Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 63 Entries. Sunday, April 16 View Page Time to get plants in the ground. It's been a really windy spring and the moisture has been sucked out of the soil. A little rain wouldn't hurt. Here's what I have in the backyard. A 1445.5 Jutras squash went in with my 965 Makarchuk as a backup.   Monday, April 17 View Page More seedling pictures. A new cover went on the greenhouse at the farm a few weeks ago. The soil is nice and warm and ready for plants. I have a 2230.5 Wallace and a 1998.5 Jutras going.   Saturday, April 22 View Page The main patch at the farm is now ready for plants. Alex is all ready for another season. His choices for seeds? He wants to see what he can do with my 965 Makarchuk squash, so in go two of the plants into his house.   Saturday, April 22 View Page Alex and his plants.   Saturday, April 22 View Page And finally, my pumpkins in the main patch. A 2145.5 McMullen and a 2032 Mathison. I am still hauling water out to the farm. We don't get irrigation water for another 3 weeks. Some rain would really be nice.....   Saturday, April 22 View Page Did I mention I hate the wind? This is a greenhouse about 15km west of me. It suffered this damage back in November when we had several days of 80 to 110km wind. Mine was ok but I feel bad for this guy.   Saturday, April 22 View Page Did I mention I hate wind? This was last week out at the farm. It just kept getting worse and worse. I put the new cover on the greenhouse at the farm 3 weeks ago. I was worried that it would be damaged but there was nothing I could do but wait. Fortunately it survived unhurt.   Saturday, April 22 View Page My neighbours shingles during the wind storm last week. It came up quickly and violently. It knocled over an older lady at the golf course and she ended up with a broken arm.   Saturday, April 22 View Page My neighbours shingles during the wind storm last week. It came up quickly and violently. It knocled over an older lady at the golf course and she ended up with a broken arm.   Tuesday, May 30 View Page Been a while since I posted. It's been pretty dry but windy, except the past few days. Seems all I do is water. Here's Alex and his two 965 Makarchuk plants. Time to pull one of them.   Tuesday, May 30 View Page Both plants were pretty much the same. Had to choose one.   Tuesday, May 30 View Page The 2032 Mathison got pulled to let the 2145.5 McMullen take over. The plants in the main patch are not as protected but are growing quickly for this time of year. They will outgrow the houses in about 10 days but we'll still be deep into windy season. I like the growth but hate worrying over what the weather will bring.   Tuesday, May 30 View Page The 1998.5 Jutras. I hated doing it, but the 2230.5 Wallace was pulled. It was the slowest growing plant of anything going and was skinny and sickly. Just didn't look right.   Tuesday, May 30 View Page The 1445.5 Jutras squash at home. It was neck and neck with my 965 Makarchuk but I had to make a choice. I figured Alex was growing the 965 at the farm so we will see how it goes out there. Last week was brutally windy for 4 days and I had to delay putting up the big hoophouse. It just would not have stood up to gusts 110 km/h winds for several days. The small houses survived nicely. Please, just no more wind this year.....   Monday, June 5 View Page Woke up this morning to something strange outside. I don't really know what it is. It's like someone has a huge sprinkler way up in the sky and it is watering everything in sight. Now the ground isn't totally dry and the farmers are happy. I have heard stories about something called rain, but I can't remember the last time it happened here. Can someone explain this to me lol?   Monday, June 26 View Page It's that time of year again. Time to get Alex out of bed early to pollinate. His 965 Makarchuk squash plant is doing ok. We've had bad winds for the first 3 weeks of the month and I had to delay taking the cover off the plants. The 2145.5 McMullen grew a bit faster than Alex's and got beat up more. Anyways, here's Alex and his flowers. He pollinated his squash with the 1445 Jutras from home.   Monday, June 26 View Page And the 1445.5 Jutras at home. It also had a flower open today at about 17 feet. This was pollinated with Alex's 965 Makarchuk. To the right, is an early pollination, from June 15th. I've never had a plant ready that early. This was also pollinated with Alex's squash. Crossing my fingers....   