Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 464 Entries. Sunday, March 1 View Page Ghost peppers from KCKevin are up..giant cabbage is on deck ...it's coming people   Saturday, March 21 View Page Wtf.....   Saturday, April 25 View Page Rock paper scissors for who buries the cables...paper covers rock baby!!   Tuesday, April 28 View Page Here's the lineup this year ...now for the hard part   Tuesday, April 28 View Page Make sure you don't sand too hard...this type of sander can be touchy...   Wednesday, April 29 View Page Joy...joy joy joy, joy. Joy joy joy joy...also joy...8 for 10 Zaczilla ..3/3 8.41...only 1/3 6.88...   Thursday, April 30 View Page After much consideration ..this will be my starting line-up in the main Mater patch ...I'll till one more time to get the soil light and fluffy   Thursday, April 30 View Page Lol...   Tuesday, June 9 View Page Hey little guy, you should be in the garden over there...what a rotten freekin spring...first off , I'm outta the bubba challenge already, the one seed I really wanted to grow rotted..I was gonna take a funny pic with rotted seed bubba tooth but it stunk too much.. Oh well..good thing I bought a kick ass Barron seed at auction ...yup.. Rotted..there's something about the darker seeds I'm not having luck with...oh yea..did i mention I lost the 1610 Lieber?..Gordon I couldn't be more sorry)...my maters got big on account of the freezing temps that keep them in the greenhouse.. They are rebounding ..(next year will start seeds cinco de mayo)...it was a long winter and a short spring ...oh yea... My mower there in the back round ...   Tuesday, June 9 View Page Umm yea.. It's not really supposed to look like that... I was tryin to channel some of Scott Marleys mechanical patience (..which he MUST have tons of)...during this fix.....not sure it worked...I am pretty sure ,however ,the neighbor kids learned a few "colorful" words...uugh..back to the gardens   Tuesday, June 9 View Page Here's my back up...my own seed.. 1071.5 porkchop ..lil Bessie..Droopy OL leaf an all...on a good note.. I did get some of KC Kevin's peppers to come up..they are either ghost or reapers...also a couple chocolate ghost ...this was may 18   Tuesday, June 9 View Page Here's lil Bessie today..had to open up her grow house.. The tip was pushin plastic...good timing to..a storm is comin   Tuesday, June 9 View Page One of Big tims sunflowers i started indoors ...   Tuesday, June 9 View Page I gave all my maters some RAW Nutrient transplant solution last week...   Tuesday, June 9 View Page Plants were buried in ditches..they have taken hold   Tuesday, June 9 View Page Porkchop plants are in the lead..(domingo variety)   Tuesday, June 9 View Page Oh yea.. I almost forgot..as if I'm not busy enough during the landscape season, we also have a new patch this year.. It was for the 1610 Lieber seed I screwed up.. We have the 451 wiebel...WHAT UP CORY!!!!..!a great cross I'm stoked about..back to back with the 1218 MORRIs squash...seeds planted late   Tuesday, June 9 View Page Did I mention the long gourds?..   Tuesday, June 9 View Page Had plans for a really nice trellis...the ladder in the back there will have to do for this year...   Tuesday, June 30 View Page Well, it's been a couple long weeks with work and garden chores ...here's a quick catch up...first time with the long gourds..I'm not sure what seed ..it's been slow to start but I think it was lonely so I planted some company...   Tuesday, June 30 View Page Veggie garden is starting to take off... Thank goodness the wifey likes to weed....   Tuesday, June 30 View Page Com on honey!!... Your almost there!!!.... I'm a good cheerleader (that's big tims sunflower seed in the background,, starting to head-up)   Tuesday, June 30 View Page The MATER garden is thumpin... I've been pruning these plants hard to keep them to a main stem or two...they just had a good soak and will give them there first feeding with a bloom boost...   Tuesday, June 30 View Page This is lil' Bessie plant... Haven't used anything but 2 gallons of marks mix at planting and burying w Wallace pumpkin pro...no ferts or water yet...will start this week...broken main(training side vine)   Tuesday, June 30 View Page The new patch...this one will need some better planning for next year.. Wind fence a must...1218 Morris on the right rebounding from wind storm... 451 weilbel in the right rebounding from early main snap...will feed this week   Thursday, July 9 View Page Pollinating tomrw...big tims sunflower is showing color...busy week...   Thursday, July 9 View Page This weeks customer project... Note to self...don't tell paver people to deliver to end of driveway...that's a lot of extra hoofing...getting in shape   Thursday, July 9 View Page Long gourd growing fast now... Need to figure out sumthin for it to grow out onto so they can hang down...looks like sooner rather than later   Thursday, July 9 View Page 451 wiebel and 1218 Morris squash rebounding nicely...   Thursday, July 9 View Page Shhh... I didn't tell the missus... I'm gonna name him fuzzy....(yup... Him)   Thursday, July 9 View Page Lots of side vine pollinations.. All five lobers...I snap them off at 1 dap..   Monday, July 13 View Page That's what I like to see ...I'm using Wallace pumpkin pro and marks mix for root mass...seems to be working   Monday, July 13 View Page Biggest plant we've ever had before a pollination...   Monday, July 13 View Page 1218 Morris to be pollinated tomrw   Monday, July 13 View Page Big tims sunflower ramping up   Monday, July 13 View Page KC Kevin's ghosts peppers are starting to really pick up now.. Quite a few peppers already...oh boy, I've got quite a list of people lined up for the ghost pepper challenge...some won't even know they are taking the challenge...   Monday, July 13 View Page Regular Mater blossom   Monday, July 13 View Page Decent mega on one of the 8.41's   Monday, July 13 View Page Big single on the 5.75 porkchop(domingo variety)...I'm gonna grow this one   Monday, July 13 View Page   Monday, July 13 View Page   Monday, July 13 View Page Ahhh....hammock time   Thursday, July 16 View Page Oh boy... Now what... I really shoulda planned better   Thursday, July 16 View Page This is my only first truss set..I'm not worried as my biggest last year were higher up on the plants ...one of the 5.75 porkchops..   Thursday, July 16 View Page Maters up top... Megas starting to show   Thursday, July 16 View Page Me likey this one in the 5.75 porkchop..(domingo variety)...   Thursday, July 16 View Page This morning...   Thursday, July 16 View Page The town garden club has chosen us for there yearly garden tour...if anyone else in the area wants to come visit it would be our pleasure ...not to much to see pumpkin wise as we are only a few dap's but the rest of the gardens /landscape are starting to look really nice...can ya guess what number we are??....   Thursday, July 16 View Page I can't stop taking photos of Big tims sunflower...lol...   Friday, July 17 View Page Finding some decent megas in this patch....   Friday, July 17 View Page I like the shape of this one off the 5.30 macoy but I see some seeds in the middle on one of the lobes... I'll grow it out a bit , see how it pans out... There some more big blossoms on their way... Time for some dunkels   Friday, July 17 View Page The mega in the pic is the biggest I've ever had...these domingo plants are super easy to tame and although the megas were slow to come this year they are throwing some real bad boys on the upper trusses...   Friday, July 17 View Page   Friday, July 17 View Page Cory, I hope I got the last name right ...I lost the seed packet... I'm pretty excited about growing this cross... It's rebounding from a main break at 2', but I love the way it's growing ...I haven't fed or watered this patch yet this year...only bug and daconil spray...even in the same dirt it's easy to see the color difference in the plant..def a pain in the ass keeping squash flowers snipped off so we don't cross pollinated...   Friday, July 17 View Page Oh man... I picked my first early ghost pepper(about the size of a nickel)..my smart ass 16 yr old nephew said he liked hot peppers so I told him to try it...he did... He said they were spicy... So I had a few nibbles,, holy shit those f@&kers are hot... I can imagine how hot they'll be when they are ripe...I told him they wouldn't get much hotter and to try one in the fall...if all he has to say then is "they are spicy ", I'm gonna shove one up his ass   Tuesday, July 21 View Page Well... Time for a plan has come and gone... I guess we are gonna let her grow up the tree with the rest of the vines...these plants are fun to watch grow... Will try again next year on trellis   Tuesday, July 21 View Page Chcolate ghost pepper ... I started these seeds in March .. They got dropped ...twice...I am beyond happy that there is even one pepper...plant is 10" tall ...lol   Tuesday, July 21 View Page Birds planted this one....dinner plate dahlia should bloom soon   Tuesday, July 21 View Page Another long gourd shot...I wonder how tall they will grow?   