Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 16 Entries. Thursday, August 18 View Page Patch shot   Friday, August 19 View Page The weather here this year has been fantastic, except for the drought. It reminds me of the weather in 2012, and like 2012, I have split my best one. 1521 Wolf DMG (2230 Wallace x 1533 Haist) Special thanks to Tim Bailey for helping to get it weighed, it was quite the struggle to get this one off the ground.   Monday, August 29 View Page Also like 2012, I split my 2nd best one. This officially makes it a tough year I would say. We got this one off the ground just enough to see high 1300s on the scale before the bottom fell out. Not going to guess what it really weighed at its peak, but it looks like it split from the bottom a while ago as I had feared. Last measurement put it at 407 inches. This was grown off the 2009, and pollinated with the 2230.   Monday, August 29 View Page I believe this is our definition of "insult to injury" - dealing with the horrendous stench through the cleanup process. Needless to say, no seeds were saved from this one.   Saturday, September 24 View Page And now, for the ones that made it to scale... 988 Wolf 2016 (575 Wolf x 2009 Wallace). One of the prettiest pumpkins I have ever grown. It blends right in with the traffic barrel in the background. I knew this one was light from thumping on it, but sheesh.... 19% under chart (it taped a little over 1200).   Saturday, September 24 View Page What you can't see in the previous picture is the stem, which began splitting at around 500 pounds (estimated, anyway). I tried to cut it to relieve the stress, but it either did not want to cooperate or I didn't go with the grain as carefully as I should have. This shows the progression as the downstream side gradually separated.   Sunday, September 25 View Page Amelia showing off the stem side after the weighoff.   Sunday, September 25 View Page When the stem split began I assumed I would lose the pumpkin so I let everything else on the plant set. I ended up with these 5 between 265 and low 400s, as well as a few smaller ones and 2 other blossom end split ones about the same size. The plant really wanted to produce.   Sunday, September 25 View Page Christy and Amelia also planted a 575, and theirs went much closer to chart than mine. If we had done a better job fighting the bugs, this one wouldn't have had the bumpy scabs on the skin and probably would have been a perfect 10. 1124 Wolf 2016 (575 Wolf x Sib). This 575 was crossed with the one I grew, and should make some awesome looking offspring. A 497, 397, and assorted smaller ones were found on the same plant as this one.   Monday, September 26 View Page Had a great weekend of weighoffs (those pictures later) only to come home to losing one of by bigger ones. I'm not sure why I thought something was off, but the thump didn't sound like if usually does. I found the bottom to be a bit rubbery, so I decided to pick it. 1374.5 Wolf 16 (1038 Wolf x 2009 Wallace). I had been worried about the deep rib but when I lifted, there was no obvious hole. I was fighting stem issues and some disease with the plant, so I'm guessing the disease became internal via the stem.   Monday, September 26 View Page Once safely on the truck (and I'm not sure how I did this without cracking it when I saw inside) I took a peek only to find soup. This is the first pumpkin that actually hissed when I cut into it. So, around the corner and up the other road I went. Got perpendicular to the road, 4WD on, put it in reverse, got some speed, then slammed on the brakes just before the cliff....   Monday, September 26 View Page One of the more satisfying ways to get rid of a pumpkin, as it happens. The sound, the smell...   Sunday, October 2 View Page 1358 Wolf 2016 (1533 Haist x 1038 Wolf) Had I known this one would have finished as my heaviest official one this year, I would have taken better care of the plant. Found a 300#er on the plant late in the season.   Sunday, October 2 View Page Pic of the 1358 on the truck that shows color a bit better.   Tuesday, October 11 View Page Took a ride down south and had a great time. 1090 Wolf 2016 (1985 Miller x 1038 Wolf). I had an accident with the main vine female and the tip fried shortly thereafter, so I set multiple fruit on this plant. Also on it were the 953 (x 575 Wolf), 556 (x 2230 Wallace), a 397 and a couple 150#ers that were open pollinated.   Monday, October 17 View Page In the front - 88 Wolf (81 Wolf x self). I finally gave the field pumpkin plant a good shot this year, and learned a lot. On the plant was: 132, 131, 100 DMG, 97 DMG, the 88 & assorted late pollinations pictured.