Monday, June 26 View Page The backyard patch. I finally had to give in an take the plastic off on June 22nd as the wind was just too strong for the plant. The shadecloth went on right away.   Friday, June 30 View Page Back in the patch early in the morning. Alex has another female opening. He was eager to get up early again this morning and pollinate. Maybe it's because it has become a ritual for us, after we pollinate at the farm, we hit Timmies for some Timbits? Anyways, it was pollinated with my 1445 Jutras   Sunday, July 9 View Page The 2145. This one was pollinated on June 22nd. It was a busy time of year with the wrap up of school. I couldn't make it out to the farm the night before and figured it would open on the 23rd. I got there in the afternoon on the 22nd and realized my big oops. I just threw pollen from any plant I could find so it's an open pollination. The female got nicked with something a few days before it opened. It is going to have one big scar. The good news is, after a slow start, it's taking off.   Sunday, July 9 View Page The 1998.5 Jutras. This one was pollinated on June 28th and was crossed with the 2145.   Sunday, July 9 View Page Oops, here's the pic for the 1998.5   Sunday, July 9 View Page The 1998.5 in the greenhouse. I tried something new and planted a cover crop of mustard in the spring. It was mowed and tilled in about a month ago. Slow start to this plant, but everything I grow in the greenhouse starts off slow. I fugure it's because of the big trees on the east and south side. I'm not too worried, it's a long season and the pumpkin is moving quickly so far.   Sunday, July 9 View Page Alex's long gourds out at the farm.   Sunday, July 9 View Page My long gourds at home. Ahead of last year by about 2 weeks. Everything is ahead of last year's pace. It's been really hot the past while and it seems all I do is water.   Sunday, July 9 View Page The 1445. Jutras squash at home.   Sunday, July 9 View Page And here's what the 1445 is growing. Pollinated on the 15th. Started very slow and I was a bit worried but has passed last year's numbers for the 965......I was hoping the next one would take as I am not too crazy about where it is positioned in the garden, but I can deal with it. I just need to remove a bit of the supports for the structure in a week or two.   Sunday, July 9 View Page Finally, Alex's 965 Makarchuk out at the farm. The pollination of the 26th aborted, but Alex has a good one going from the 30th. Fastest growing fruit out of the gate of anything we have growing.   Friday, July 21 View Page The 1998.5 Jutras. Just keep dumping water on everything. Hot hot hot....except last week where the overnight low hit 3.4. That was scary.   Friday, July 21 View Page The 1445.5 Jutras at home.   Friday, July 21 View Page The 2145. The scar is a little soft. I'm not really sure this one will make it, but let's push it as far as we can.   Friday, July 21 View Page Alex and his 965 Makarchuk Day 21 and 63 inches. The fastest growing squash we've ever had....... His numbers are doing better than my 1445 at home and he doesn't let me forget it lol.   Saturday, August 5 View Page Back from 8 days in BC and two more golf tournaments. Not a lot of time is being spent at home this summer. It's been very hot and dry in July. The past few days have been a bit cooler. Here's the 1445.5 Jutras at home on day 51. Maybe it just doesn't like the heat?   Saturday, August 5 View Page 1998 Jutras at the farm. It was cruising along nicely, until we went on vacation. Then this happened and just slowed to a crawl. Crap. I just can't win in the greenhouse.   Saturday, August 5 View Page The 2145 on day 44. It too doesn't like the heat, at least the scar is feeling a bit better. I'm not as worried since it hasn't been packing on the weight as it was before we went on vacation. I seem to think there is a pattern here.   Saturday, August 5 View Page But not everything is going slow. Alex's 965 Makarchuk on day 36. Circ of 114 inches. This one seems to like the growing conditions. I just keep dumping water on it and it keeps putting on the pounds. This one shows potential. I am just glad it is from my own seed, but a little disappointed my 11 year old son is kicking my butt so far this year.   