Tuesday, July 21 View Page Late to the party... Having some issues... A few are set ...for now   Tuesday, July 21 View Page Prolly shoulda kept this one   Tuesday, July 21 View Page This plant is really pretty considering it took an early beating and I haven't done much to it...I think I like the green ones   Tuesday, July 21 View Page This was yesterday... Standing 12" tall....   Tuesday, July 21 View Page What a beauty!!!!....(oh yea...helping squash down)...lol   Tuesday, July 21 View Page Getting close to making some decisions here.... Finally some megas on the zaczillas ... Getting near go time...   Tuesday, July 21 View Page You'll see some orange ribbon flying soon... I will tag the plants as I terminate their growth...anyone else having trouble goin all in on one?..   Tuesday, July 21 View Page You'll see some orange ribbon flying soon... I will tag the plants as I terminate their growth...anyone else having trouble goin all in on one?..   Thursday, July 23 View Page Yup ... I'm in there somewhere...the humidity has broke and the gardens are drying out quickly...watering 80 gallons h2o every other day...   Thursday, July 23 View Page Visitor to the patch today... It's a humming bird moth...they are rare to see so I'm told...I know this because I saw one last year and thought it was a drunk baby hummingbird and tried to catch it...it was a bug...maybe I was drunk...anyway, very cool little creature   Thursday, July 23 View Page Light dawns on the domingo twins... I let these blossoms go earlier on because when they first formed they looked very similar(hence the name, duh...).. Anyway, I thought I would try to see if one was growing at a greater rate but they've been exact this whole way... I'll let them finish out ... There's a bigger blossom in my "slammer zone" a little higher up and shouldn't compete with it to bad...   Thursday, July 23 View Page Overall I'm pretty happy with this years efforts on the MATER patch... I would say they look 20% better than last years...chicken poop and Wallace mater mykos seem to be pumpin it up...temps a bit warmer this year... Especially evening temps... Perfect day   Thursday, July 23 View Page The patch..a few choices... Too bad I never decided which of the last two secondaries to train into main...babies are set on both... Hopefully I'll figure it out...uuugh   Thursday, July 23 View Page Day 10... Making adjustments slowly... Lots of stem to work with ..healthy plant...haven't had to do too much in this patch..1/3 horse manure, 1/3 city compost..1/3 topsoil...( Ferdulas topsoil in herkimer ny ...... "is yer topsoil good for gardens?", I asked last fall..." It comes from Jesus ", he replied ..."..."gimme 15 yds.."..lol...   Thursday, July 23 View Page This is an extra 1218.5 MORRIs squash that I stuck in the ground over at the edge of the property...just gonna keep it sprayed for bugs and fungus...3 dap....   Thursday, July 23 View Page That wasn't 3 dap... That's a cull (cut off pumpkin)from the big plant...i told my buddy it was growing to make him go a little batty with his plant this year(he's not on big pumpkin lookin at how they grow so I get to mess with him a lot )a note to new growers and a refresher for myself... Don't judge your plant by what others look like in the journals ... It will drive you nuts..make you do dumb things ...fert more, water more...Just stick to your gut, yer game plan and it will happen ... Besides, some of these guys are the best in the world at this..somebody last year set at the end of August and hit almost 500lbs...just care for the plant and you will be rewarded....best of luck to everyone this year!!!...grow em big!!!   Thursday, July 23 View Page Lots of time on the maters too... Here's a pic from Halloween last year....still pickin slammers!!   Sunday, July 26 View Page Zaczilla megas... These were a little tough to show up but they are here now and are set ... Will narrow down to one and terminate vines..Macoy style...   Sunday, July 26 View Page Big sucker on the 5.75 porkchop..just getting started   Sunday, July 26 View Page Our dirt piles have washed away to the vines.. Will treat w merit so the SVB's don't take us out... Nice thick vines this year... Hope that means big thick pumpkin...   Sunday, July 26 View Page The tall sunnys just started to bud...I love these...   Sunday, July 26 View Page 5.67 porkchop....this plant didn't take off to hot in the spring so I decided to try some extreme pruning... Not sure how old this one is but it should go a couple more weeks....   Sunday, July 26 View Page Aww man...The domingo twins might have to go...the next one up is picking up steam....the bigger they get the harder it is for me to cull...nearing time for some tough decisions....   Sunday, July 26 View Page The 1218.5 MORRIs is thumpin ... Haven't measured but visually the biggest 10 day I've ever seen in person....   Sunday, July 26 View Page Success ... The 451 selfed at 12'.... Longest female we've seen...I have a feeling this one will be fun to watch....   Tuesday, July 28 View Page This was a tough one to pick... All in on one of the 8.41's   Tuesday, July 28 View Page And then there were three... Approaching the first day 20...will make choices soon   Wednesday, July 29 View Page The twins... 5.75 porkchop   Wednesday, July 29 View Page I have High hopes for these...   Wednesday, July 29 View Page 5.75's planted in the pumpkin garden...couple of big boys started... Less than 3 weeks old   Wednesday, July 29 View Page Oh boy... Some little tankers on these....   Wednesday, July 29 View Page 19 dap inspection ... Day 20 tomrw ... This could be the keeper   Saturday, August 1 View Page Late night in the patch under the blue moon...   Saturday, August 1 View Page Day 18 for this guy.... 64"...sorry pal ...cut halfway through the stem, will finish the deed tomrw...our keeper was 74" on day 20..13" bigger than our best day 20.. Getting excited   Saturday, August 1 View Page And this one ..on the 1218.5 Morris ... Never seen one in person this big on day 15...happy here .. Not a single bad leaf which is surprising as we haven't done much in this patch (new)   Saturday, August 1 View Page Channeling willie Nelson...."Mommas , please let yer babies grow up to be SLammers.."...people ask how we grow them so big...I tell them good soil, good seed, a song in my heart and good luck ...   Saturday, August 1 View Page This is what I don't tell them... It's grow time people..time to get serious...   Sunday, August 2 View Page Don't worry... We'll take good care of your sister... Man this was a tough call...both of these sets bigger than pb.. This one was a little worse for position...   Sunday, August 2 View Page Day 19 for fuzzy....71" cc...has grown 5"cc last two nights   Sunday, August 2 View Page Sunnys are opening   Sunday, August 2 View Page This baby on the 5.75 porkchop is in my slammer zone ... Still a few weeks out....   Sunday, August 2 View Page The marigolds seem to like their spot....   Sunday, August 2 View Page Long gourds keep thumping away... Lots of little ones... I'm sure a few will take...def need a trellis for these next year   Sunday, August 2 View Page What a day....   Sunday, August 2 View Page The keeper....day 23 ... Gains on their way up....so far so good...   Sunday, August 2 View Page Our girl Lily with some of dales striped tomatoes...only foxfarm starter fertilizer , Wallace mykos and water for these plants....I think I'll try the big maters in this soil next year...   Monday, August 3 View Page Got a much needed shot of rain.. Not much to speak of but enough to even out the moisture in the soil ... This here is the 1218.5 Morris squash growing in the compost pile...no food or water just bug and fungus spray... Had double vine that I pinched and it corrected ... Females are slow to move...I'm a bit shocked at the health fn the plant considering how dry it's been... Has been acting funny though   Monday, August 3 View Page Weird ....   Monday, August 3 View Page Anyhow... Day 20 for the MORRIs squash...ott 182"...small leaves... Seemingly healthy for now...will feed this week   Monday, August 3 View Page Ameeerrrikkaaa... FUK YEA!!!..(been singin that song all day)   Monday, August 3 View Page Alright... I gotta come clean... I haven't been able to cut the domingo twins off... I haven't been able to cut any of the good ones off...uuugh....the one in the sun has flashed...gotta white sheet the others...   