August 31 View Page Scott Robb ...inspecting underneath the 1283 marshall   Sunday, August 31 View Page A better look at this years kins..farthest back is the 772 ( 1623x1874) middle is the 1283 (1317x1623) and closest is the 753 (1874x self)   Tuesday, October 21 View Page cool patch visitor the other day ..   Wednesday, October 22 View Page My daughter , around the new fire pit I made .. my wife said she wanted for her birthday ...I was thinking flowers   Thursday, November 13 View Page I decided to take the roof poly down this year .. its a real pain in heavy snow years .. but this year .. so far no snow   Thursday, November 13 View Page classic stem slit into pumpkin   Thursday, November 13 View Page under attack