Saturday, August 5 View Page An overhead shot of the farm patch. The two plants have filled up our side of the garden.   Saturday, August 5 View Page The other side of Alex`s 965 Makarchuk. It`s just like it`s mother.   Saturday, August 5 View Page An overhead view of the 1445.5 Jutras and the long gourds at home.   Thursday, August 17 View Page Back from another golf tournament. This time the kids were playing on Jasper. This seems to be all we have done this summer. The pumpkins have been neglected a bit. Here is the 1445 Jutas squash in the backyard. Not the biggest I have had at just over 600 pounds.......   Thursday, August 17 View Page Yup. Split time. There were 3 or 4 spots where it was ready to go. I had a feeling before we left for Jasper last week that its days were numbered.   Sunday, August 20 View Page Alex and his 965 Makarchuk squash. It keeps plugging away.   Sunday, August 20 View Page My 2145. The scar is getting deeper. I don't know how long it will go. I have another one going on a side vine to take the pressure off. I am not looking for the biggest at this point. Just something to stick in front of the house on Halloween   Monday, August 21 View Page Seema like I missed the picture of Alex and his squash...   Friday, September 29 View Page The pumpkin off the 1998.5 Jutras. The roots from the trees 30 feet away go through the the entire greenhouse. I keep tilling them up and they keep coming back. It weighed in at 453 pounds at the Lethbridge weighoff.   Sunday, October 1 View Page The farm patch today. The before picture. Very nasty weather is coming tonight. I can't get my pumpkin and Alex's squash out until later this week. They are all bundled up for the foot of snow and strong winds that are on the way tonight. Warm and sunny starting Tuesday...we hope   Monday, October 2 View Page The during picture. It rained most of the night and turned to snow early this morning. About a foot of snow on the back deck but the big problem is the horrid wind. Most highways are shut down around here. The mile I had to drive off the main highway to get to the farm was absolutely brutal and tomorrow has been declared a snow day. And that is at 430pm. Wacky weather. Wednesday and Thursday are supposed to be very warm and sunny.. I hope to get everything loaded Thursday but may have to load things Friday to get to Smoky Lake on Saturday. This is the first significant moisture since May.   Tuesday, October 3 View Page The morning after...   Tuesday, October 3 View Page A beautiful day at the farm. We go from summer, to fall, to winter in 3 days. We will see if the pumpkin and squash survive this. They are all bundled under blankets and tarps. Time will tell   Thursday, October 5 View Page The patch today. We have never picked pumpkins with snow. I was a bit worried we couldn't get into the patch and the overnight low yesterday hit -8 but everything seems to have survived.   Thursday, October 5 View Page The 2145. We are down to one farm cat and he is not much of a mouser. A nice big nest and a big fat mouse under this one but no damage to the pumpkin.   Thursday, October 5 View Page Alex and his squash.   Saturday, October 7 View Page So we made it to Smoky Lake. Cold and rainy to unload.   Saturday, October 7 View Page First for me and second for Alex in the lomg gourds....or second last for me and last for Alex. We were the only two entries. Not the best year for me at 74 inches and 50 for Alex. They were so small O forgot to take a picture.   Saturday, October 7 View Page Alex's squash came in light at 726.5. 2nd place behind Eddy's squash. My Alberta record of 825.8 from 2009 is now gone. Eddy had a nice one at 934.5.   Saturday, October 7 View Page My pumpkin came in 7th at 677 pounds.   Saturday, October 7 View Page So after we were done in Smoky, time for the long drive home. But first, time to see the sights. The worlds largest mallard duck in Andrew, Alberta.   Saturday, October 7 View Page The big sausage in Mundare...   Saturday, October 7 View Page The worlds largest Easter egg in Vegreville.   Monday, October 30 View Page That time of year again. Alex likes power tools   Monday, October 30 View Page Getting all the seeds out   Monday, October 30 View Page Alex is a little more nimble than mr   Monday, October 30 View Page All ready for tomorrow. Alex likes Minions