Monday, August 3 View Page I'm naming this guy nasty....cuz he izzzz NASTY   Monday, August 3 View Page This ones name is also NASTY....   Monday, August 3 View Page Plants look great... A bit of speck ... Very tightly trained...no suckers... Will feed big bloom this week   Monday, August 3 View Page Here's the 451 wiebel ...day 11... Small stem split.. I'm guessing because it was dry and I hammered water at the stump... Not worried...yet ...   Tuesday, August 4 View Page Here's LIL Bessie ... Day 25... Might go orange??... That would be sweet   Tuesday, August 4 View Page Too view... Real short stem...   Tuesday, August 4 View Page I'm trying some samples I got from RAW nutrients ....I might have to rig up another "Slammock" For this baby....his name is also Nasty...cuz he's nasty... Nasty mcSLAMMeR!!   Tuesday, August 4 View Page Maters are diggin this cooler weather...   Tuesday, August 4 View Page This one on the 5.75 porkchop could be the real deal... I actually may have to cull some off....he's right smack dab in the middle of my slaaaammmmer ZONE...!!!..   Tuesday, August 4 View Page Update...the WIFE is calling HER, Granny Smith ... I'm still calling HIM fuzzy...(at least when she's not around)....in the mid 20's   Thursday, August 6 View Page Lol.... I like this guy...   Thursday, August 6 View Page Day 14 for the 451 wiebel...I really gotta learn this s-curve stuff... I can already see myself running into problems w positioning this year...maybe that's a good thing??   Thursday, August 6 View Page Couple mcslammers on the pumpkin patch maters...   Thursday, August 6 View Page For reference...   Thursday, August 6 View Page I'm guessing these are somewhere between 17-20 dap...   Thursday, August 6 View Page It's like one of those screens you stare at til something appears ...I missed this one somehow ..looks like fat baby MORRIs squash ....It's also on a 5.75 plant, the one with the super nasty one goin... Uugh.. It's already Approaching mini slammer status...I'll prolly let it go...uuugh... But what about small plant , one tomato?   Thursday, August 6 View Page Uuuuhhhh..??..Maybe there is something to that theory.??...(this was the runt plant...)... Glad I planted so many.. I'll just go gawk at another one and forget about it for a few days   Friday, August 7 View Page Had my first pumpkin nightmare of the year...this little guy has been sitting on that dead branch all season long .. He was really peckin at the pumkin in my dream .. I think pap drew a cartoon about a hummingbird peckin at a pumkin... Musta planted the idea....   Friday, August 7 View Page It's been a few days since one of the domingo twins flashed color ..I inew they were set at the same day so I decided to check it.. Was starting to leak...I cut him loose...the other twin still growing...   Friday, August 7 View Page First maters of the year Both off the 5.75 porkchop..domingo twin on the left ...other one split on bottom..was resting in dirt...not gonna weigh these... Prolly eat the bigger one...   Friday, August 7 View Page More twins!!... Not really... Similar size and shape...the one in my hand is about 12 days older... No brainier..snip!! On the porkchop 5.67 big zac (5.20 Lyons 2013)   Friday, August 7 View Page Update... I can no longer say the words SLAMmER , or nasty while in the vicinity of the ol lady...(or at least not the way I've been saying it)...   Friday, August 7 View Page We are approaching day 30....vine is almost a foot off the ground where the tap root is sticking down .. Will leave roots as long as possible....was thinkin about trying Ian p's trick and slip a bucket around that baby, fill it with dirt ...then maybe let it dry out after its full of roots to tell the pump house to send more goodies thatta way...almost 100 lbs heavier than same day last year...   Friday, August 7 View Page The pump house ....so far so good..   Saturday, August 8 View Page Nice stretch of weather coming...perfect timing   Saturday, August 8 View Page So far nasty mcSLAMMeR is king of the maters in size..for now.. Others are catching up... These domingos are big but i don't think they weigh like the big zacs do.. I'm really lovin the 5.30 macoy.. Are there any of those seeds left?.. Id love to give them another try next season..   Saturday, August 8 View Page Day 25 for the 1218.5 Morris squash... We've never grown a green one and it's already as big as We were hoping to grow one..pace is slightly behind lil Bessie for the day but still way ahead of our pb from last year... Plant looks great.. Now I just hope I don't screw it up...   Saturday, August 8 View Page Day 29 for Lil Bessie (1071.5 porkchop ... 1874 mathison x1776 debacco)...steady increases.. Momma took off around day 31-33 ...daddy rotted at day 25 at my buddy's house... Let's hope it was his grower error...   Saturday, August 8 View Page The 451 wielbel... Day 15...63" cc ...that's bigger than our PB was on day 20 last year... This on a retrained secondary 14" from the stump...small plant , seemingly healthy, nice shape to it...hoping for orange here...   Saturday, August 8 View Page Lol...   Monday, August 10 View Page Lil Bessie had a pretty good jump last night... Let's keep it goin lil girl...   Monday, August 10 View Page Lol... These babies are thumpin after a dose of dunkels competition blend.. Pretty sure they got a ways to go yet...   Monday, August 10 View Page 5.75 porkchop in the pumpkin patch... PRODUCT ADVISORY: Marks mix root keeper may contribute to SLAMMER SYNDROME...lol   Monday, August 10 View Page Starting to pick Zebra tomatoes from we got from Dale Thurber ...Very tasty ...thanks Dale !!   Monday, August 10 View Page Dales MATER with a SSLLLAAAMMMMmER on the 5.30 MacCoy ... This might be it...wasn't sure he was gonna show this year but this could be him...."the real MacCoy "..(in my patch)... Watching a few others develop ..,it's getting big...   Thursday, August 13 View Page Voodoo juice arrived today ...will give to maters...   Thursday, August 13 View Page Day 34 for lil Bessie ... Still ahead of last years pb...the second one of big tims sunflower is blowin up... Busted Ol stem and all...   Thursday, August 13 View Page I'll be guarding this baby as the chipmunks cleaned me out on the first one ...this much larger for the day then the first...Saved about 50 seeds from the taller one ... Soupster... Email me your address   Thursday, August 13 View Page Darren C has my vote for best journal pic with his dog !!..lol...as soon as I saw the tomatoes.. I knew it was a dog .. This here is our neighbor ELLa... She LOVES eating bell peppers right from the plant..also loves woodchucks....took some screamin at but she behaves well around the gardens now..mostly..good girl   Thursday, August 13 View Page Starting to rise over the canopy...   Thursday, August 13 View Page The 451...small leaves, small plant, but is sitting at 88" cc on day 20.. Out biggest day 20 and 27"cc bigger than last years pb.. Looks just like Momma bear...this will be looker if it makes it..   Thursday, August 13 View Page Here's Granny Smith.. Day 30.. Steady gains ...estimated weight..328lbs   Friday, August 14 View Page Day 35 for lil Bessie ... Losing some ground on pb pace,.. Will start feeding.. Warm temps for the next 10 days   Friday, August 14 View Page Goldfinches pecking at sumthin in driveway.,or dancing..   Sunday, August 16 View Page Some early smaller ones...and some culls... Boy it's hard to cut some of these off...   Sunday, August 16 View Page She weeds AND keeps track of measurements???... How did I get so lucky??.. KC Kevin -the pepper plants are loaded!!.. I'm gonna make a lot of enemy's this fall...   Sunday, August 16 View Page Granny is still cranking along steady.. Day 34 for the 1218.5 Morris ...will measure tomrw   Sunday, August 16 View Page Side view .. Plant still seemingly healthy..   Sunday, August 16 View Page Hmmm... Could it be?...did he show up this year?... Stay tuned..I smell a guess the weight contest in the near(or not so near) future....   Sunday, August 16 View Page 451... Day 23... 239 lbs ...   Sunday, August 16 View Page Good news- the root bound MORRIs plant that I stuck in the ground in the compost area is comin on strong .. Bad news- I just realized what pokeweed is and its surrounded by it...uugh   Tuesday, August 18 View Page Hot and humid... This is typical for this time of year here in new york however it's been a few years since we've had typical weather ...   Tuesday, August 18 View Page How funny... 20"long ..kinda low to the ground but I think I could just raise the vine if need be...   Tuesday, August 18 View Page Plant is growing up into the old cherry tree..we are hoping one sets way up there and grows down far enough to pick it from the ground...   