Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 54 Entries. Saturday, January 4 View Page Winter camp with some friends and before the 10 inches of snow. Happy new years and personal bests to all.   Monday, January 27 View Page Had a great time on the Caribbean over the weekend. We met a ton of people on "holiday" from Canada and England. Some very friendly folks from those countries!   Saturday, February 1 View Page Got these seeds this week and they are the orange of orange. Great genetics including the 1450 Wallace. It's between the 400 Zunino and the 1723 Marshall this year. I downsized my garden from 1200 square feet to around 500 so really only have room for one plant... maybe I'll do 2 small ones. Decisions.   Saturday, February 8 View Page Cabin fever, time to get out and fish a bit.   Saturday, February 8 View Page Not the biggest Smallies today, but they bite all year if you know where they are. Fartin in the waders never felt better.   Friday, February 14 View Page Can't believe it's almost been a year since the best river dog\patch protector West of the Mississippi moved on. And honestly, due to subsoil leaching, he will most likely be fertilizer this year.   Saturday, March 1 View Page Not much at 7'x5' and 3 feet deep, but should be a good spot for toads to breed. The 1723 will be planted just 10 feet to the back right.   Saturday, March 8 View Page For you old farm equipment folks like me. Stopped off today at a backwoods farm sale in the Ozarks and picked up some 100+ year old items (cast iron Champion tractor seat, saw and wheel)at 25% of cost. Lots of guys make buck knives with the old saw blades. I'll probably mount the old tractor seat on a log to put by the fire pit and others will be left as is.   Saturday, March 8 View Page Taken today too... will be green in 3-4 weeks. The thaw begins.   Saturday, May 24 View Page Southern Missouri, a mile north of Arkansas border. Trout heaven and didn't wet one line.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page Compare this to my March 1st post. New Frog\toad pond right on back of patch. I have probably 50 tadpoles left and I'd say at least 100 toads have morphed out of there so far this spring. I think a few spring peepers were in there too. That's the 1813 on side right. Should have one to pollinate in the next week or so.   Friday, June 6 View Page The 1813, a female at 8 feet never opened and I broke one off at 15 feet (last night) trying to catch a baby toad for my son. I'll be at 20 feet now at best with this, and this is my prime plant. Another year, same issues.   Friday, June 6 View Page My 150 foot plant... the 1674 Marsh x the 1813 Northrup this morning. This is a small flag pattern plant in the shade so don't expect much.   Friday, June 6 View Page I saw Yard's redneck engineering post with the duct tape and that was impressive. This is from a few years back when I built my own half ton "strap on". It worked well given it never rained hard.   Friday, June 13 View Page My 2 year old with a 2 month old.   Saturday, June 14 View Page Who doesn't like this sight as a grower? 1674 going tomorrow. Last one didn't take since plant was in fast growth stage.   Monday, June 16 View Page Patch almost filled in. Trees in the front yard are bigger an older... slowly getting less light each year but the plants keep growing. I think my limit will be 500 pounds in a yard like this.   Friday, June 20 View Page The 1813 at over ~500 sq feet and close to out of room. Bottom left I had one open this morning on a secondary, and another at the far end of the pic on the terminated main in a couple days.   Monday, June 23 View Page Everything is terminated now. Here is the 1674 Marsh (150 sq feet) at 8 DAP. The 1813 Northrup has one at 1 DAP (main) and 3 DAP (secondary) on it. All is up to the plants now... $hit or get off the pot. In the past I have kept the secondaries going to get later and later pollinations.   Friday, June 27 View Page Before I get bombarded with emails, no, I do not do graphic design on the side. lmao Red = 1674 Marsh (main 23 feet out) Blue = 1813 Northrup (main 28 feet out) Yellow = miniature variety Due to lack of light, many leaves are starting to clear the 3 foot height range in the middle\back part of plant. That chicken wire is 2 feet.   Tuesday, July 1 View Page Another 1813 aborted... seems to be something with some of these plants as another accomplished grower in Ohio has the exact same issues. I have a backup on a side vine and if it aborts unfortunately that will be the end of season.   Thursday, July 3 View Page Over 4 feet tall and one of the average on the 1813. Not a good thing.   Thursday, July 3 View Page More 1813 leaves over 4.5 feet tall in the middle part of plant and giant in diameter. The biggest I have seen, I need more light.   Friday, July 4 View Page 8 dap on the 1813 secondary - this plant has aborted everything I set but this one looks good so far. Put on 4 inches cc since yesterday and cracked stem parallel laying down. 1674 is around 50 cc on day 18... Slow and steady for it and 150 behind it.   Friday, July 4 View Page Good to see NSB posting again. Best of luck Glenn!   Wednesday, July 9 View Page The 1813 Northrup - 41 CC at 13 DAP. One of the bigger I have has and averages 4.5 inches a day. Looks like it is going to abort especially on the left side, but keeps growing?!?!   Saturday, July 12 View Page 1674 Marsh with about 100 sq feet of "good" plant. Doing ok for being in shade.   Saturday, July 12 View Page 1813 still doing 5 CC a day - day 16 at 57CC. Will something this deformed make it? I see it as unlikely, and it has about 400 square feet of good plant.   Monday, July 14 View Page Ozark Snapping turtle road rescue - the carapace reminds me of my 1813.   Monday, July 14 View Page Ozark air condition when it gets over 95.. two chairs, a river, and a cooler.   