Tuesday, August 18 View Page Day 35 for fuz.. I mean Granny Smith...plant still looks great...we will get in there tomrw and weed for the final time...and by we, I mean my wife Jeanne...??... Est weight -429lbs--   Tuesday, August 18 View Page I never would of thought I would use the word slammer for a pumpkin in one of my gardens but the 451 wiebel is a baby slammer!..lol.. Plant is small so I'm not sure what to expect but it is sure fun to watch a quick starter... 25dap   Tuesday, August 18 View Page Top view ...the wife named this one .. She's been calling her by name since day 5...she will make a sign soon I'm sure... Yer not gonna like it Cory.. Uugh... Wimpy wiebel ...whiimmppyyyy... She talks to it all day... All I hear out there is WHIiiimmmmppppeeeeeee!!!!pretty funny the way she says it though ...est weight 289lbs   Tuesday, August 18 View Page My First big one flashed ... This was a big single that I let set early so I could at least have something to show the garden club people last month ...have no idea how big.. I'm guessing it will go over four...   Tuesday, August 18 View Page Yup... No more guessing ...It's tape measure time...I hope nobody sees me...some time left on these domingos..letting them both go...next year I really will go one fruit per plant...   Tuesday, August 18 View Page This one is just to hard to get at... It's growing on its side... Definitely a slammer .,..   Tuesday, August 18 View Page And right next door we've got mc nasty...also on the 5.75 porkchop ..approaching super slammer size ...   Tuesday, August 18 View Page Houston ... We are in super slammer territory !!.. It's him.. The "REAL MAcCoy"!!!...off the 5.30 MacCoy ... I didn't think he would show up again this year for me but sure is shit he's here...and he feels heavy....sooooooo....GUESS THE WIEGHT!!... I think I still have 10 days or so to go.. Maybe less maybe more.....it's been hot...this mater is in my July 17th journal pic...contest will be posted on the tomato board ....good luck!!!   Wednesday, August 19 View Page Day 40 for Lil Bessie (1071.5 porkchop)...gains steady in the low 30's.. Keeping up w pb...found SVB's!!..bastards!!...estimated weight...659lbs   Wednesday, August 19 View Page Cleared some brush on the zebra tomatos...   Wednesday, August 19 View Page Gotta chop this sucker down with a hatchet ....it's got bark!   Wednesday, August 19 View Page Where are you ?.. You little bastard...   Wednesday, August 19 View Page Patch shot... I think the heat and humidity slowed us up a bit...great temps/weather for the next ten days... Big tims rehab sunny is thumpin ...(planted in the extra 5' we added to the patch this year)... I think the main patch needs more poop...   Thursday, August 20 View Page Morris plant.. This one has been on its own...no food or water ..we've def been doing too much in the past...will let a few grow..   Thursday, August 20 View Page Lil Bessie's stump...we think she hit a second gear...50lbs last night??..1" of rain coming tonight ...   Thursday, August 20 View Page Mcnasty .. Flashing in the heat   Thursday, August 20 View Page Little mcnasty ...still green as a bean...these might give 5lbs a run...   Thursday, August 20 View Page Storms are headed this way for tonight..."the real MacCoy "was swaying the stake in these wind gusts.. Added extra support...this tomato looks huge to me...will spray dunkels in the morning..(I have good rain coat in case I'm out there hold him in place all night)...I'm in SLAAAMMeR HEAVEN!!   Saturday, August 22 View Page Garden update.. We got through the hot humid stretch..the ten day forecast looks good.. Nighttime temps nowhere near as cold as last year ...lil Bessie still maintaining gains in the low 30's...couple of happy gardeners here... I   Saturday, August 22 View Page Well I got as far as pounding in a stake.. Just gonna try to keep it off the ground... Maybe it'll just stop short on its own...a couple higher ones look like the are growing   Saturday, August 22 View Page Good day when the wife says sLamMer....   Saturday, August 22 View Page Granny Smith day 39....   Saturday, August 22 View Page MATER update!!... I thought I'd be choppin some today but they aren't quite ripe enough and are still growing...close   Saturday, August 22 View Page This one I'll give one in the 5.30 MacCoy one more day....pretty Mater   Saturday, August 22 View Page Alright.. On to "the real macoy"...bottom looks great..lets see if he is still growin...   Saturday, August 22 View Page Measuring time...he def looks bigger...lets tally up and crunch some numbers...   Saturday, August 22 View Page Holy !!!!!!!   Saturday, August 22 View Page Oh baby ... That's gonna smash pb...(knock on Wood)...no pun intended...   Sunday, August 23 View Page Harvest day ...domingos in the front.. 5.30 macoy in the back   Sunday, August 23 View Page Off the 5.30 macoy...   Sunday, August 23 View Page Off the 5.75 porkchop   Sunday, August 23 View Page Day 30 for whimpy...451 wiebel selfed...est weight -419lbs   Sunday, August 23 View Page Barkin orders again...what a pretty pumpkin !.. Hope it gets orange like momma bear...   Sunday, August 23 View Page Photo battle!!...   Sunday, August 23 View Page Shoo!!.. Ya little bastard!!   Sunday, August 23 View Page Day 40 for granny...(1215.5 MORRIs )...growth is steady...plant looks great so we are not sure what to give it...est weigh 522lbs...(I might actually be in love with this one...is that gross?)..,   Sunday, August 23 View Page Oh lil Bessie you sweetheart..day 44.. She's still growin and slowly starting to show color/and stripes...will measure tomrw..plant looks relatively good...   Sunday, August 23 View Page The ribs look pronounced in this pic but I think that's a shadow...   Sunday, August 23 View Page Decided to give seaweed/ cal nitrate ... Don't really know why.. Need to use stuff up.. Sleep tight lil girl.. We gonna measure yer fat ass in the morn ....Now GROW DAMMIT!!   Monday, August 24 View Page Lil Bessie ...day 45... Est 845lbs... Still slightly ahead of pb..   Tuesday, August 25 View Page Grow baby grow...I'm thinkin it's getting close to 6lbs!!!.. Holy crap!..lol...whiimmmppeeeee ...SLLaaammmmmeeeerrrr...whimmmmpeeeeeee.....SLLaaAaaMMMEER.....we're like a couple of parrots out here .....   Wednesday, August 26 View Page The long gourd is taking over .. I see downy and aphids.. If we had a gas sprayer I could prolly reach up there ...turns out keeping them off the ground is about as fun as hanging Christmas lights...   Wednesday, August 26 View Page Plants still look really green and healthy...some very early downy signs.. No surprise as I wasn't as on top of the spraying earlier in the season.. Back to daconil/copper rotation...note to self-order eagle 20 for next year...(I heard it sprays great in a gas powered sprayer)..(and makes the flowers look more colorful)...;)   Wednesday, August 26 View Page Granny still growin...very cool looking...looks her momma...   Wednesday, August 26 View Page Compost pile... Prolly the best looking plant ...figures... 1218-5 Morris - 1 Pokeweed- 0   Wednesday, August 26 View Page Domingos are flashing   Wednesday, August 26 View Page I'm gonna save seeds from this one...could have been a contender but some light blossom rot slowed Its growth .. Next year will spray dunkles starting right after flowers start appearing ...   Wednesday, August 26 View Page Last cold night for awhile lil Bessie .. She hasn't complained to much .. Steady growth...fed Neptunes fish fert today... Stinky ...   Wednesday, August 26 View Page 38ish days to go....   Wednesday, August 26 View Page Pretty domingo off the 5.75 porkchop (4.55 wahl 2013)   Thursday, August 27 View Page These things are too funny....   Thursday, August 27 View Page Off the 8.41   Thursday, August 27 View Page My only plant I limited to one mater...Big fat single slammer...off the 5.67 porkchop (big zac).. This one could win a Beauty contest ...BLTs tonight !!!   Thursday, August 27 View Page "The real MacCoy".. Is still creepin along...   Saturday, August 29 View Page Well.. Had some patch visitors today...this is Caleb... Great kid.. Asked tons of questions...very talkative ,,in kind of a smart-alecky kind of way..but very cordial...I was crackin some jokes with him..good sense of humor...I asked if he wanted to try a hot pepper.. He was pretty excited about it...didn't go so well....   Saturday, August 29 View Page Lol..Funny right?.. I thought so.. Until I was told he has aspergers..a form of autism..uugh.. Me and my practical jokes...sort of feel like a jerk now...oh well...still kinda funny I guess...he coulda said no...lol..I'm going to help him grow big sunflowers next year ...   Saturday, August 29 View Page Granny day 45...577lbs... Has slowed down some..   Saturday, August 29 View Page Other MORRIs plant ...   Saturday, August 29 View Page Day 35 for whimpy..(451 wiebel)... What a beauty!!!... Est weight..537lbs...   Saturday, August 29 View Page Com on girl!!..day 49 for lil Bessie ..it's good news.. As of yesterday we are 149 lbs ahead of pb!!!.. Will measure tomrw   Saturday, August 29 View Page Hey fabrice.. This what you mean by the other way??...   Saturday, August 29 View Page My buddy came into town to help harvest some slammers...   Saturday, August 29 View Page For posterity...   Saturday, August 29 View Page Goin for it.. Will let the lower one go another day or two...   Saturday, August 29 View Page Ooo.. Feels heavy for domingo...   Saturday, August 29 View Page Let's go weigh em...   Saturday, August 29 View Page Pa pow!!... Off the 8.41 macoy..   Saturday, August 29 View Page Off the 5.75 porkchop....seeds from this one going to the fall seed exchange....   Saturday, August 29 View Page Bottom ....   Saturday, August 29 View Page I knew it felt heavy ... This one also saving seeds for the exchange ...   Saturday, August 29 View Page Bottom...   Saturday, August 29 View Page Big maters this year...I've got a few left that might give 5 lbs a run... "The real macoy" makes these look like baby maters...getting excited here ....   Saturday, August 29 View Page Day 50 for lil Bessie (1071.5 porkchop)....est weight -977lbs...gained 32 last night.. Perfect 10 day forecast ..mid 80's for high temps.. Lows in the low 60's...should be over PB this week...   Saturday, August 29 View Page Pretty girl...   Sunday, August 30 View Page We are over 1000lbs!!...on track for a new pb!!...warm today... Only getting warmer...   Sunday, August 30 View Page Found this one tangled up in the ladder....lol...it found me actually..I was trimming some older leaves off..startled me..(I don't like snakes)...I freed it up and will see what it does..this plant has been one of our favorites this year..will definitely grow these again ...   Sunday, August 30 View Page Here's little mc nasty..one of the last of the early domingo slammers...I foliar fed the Mater plants three times with the grow big this year...hoping for 5lbs...   Sunday, August 30 View Page "The real MacCoy " is still creepin along ...its ripening slow for now but it's getting warmer out...maybe 2-3 more days?... Poopin my pants here..   Monday, August 31 View Page Caught the little bastards in the act!!.. Porkchop-1 chipmunks -1...a new pb on the sunflower...thanks for the seeds big Tim!!!!!   Monday, August 31 View Page This was from our biggest megabloom ...(5.75 porkchop)   Monday, August 31 View Page Tha last of the early domingos...(little mcnasty)   Monday, August 31 View Page Lol... Let's go weigh em...   Monday, August 31 View Page Holy crap!!...   Monday, August 31 View Page Bottom view... Uugh.. Shoulda used a toothbrush on this baby...   Monday, August 31 View Page This one is a beauty...   Monday, August 31 View Page Bottom...I'll prolly take a bite outta this one before saving seeds...looks yummy...   Monday, August 31 View Page Here is the plant that the 5.55 was on... I kept up pinching all the suckers off starting when it was planted ....only cut leaf trusses off for pic....   Monday, August 31 View Page Harvesting seeds from these babies for the seed exchange!!!   Monday, August 31 View Page Here's my first entry for the Zaczilla contest... Some bigger ones to come ..doubt any will make four pounds ....I don't think this variety likes my soil...sorry Minnie !!.. I tried my best!!!   Monday, August 31 View Page Oh baby .....I might get two more days outta him...and this is the small side !!!...   Tuesday, September 1 View Page Had to raise the long gord again...it's getting a little sketchy...now at 80"   Tuesday, September 1 View Page The one that was stuck in my ladder trellis is starting to unfold a bit...funny   Tuesday, September 1 View Page Both last years Ol Bessie and this years lil Bessie were July 10th polinations ...lil Bessie is our first 5 lober we've grown...18"cc bigger than last years pb for today...still doin 30+lbs a day...grow baby grow!!!   Tuesday, September 1 View Page I can't handle the pressure... think I'm pickin tomrw...lol   Wednesday, September 2 View Page Aww man...does bug be gone hurt these little guys?... He wasn't walkin so good after I sprayed...hope he made it...   Wednesday, September 2 View Page I snipped some leaves off to get a better view....couple mini slammers on the 8.41's... Let's take a closer look...   Wednesday, September 2 View Page Yup... He's ready....   Wednesday, September 2 View Page A note to unlce dunkle...thanks so much for the "little extra" you sent along in the spring...this will be in my line up from here on out..good stuff ..organic   Wednesday, September 2 View Page I'm goin in!!!....   Wednesday, September 2 View Page iM GOIN In!!!!!!!!...   Wednesday, September 2 View Page Alright, let me quit fucking around and cut this baby....   Wednesday, September 2 View Page I gotta admit.. After handling the domigos I thought this felt a bit light...oh well still hoping for 6+ and a new pb!!   Wednesday, September 2 View Page The lady at the tractor store needed to get pics for their contest..(and to show her mom) Cool story- her father that had passed used to grow giant tomatoes.. This one actually brought a tear to her eye while she talked about the slammers he use to grow...she said he would have loved to see it....almost brought a tear to mine!..nice lady   Wednesday, September 2 View Page Day 40 for whimpy wiebel !!...WHIIMMPPpEEEE!!!!!she has dropped off her really big gains which I could only expect being such a small plant...at least I hope anyway ....still doin upper teens...est 635lbs   Wednesday, September 2 View Page Granny is getting some ribs...some light cantaloping appearing...these are so freekin cool Looking   Wednesday, September 2 View Page Day 45.. Gains in the mid teens ...est weight 657lbs..plant still in phenomenal shape....   Wednesday, September 2 View Page Yes!!!!.... A new pb!!!!!!!!!!   Wednesday, September 2 View Page Winners of the guess the weight contest are OBIE WAn!!!..and COldMelon!!!...also AAA.nz (I'll send seeds but i dont want anyone to get in trouble)great guesses...!! Email me your address and I'll get the seeds out when they are ready...this one was really fun to watch....   Wednesday, September 2 View Page Bottom view ....   Wednesday, September 2 View Page The 5.30's also got the foxfarm treatment...I hope there's lots of seeds...   Wednesday, September 2 View Page And as if today wasn't awesome enough.... Found these babies in my secret seed stash....thanks bubba   Thursday, September 3 View Page Ol fatty mc long gourd split.. Saw that one coming...it's gotta be close to ripe   Thursday, September 3 View Page Day 55 for lil Bessie ...171"cc...we are in personal best territory.. Still packin em on....   Thursday, September 3 View Page Now 24"cc ahead of last year and gaining..!!... Go bessie go!!!!   Thursday, September 3 View Page Day 55 .....For posterity   Saturday, September 5 View Page What a great stretch of weather we've had... A tad on the humid side but I'll take that over temps in the 60's like last year...these are the dinner plate dahlias (purple flowers) ...these do great in containers...bigger the better..these will bloom until frost...flowers about 8"...will dig up the tubers and plant again in spring...   Saturday, September 5 View Page The missus keepin the books... We've really gotten into "runnin the numbers" this year...I'm glad we've taken good notes these past few seasons ... Fun to compare...keeping the long gourds off the ground??..not so fun   Saturday, September 5 View Page Watering is also getting old...I even got a nice water timer for Xmas but it's still in the box....payin for that one....maybe it's just that I'm getting old ...   Saturday, September 5 View Page Veggie garden still lookin good.. Stuffed peppers and a movie in the patch tonight...what a day   Saturday, September 5 View Page This is my biggest Zaczilla ...hoping for at least 4lbs...actually , 4.02....this plant got the least amount of pruning...   Monday, September 7 View Page Day 59 for lil Bessie .. Everyday is a new pb ... 400" might be a possibility ...the heat(or maybe time of year) has slowed everybody down...plant still in good shape   Monday, September 7 View Page Still lookin good on the stem end..grow girl grow!!!   Monday, September 7 View Page Last shot of the 7.05 porkchop with some of the raw samples I used this year on it...will collect seeds tomrw   Monday, September 7 View Page Zaczilla... This might be my biggest.. Still have three growing...   Monday, September 7 View Page Off the 5.67 porkchop ....   