Monday, July 14 View Page 18 dap - 66 CC on the 1813. Growth is great at 4.5cc a day, but I just hope it can hold with the shape. It's also growing a mohawk on the right side where it's much taller. My only shot this year at anything.   Thursday, July 17 View Page 1813 starting to fill out and not look so deformed. It won't be a looker but is at 75cc at 21 DAP. It slowed in growth from the cold front we had the last 3 days. Note - the soaker in pic is not functional anymore, just bad prep on my part when pollinating and has to sit this year out.   Friday, July 18 View Page 1813 looking better and better. This is what a 150 pound pumpkin (22 day) looks like with up to 5 foot tall leaves. I have never had anything like this, but many leaves are staked up with 36" bamboo sticks and still lean towards the light breaking the stick. Many are so big and wide they crumple (at the leaf level) or collapse (at stalk) under own weight. The 1674 Marsh leaves are much smaller and more shaded right next to this plant in the 150sq foot plot? Duno   Thursday, July 24 View Page 1813 has passed the 1674 and is 11 days younger. Close to 100 CC on day 28. If this can hold together, it should be a best for me.   Friday, July 25 View Page And just like that, my season is done. On my way to best numbers, but a 3rd year in a row of crap at day 29. Next year will be a year of rest.   Friday, July 25 View Page Last look at the biggest day 29 I have had and the season ender. Damn, I was pretty excited about it too.   Friday, August 1 View Page Fortunately, I took a road trip down in the great southeast United States within 12 hours of finding the blossom split. Now back to reality... it sucks. Pumpkin grew the time I was gone even with the split growing to over a foot long across the cavity. Thanks again to any for help this year. Smallmouth out.   Monday, August 11 View Page My 150 sq foot pumpkin... the only one that didn't split on me. Missouri has very few entries each year at the GPC weighoff, and 400-500 could be a top 3 pumpkin easily, but I told myself I would not make the 3 hour each way drive with something under 700 and this ugly in March. I'd rather fish a local stream with my kids, and not worry about moving it. The weather was great this year, all I have is myself to blame for growing an unproven seed and going with a deformed lobe.   Saturday, August 16 View Page 150 sq foot 1674 Marsh. I check it every few days and it keeps going. The plant is disease ridden and vines swollen with borers... I cannot complain about this lil' trooper.   Friday, August 22 View Page My 1 year old with my 1674 - not much growing in the 150 sq foot patch, but already looking forward to next year. I live about 15 miles from Ferguson, Mo where the riots have been happening, and realize how lucky I am to just worry about petty things like disease and splits. Side note, I cannot wait to move back down to the Ozarks and leave this area - St Louis is a mess and liberal media love to capitalize on it. You dummy lefts have no clue... absolutely no clue. Thugs will be thugs I suppose.   Saturday, August 23 View Page Been a bit since I did a redneck post, but here's another poor mans camper set up. Of course we fished Smallies all day and night. Many little, a couple over 18" and all released.   Friday, September 5 View Page Patch - on right is where the 1813 was... could have been a PB for me. An 800 pounder would be great for this heavily shaded yard. The 1674 on the left with some 1813 leaves and vines (tall ones) still in place. Did great for a plant that got little attention and in 150 sq feet.   Friday, September 5 View Page What little I have again, but happy I do. I almost pulled it one morning too to give my 1813 room when she was on pace before her blowout. Glad I kept it - will be fun to have on display at my son's 3rd bday party in Sept.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Cut the 150 sq foot plant down to just the main and can see how small the area was. For the new guys that ask about cutting from the vine, I expect this to keep for at least another 10 days like this. The well rooted main will keep the pkn viable for some time (not ideal but works if want to clean out patch and after August).   Wednesday, September 24 View Page My 150 sq footer on display. Hopefully next year I won't have a split and have something worthwhile to finally attend a weigh off.   Saturday, September 27 View Page In response to my wife saying I can't drink with my rowdy friends anymore... how's that Pap?   Friday, October 3 View Page My son, Marco, and our friend Doug's bushel gourds ready to head down to southern Mo tomorrow morning.   Saturday, October 4 View Page One more pic of Doug's new WR bushel gourd. Probably only the only WR I'll see!Congrats   Saturday, October 18 View Page Spots like these are your downfall if you fish them. Spent the entire day on the river yesterday catching Smallmouth and scouting new deep holes for the upcoming Winter fishing. Best way to have a good day is when you don't see another person for the entire trip. When I was younger, if I couldn't get a friend to join me, I used to camp alone on the rivers and that part sucks though.   Friday, October 24 View Page Cover crop looks good and bracing for winter.   Friday, October 31 View Page Ozark Bald Knobber... please, try to take my kids candy.   Friday, November 7 View Page Another Winter hobby is farm picking after a fishing trip. Been collecting old cast iron tractor seats (implement seats), saws, wheels etc... here's another old Champion recently mounted.   Saturday, December 6 View Page Long skinny river smallie just trying to get some December grub. In my secret spot I fish every winter. I have a series of pics over the years in this spot... fish stay the same age, I just get older.   Friday, December 12 View Page I always get a kick out of Gansert's posts of just the walk in the woods. ... here's one for Norm where I ate lunch, but on the river. Until next year folks...