Monday, September 7 View Page Another slammer off a 5.30 MacCoy .. These did great for me this year...   Monday, September 7 View Page Day 55 for granny...growth has slowed down..around 700lbs   Monday, September 7 View Page So pretty....wish we didn't plant these so close together ....   Monday, September 7 View Page Day 45 for whimpy... Also slowing way down ...the whimpy 240sqft plant still looks great ..also est 700lbs... She caught up to granny..hoping she has some more after the heat wave passes....   Tuesday, September 8 View Page Here's Lily and a Sunflower that the birds planted...I think I've thrown the frisbee over 4 million times this summer.....the missus saved a chipmunk swimming in the water barrel today ..he lucky...   Tuesday, September 8 View Page The sun is down on day 60... Taping over 1200lbs...still doing mid to upper teens... It's already in pb territory...this is awesome...   Tuesday, September 8 View Page Another slammer on the 5.75 porkchop...this plant already grew two maters over 5lbs...still a few weeks out....lovin the mykos from wallacewow...   Tuesday, September 8 View Page Goodnight...you sweet fat little pig...   Saturday, September 12 View Page Day 50 for whimpy...(451 wiebel )...still on 12lb avg...pretty sure we are growing these seeds next year...   Saturday, September 12 View Page Day 60 for Granny Smith ...   Saturday, September 12 View Page What a beauty!!....est 730lbs   Saturday, September 12 View Page So this is the root bound 1218.5 MORRIs plant that we almost chucked over the edge of "the pit"...no burying, no mykos,no nuttin ...only watered 20 or so gallons twice this year,, and we've had very little rain... Otherwise only bug and fungus spray for this plant...glad I decided to plant it...don't know what day it's on.. Maybe 35?...est 400lbs... I'm stumped...   Saturday, September 12 View Page The 8.41's are ready... I'll weigh the bigger one...   Saturday, September 12 View Page I'll save seeds from this one ... I like the shape...   Saturday, September 12 View Page Lil Bessie at day 64...still gaining...3 day average...16.7 lbs...biggest our patch has seen...we are on cloud nine!!!...cool and wet this weekend... Then warm again for a week or better...grow girl grow!!!!   Monday, September 14 View Page Dang!... Lost a tall muti head sunflower in the wind...   Monday, September 14 View Page Lil Bessie did fine...waiting for day 70 to measure again...   Monday, September 14 View Page Temps are back up...hopefully she'll keep crankin along...   Tuesday, September 15 View Page Last cold morning for at least a week...didn't seem to affect growth rate.. Still steady   Tuesday, September 15 View Page We had a Patch visitor from Japan today....she gardens in Japan but I'm pretty sure this was her first time seeing an Atlantic giant..I think "try to be gentle " got a little lost in translation but no harm no foul..she got such a kick out of seeing these...that's pretty much how I look every morning too...   Tuesday, September 15 View Page The 7.10 foss plants hate my soil....   Wednesday, September 16 View Page Dry creek bed....and wall...customer project...I love when people just let me create space...they usually like it too...No takers on a landscaped pumpkin patch yet though...   Wednesday, September 16 View Page Ahhh.. Back home...here's some pics of whimpy...(451 wiebel).. I couldn't be happier with this one.. Just wish I used wind protection early on when the 4' main became a foot long main..started out strong..we selfed everything this year and are exited to grow this one again next year.. Came outta the gate super fast...I just don't think it had enough plant to really push it..   Wednesday, September 16 View Page Nice shape ...make good boat...   Wednesday, September 16 View Page WHIIMMPPpEEEE !!!!...day 54..   Wednesday, September 16 View Page Granny and whimpy patch... Each plant has their first bad leaf...high hopes for this patch next year....I have no idea how to thump test but granny doesn't talk back when I smack her rear!!!   Wednesday, September 16 View Page What the hell am I gonna do with all these ghost peppers!??.. I was thinking maybe I'd get 10 or so a plant....there's a butt load of them...day 68 for lil Bessie should be over 400" this week... Lol.. THIS IS FUN...   Thursday, September 17 View Page Last slammer off the 8.41 MacCoys...will eat the rest   Thursday, September 17 View Page Here's the bottom... It's bigger than my giant cabbage I started in March ...lol...also a big thanks to whoever sent the gem corn in the seed exchange last year ...only grew four plants.. Hand pollinated .. What a nice color...   Thursday, September 17 View Page This might be the third 5+lber off this 5.75 porkchop domingo plant...still has a few weeks left to go...the last of the 5.75 seeds will be grown in Australia this year.. Best of luck down unda ...!!   Thursday, September 17 View Page I gotta admit... I threw a pretty big fit in the spring when our only option was to plant a "practice" plant from one of our "junk seeds" from Ol' bessie ..lol...lets hope she goes heavy like her parents...   Thursday, September 17 View Page No problems on this end...   Thursday, September 17 View Page This cross is 1874 mathison x 1766.5 debacco... Anyone know where the Orange comes from??..   Thursday, September 17 View Page A year ago today was our first frost... Shorts and t-shirt for at least a few more days.....no cold temps in sight ...absolutely loving the weather here...   Thursday, September 17 View Page Long gourd is about 30' up into the dead tree... The ones up there should be fun to pick ....uuugh.... Couple curly bastards up there..   Thursday, September 17 View Page Here's the 2nd 1218.5 MORRIs squash ...she got 1/3 of an inch of rain this weekend and I swear she's winking at me....est 445lbs.. I finally put a towel over her.. The sun scalded her a bit...def bad parenting..but we want to see what they can do on their own....   Thursday, September 17 View Page Grew grape tomatoes near here last year... Bucket tipped over...might actually get one to eat of this baby..(side note- Andrew , I emailed you back but haven't heard anything..check your junk folder)   Friday, September 18 View Page Day 70 for lil Bessie!!....will be 400" tomrw...still gaining ... Cold nights coming soon... Time to get out the sleeping bags ....   Friday, September 18 View Page What great day...   Friday, September 18 View Page The missus cookin the books...I think we are done measuring lil bess for the year....   Friday, September 18 View Page Me and a half pound of bacon have a date with this Zaczilla tonight ...yummm   Saturday, September 19 View Page Cute kids on a pumpkin pic!!!!..our niece Lila and her friend ...she's been askin to sit on the pumpkin since day 30...   Saturday, September 19 View Page SLammer stick bending over...last one for this plant...feeding lil bess with the fish fert...smells like the beach...   Saturday, September 19 View Page Big fat pump station this year...   Saturday, September 19 View Page Haven't measured granny in awhile but I think she's still creepin along....   Saturday, September 19 View Page I might be hooked on the green ones ...   Tuesday, September 22 View Page Yummmmm...   Tuesday, September 22 View Page The missus says Poor granny....I say poor rabbits... I've been very good to the wildlife this year as always and they've left us alone..until now...I wanna know WHICH rabbit did the damage...he will go good with carrots and potatoes ....uugh... Treated with sulphur ..day 70 for granny...   Tuesday, September 22 View Page Whimpy is doing ok.. Day 60...est 846lbs...   Tuesday, September 22 View Page The "compost squash".. Est 605lbs...Plant in terrific shape...this was our only open pollination so I won't keep the seeds...   Tuesday, September 22 View Page What a day....clear skies for a week or better...   Tuesday, September 22 View Page Lil Bessie is still growin...day 74   Tuesday, September 22 View Page Stem area looks good....   Tuesday, September 22 View Page Her back side looks great....   Tuesday, September 22 View Page Less than two weeks til weighoff!!!!... Grow girl grow!!!!   Tuesday, September 22 View Page Couple slammers still comin along ...plants are in decent shape still ... Will start to pull them soon... I think I'm good on the BLTs til next year ....   Tuesday, September 22 View Page Big fat domingo double slammer...should be ready for weighoff....   Thursday, September 24 View Page I was attacked by a timber rattlesnake hiding under the wheelbarrow today... Vicious deadly creatures...   Thursday, September 24 View Page Only A few more waterings left....   Thursday, September 24 View Page Second to last MATER from the patch...will pick now   Thursday, September 24 View Page Whiimmmmpppeeeee!!!!!....still growing   Thursday, September 24 View Page Here's granny...I think I've stopped her "weight loss"....   Thursday, September 24 View Page I'm pretty sure that me not pulling the sheets back and staring every four seconds was why the critters got comfortable.....sorry granny, won't happen again ....   Thursday, September 24 View Page I was a week off with this 5.75... Looks like this could be a third five pounder off this plant....maybe I'll get a big triple next year ....15lb SLaAmMMErRRr!!!!!!......lol   Thursday, September 24 View Page I washed away some soil ... Killer roots....good stuff from them there wallaces....   Thursday, September 24 View Page Lil Bessie is getting some lovely lady lumps....3 day average -15.6lbs   Thursday, September 24 View Page More great weather to come.....what an incredible start to fall....   Thursday, September 24 View Page Off the 5.75 porkchop (domigo)...   Thursday, September 24 View Page Funky bottom...   Friday, September 25 View Page My best foss mater in front ...not quite four lbs...def the tastiest of all the maters...   Friday, September 25 View Page Giving a little afternoon sun to warm her up a bit for these cool evenings.. Some very small skin splits in the front ...we have stopped snipping terts...   Friday, September 25 View Page I was so bummed that I screwed up Bubbas seed this spring because we really wanted an orange pumpkin this year....I hope selfing this one will lock in the color...gonna grow this seed next year and push a little harder...   Friday, September 25 View Page (Had to tell her about Cecil and Teresa's pumpkin... She's bummed)...it'll be ok lil' bess...daddy's here   Friday, September 25 View Page For posterity....   Saturday, September 26 View Page I don't know how wixom doesn't lose his mind with all his critter problems...apparently I didn't "do it good enough"says the missus ....don't worry granny mommy is here now...sulphur powder on the chew marks...   Saturday, September 26 View Page Hopefully this works....I'm not to worried about the weight loss...   Saturday, September 26 View Page The stem on granny must weigh 15lbs or better...swellin up nice...   Saturday, September 26 View Page Aww man... If We only had another 40 days to go...what a pumpkin for a whimpy little plant...still baby smooth Gonna give this whole patch to whimppee's kids next season ....   Saturday, September 26 View Page Helped the ol man pick some goblin pumpkins today...(that might be what he calls them, not sure)...pretty cool lookin...   Sunday, September 27 View Page Whimpy gets our good blanket...hey LB!...look familiar?   Sunday, September 27 View Page This could be my biggest domingo for the year...same plant that that grew two 5+ at the same time...could give the momma seed a run for her money ...most of my Mater seeds will be goin to the fall seed exchange this year so be sure to sign up!!!..will pick tomrw   Tuesday, September 29 View Page Picking one of the last big domingos...   Tuesday, September 29 View Page Feels decent... Let's go weigh it....   Tuesday, September 29 View Page Biggest domingo this year... !!!..this plant grew three fruits over 5lbs...   Tuesday, September 29 View Page Bottom...   Tuesday, September 29 View Page This one ready soon...   Tuesday, September 29 View Page I think master p is still in the lead in the zaczilla contest....oh baby, gonna be close one ....   Tuesday, September 29 View Page Had to get out this morn and take some photos.... Today is last day of our fantastic weather here in the Mohawk Valley....typical cold wet rainy shit weather starts this afternoon ... Calling for 2-4" in the next few days...uugh   Tuesday, September 29 View Page Had to get out this morn and take some photos.... Today is last day of our fantastic weather here in the Mohawk Valley....typical cold wet rainy shit weather starts this afternoon ... Calling for 2-4" in the next few days...uugh   Tuesday, September 29 View Page Had to get out this morn and take some photos.... Today is last day of our fantastic weather here in the Mohawk Valley....typical cold wet rainy shit weather starts this afternoon ... Calling for 2-4" in the next few days...uugh   Tuesday, September 29 View Page Cleared a little room around her to get some air flow ....   Tuesday, September 29 View Page Man oh man....   Tuesday, September 29 View Page This is by far the biggest pumpkin we have ever grown...not breaking any records but certainly blowing our minds .....a little worried about lifting her with my cob job tow strap set up..I'll be knockin on wood all week..eesh   Thursday, October 1 View Page Apple selfie... Gave the ol man a hand loading a tractor trailer with apples....decided this week to get whimpy and granny loaded early...   Thursday, October 1 View Page We made it!!!!   Thursday, October 1 View Page I might be a squash guy...these are really neat....that's it granny!.. Time to cut you loose!!!   Thursday, October 1 View Page Bottom looks good.. Nice and flat...   Thursday, October 1 View Page Looks bigger out of the patch...   Thursday, October 1 View Page She's a beauty...besides the dam rabbit marks....   Thursday, October 1 View Page Whimpy is up next....   Thursday, October 1 View Page We made it !!!!.. Yea Whimpy !!.. Off the 451 wiebel ....   Thursday, October 1 View Page Taking time to smell the roses...lift went smoothly   Thursday, October 1 View Page She's close to 900...heavy would be nice...   Thursday, October 1 View Page I have to say... I'm flippin out a bit thinkin about lifting lil Bessie in the background there...not sure how that's all gonna go down ...tomrw is the day though , I'll have to get more straps..THIS...IS.... FUN..(not the panic part)   Friday, October 2 View Page Well... We cut lil Bessie loose...but before I blast the journal with photos I let's rewind a bit... So last night I'm freakin out about lifting lil Bessie... The"smaller" ones were a tad on the sketchy side but I was definitely thinkng about " reworking" my own todmod of a harness system ...anyway.. I get an email from a fellow grower who lives nearby and could let me use his lifting ring this morn!!!.. I slept great last night !!   Friday, October 2 View Page Here's Gary Lennon and his beauty that went down to the dam critters ..what a great orange...maxed out his 1100 lb scale.. Looked closer too 1200..(I snaged some seeds when he wasn't lookin...shhh)... Gary, thanks again..   Friday, October 2 View Page Yup... Pain the ass...   Friday, October 2 View Page Almost burned my hunting beard...my favorite long gourd...stem to tip about 21"   Friday, October 2 View Page Almost burned my hunting beard...my favorite long gourd...stem to tip about 21"   Friday, October 2 View Page A couple friends stopped over ...time to stage some money shots!!!   Friday, October 2 View Page BLAMMO !!   Friday, October 2 View Page Pa plow!!   Friday, October 2 View Page Get the long gourd!!grab a tomato!!!..bAaamm   Friday, October 2 View Page NOOoOOO!!!!! Don't drop it!!!!   Friday, October 2 View Page I got to admit... I have some "outtake photos" but the wife won't let me post them...what a fun year this has been.. Yesterday we found out that we won the national tractor supply tomato contest...(hence the tshirts)...and will get to be in their magazine..two off my buddy's won at their tractor store from seeds I got in the seeds exchange ...ive said it before and I'll say it again .. This is as much fun as you can have with your clothes on ....alright guys... Move all this shit outta the way so we can lift this lil girl...   Friday, October 2 View Page Lifting went great... Bottom only slightly concave...great shape...harnesses are SOOOo much easier...   Friday, October 2 View Page We are Loaded up and excited to see what she weighs...momma went a little light but a little heavy might put us over 1500...HOLY F@&kin MOLY!!!......see everyone at oswego and best of luck to everyone else weighing around the world tomrw.. I wish heavy for us all!!!   Monday, October 5 View Page What a great day in oswego this past weekend...!!!!   Monday, October 5 View Page Lots of big ones...   Monday, October 5 View Page First class service right to the scales...   Monday, October 5 View Page Lil Bessie almost slipped off her seat on the way...(note to self...use straps..)...we were pretty excited that she was taping third biggest...eesh   Monday, October 5 View Page Here's whimpy and granny waiting to hit the scales but something happened to the scale...   Monday, October 5 View Page Uuuhh... What?...25% light?   Monday, October 5 View Page Uuuhhh ..what?... (I didn't even want to get in the picture ....)   Monday, October 5 View Page What!!!!????... You gotta be shitin me!!!..I suck at growin heavy!!!   Monday, October 5 View Page Wtf!???   Monday, October 5 View Page This is the face of a pro that knows when something ain't right...problem was discovered... Had to re-weigh   Monday, October 5 View Page That's a little more like it!!!...   Monday, October 5 View Page That sounds a bit more like it... Great squash Karl ...   Monday, October 5 View Page Here's bkwhopper at the scale...he looked mean after the first weigh...way to grow whopper!!   Monday, October 5 View Page Watch out for swaintech's daughter Courtney ... What a great sophomore year !!!   Monday, October 5 View Page Time for lil Bessie to hit the scale...   Monday, October 5 View Page Holy f$&kin bananas!!!....   Monday, October 5 View Page Then time for Karl's MOnster off the 359 foss plant ... Tallest pumpkin we have ever seen!!!!!...WOW!!!.. What a pumpkin...look at th...wait... What did ours weigh again?...   Monday, October 5 View Page Holy mother of Jesus ...we just won a freekin WEIGH OFF!!!...we can't believe it...what a great day... Ended up selling lil Bessie to a guy that will display her at a big shindig down in Maryland ..he will harvest the seeds and send them back to us after Halloween ... I hope she has a bunch...   Monday, October 5 View Page Gotta admit... I miss her..   Monday, October 5 View Page Whimpy didn't get re weighed so I'll get a scale on her this week ..they'll go up on display at the ol mans Apple farm...ol mcmarleys Apple farm for all the Facebook crowd...what to look at now????   Monday, October 5 View Page Guess I'll just spend more time over here ???..lol... It's October 5th!!!.. If anyone is looking for healthy plant genetics.. Try that 1218.5 MORRIs if you can find one!!..this plant has had no food or water this season...pretty sure the stump behind the movie screen even got peed on a few times during some parties this summer ...shoulda named this one...est weight.. 756lbs...didn't plan on this girl but we might take it somewhere this weekend....   Monday, October 5 View Page Granny getting unloaded by Ol Mcmarley himself!!..   Monday, October 5 View Page Let's see what baby granny can do by Halloween ...hehehe   Monday, October 5 View Page And you bastards better enjoy yourselves as long as you can... Next year it's on bitches!!!...   Wednesday, October 7 View Page Long gords are still thumpin away..there's a few 2-3' up near the top.. No frost in sight so maybe they will have a chance to finish..(or at least grow big enough that I can reach them and give tug..) there's no way to get up there..that ol tree could go at any minute...   Wednesday, October 7 View Page Whimpy and granny got dropped off on Monday ... Loaded up the rest of the display ...including some sunnys that fell over a few days ago in some wind...they won't wilt too bad if you display with rootball...   Wednesday, October 7 View Page Joy joy joy ....they'll be on display at old McMarleys Apple farm until a few days before Halloween .. Then we'll carve and retrieve seeds...I would like to thank Kathy Adams for leaving her pumpkin at the weighoff..Such a great color ...just wish I had room for swaintech's punkin too...let me know if you want me to save the seeds for you....   Wednesday, October 7 View Page Here's my buddy otto... The "unsung hero".. He put in quite a bit of time keeping us "weed free" this year....round up might be cheaper but we had a blast hangin out in the patch.   Friday, October 9 View Page Wtf!?... Big earl?...here's lil Bessie on display in Maryland ..I did an interview with the paper down there ...pretty funny..they didn't quite use my quote on female vs male names...they will have a guess the seed count contest on Halloween   Friday, October 9 View Page Hey KC ... Are these ghost peppers?.. The chcolate ghosts I def kept track of look different...   Friday, October 9 View Page Where the hell was this one a month and a half ago!!??.. On the 5.75 porkchop in the pumpkin garden...I wonder if digging up plant and finishing indoors would count for the contest?..lol..next season I will use toothbrush on these guys..   Monday, October 12 View Page Another beautiful day here in central NY...decided it was time to start cleanin up the joint ...lil Bessie plant comin out...biggest stump we have ever had...great roots...   Monday, October 12 View Page This was the start of a tertiary vine we let go off the first secondary to fill some space early on.....it was thicker than last years main...lol   Monday, October 12 View Page All cleaned out...   Monday, October 12 View Page Hate to see the season coming to an end...glad I didn't toss the extra 1218.5 morris plant...   Monday, October 12 View Page Had to terminate the main vine ...actually ..kinda terminated most of the plant beyond the fruit....lol.. She has grown 100lbs in the last 9 days...   Monday, October 12 View Page She has pretty much caught up with granny...just gonna let her keep goin..awesome seed... No food..maybe 50gallons water total this season ...(I might be growin in the wrong spot!!!).. Not sure what dap..75?.. Maybe??....dam this is fun...   Monday, October 12 View Page This is my last shot at the Zaczilla contest ...he just flashed me...I have noticed that the zaczillas are the slowest of the bunch to ripen...prolly can hang on another week...com ooonnnn 4.02!!!   Wednesday, October 21 View Page Well, things were lookin up for while...   Wednesday, October 21 View Page Weather was beautiful this year so I won't complain about the crappy cold we've had...   Wednesday, October 21 View Page Cold is comin...time to pick the last few maters...   Wednesday, October 21 View Page Off the 5.30 macoy... Will save these seeds..   Wednesday, October 21 View Page My biggest Zaczilla this year.. I got one to four pounds .. I'm gonna consider that a big success ...any other sleepers out there or should we call Obie wan the winner of the Zaczilla contest??...   Wednesday, October 21 View Page For all you diagnostic guys...What's wrong with this plant?   Wednesday, October 21 View Page Yup... Snow... Dammit... Picked the compost 1218.5 MORRIs plant..digital hanging scale est 846lbs....   Wednesday, October 21 View Page Just in time...lil granny didn't make it..   Wednesday, October 21 View Page Booooooo...   Wednesday, October 21 View Page New pb long gourd....bOOOoOOooooOOO!!!!   Wednesday, October 21 View Page Well at least I was able to harvest and dry a buttload of ghost peppers...lol, oh baby , April fools day can't come soon enough....   Sunday, November 1 View Page Well it's getting near time to end my journal... Gardens are all cleared out.. Will till this week   Sunday, November 1 View Page Collecting seeds from the long gourd.. I've got a couple I'm going to try and let dry...is that a dumb idea?   Sunday, November 1 View Page Collecting seeds from granny...seed count 147.. I will have extras if anyone wants to try some....now to stand her up...   Sunday, November 1 View Page Slicing the bottom flat.. This saw works great...   Sunday, November 1 View Page This is Katie bugs... My buddy's little girl...Uncle Steve tried to get her to eat a "candied pepper"...she ran over and grabbed the sign... Smart girl ... Let's see how observant she is with the Halloween candy I gave her...hehehe...   Sunday, November 1 View Page Whimpy and granny carved for Halloween .. Whimpy had about 200 seeds.. Also available if anyone interested..I'm going to plant it next year...   Sunday, November 1 View Page Lots of people have been stopping to take pics ..   Sunday, November 1 View Page lil bessie had LOTS of seeds...if anyone one is interested in these seeds (or any others )send bubble to- Steve marley 144 Utica road Clinton my 13323 Note*All my seeds will be in the 2015 fall seed exchange as well   Sunday, December 20 View Page Well, I guess it's time to end my journal for the season...I was hoping to show a video of us blowing up the squash w tannerite...fun stuff...I've got something better for yall...here is one of the photos that didn't make the cut for the journal..my best friend of 25 yrs, Elkin, is on the right...he helps out once and awhile in the patch but mostly he just gets in the way...he was adopted when he was 5 from Colombia (without permission from his birth mother) and sold into the sex slave trade...she has been searching for 34 yrs ...they found each other through social media a few years ago and are meeting for the first time in Colombia ...this is a long time coming for my friend and I'm so happy for him to be "home " for Christmas ....I would fast foward to 13min or so unless you speaka Spanish better than my boy !!..lol http://youtu.be/Yu8CKmr0FL0 Merry Christmas BP land !!!!!!....see yall in 2k16!!!!!!! Ps... I'm kidding about the sex slave trade part.... Also...I hear tell that there will be porkchop seeds grown in Colombia this year...!!!!