Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 60 Entries. Sunday, April 23 View Page Five promising candidates for the patch. Picked up this 4 foot stand with T5 hood and bulb for $50 bucks on Amazon.   Sunday, April 23 View Page I had high hopes for the 1961 sperry. Unfortunately the seed was a white tip and its growing like one.   Monday, April 24 View Page Winter rye is growing nicely. It's taking a toll on my mower. Great weather so far this spring   Monday, May 22 View Page Tiller broke for the 2nd time this spring. I stopped mowing the rye about 2 weeks ago.   Friday, June 9 View Page Patch is tilled finally. 1790 Wallace on the left and 1861 Adkins on the right. No sunflowers yet due to hungry rabbits. I can't grow much that isn't surrounded by chicken wire here   Friday, June 30 View Page Rainbow over the patch this evening   Friday, July 14 View Page 1790 in the back and 1861 in front   Friday, July 14 View Page 1790x1861. So far looks really nice   Friday, July 14 View Page 1861x1790   Friday, July 14 View Page The rabbits didn't eat all the sunflowers. Almost 6 feet   Tuesday, July 25 View Page 1790wallace x 1861adkins Est 455 lbs today   Tuesday, July 25 View Page 1861adkins x 1790wallace Est 375 lbs   Tuesday, July 25 View Page Sunflowers filling in   Tuesday, July 25 View Page We added a new pup kin to our family. Introducing "May "to the patch. 10 weeks old. She is a sweetheart   Monday, August 7 View Page 1790x1861 today. Pumpkin tape says 750lbs   Monday, August 7 View Page Another shot of 1790wallace. Long and orange   Monday, August 7 View Page 1861x1790 today. Est 700 lbs. another orange one. Lumpy and difficult to measure. Next week I will start OTT numbers.   Monday, August 7 View Page The side yard patch. 1861x1790 also. Late pollination. Best plant yet for this patch   Monday, August 7 View Page Looks more like an apple than a pumpkin. I don't expect much more than a split from this one   Monday, August 7 View Page My kids plant. Way behind but has a few going finally. 1072.5 C.Adkins x open. Which means self or 1861adkins.   Monday, August 7 View Page Sunflowers are getting tall.   Thursday, August 10 View Page First of 2017. Cull from my daughters 1072. It grew with the huge nose. She cut it yesterday since it was growing poorly. She still has 2 left a bit larger than this   Tuesday, August 15 View Page Today's patch A pic   Tuesday, August 15 View Page The 1861 Adkins OTT is around 345OTT today. Lumpy and hard to measure   Tuesday, August 15 View Page 1790 Wallace is around 353OTT today. Nice long shape and still very young looking. Plant looks good still especially for this time of year.   Tuesday, August 15 View Page Sunflowers. A couple are getting really tall.   Monday, August 21 View Page Another one got a soft spot. This one was looking good too. Carved it while it was still plugged in today. Compost tomorrow.   Monday, August 21 View Page Sunflowers during the eclipse today   Wednesday, September 20 View Page 1861x1790. Only 9 days till the weigh off.   Wednesday, September 20 View Page 1790x1861. Bringing both pumpkins if all goes well   Monday, September 25 View Page It’s been exactly two month since the first pic with our new pupkin. She’s almost hit her full-size.   Monday, September 25 View Page Plant still looks pretty good. She gets cut Friday evening.   Friday, September 29 View Page Morning sun. A little work outside. Today is loading day   Friday, September 29 View Page 1790wallace x 1861adkins.   Friday, September 29 View Page 1861adkins x1790wallace.   Friday, September 29 View Page Both are still growing slowly. But Not for long.   Friday, September 29 View Page Both are going to Siegels cottonwood farms tomorrow. No kid pumpkin this year. Rough season. Lost a plant, almost no rain for last 6 weeks. My kid has one at 600 pounds but said I could bring both of mine to weigh. I’m hoping for heavy. Little chance of that with no rain. Will see how city water did for them. Fingers crossed for 1500   Sunday, October 1 View Page Seigels farm in Illinois yesterday   Sunday, October 1 View Page The 1861 Adkins x 1790 Wallace weighed 1442. Went a bit light but no surprise since the top grew over the bottom and caused a big void where some heavy pumpkin meat should have been   Sunday, October 1 View Page 1790 Wallace x 1861 Adkins weighed 1522. Funny that is our address number. Nice shape and to my surprise went a little heavy. Took 3rd place behind a couple nice Wisconsin-kins.   Monday, October 2 View Page Got the pumpkins up with the help of a friend from the local Wheaton mulch store down the street using his loader and a bunch of strong neighbors to help stand them on end. We dug holes and wedged them in with blocks then filled around with dirt to keep them secure. Then smeared petroleum jelly all over them to help keep the kids from doing whatever they try and do each year   Saturday, October 7 View Page Got some carving inn today at a local nursery. It started pouring rain and all the people left. Tomorrow will be better. No rain and 70 degrees   Monday, October 9 View Page Sunday at the nursery. Beautiful day.   Monday, October 16 View Page My kid and her 600 est pumpkin. She did a nice job on the carving. The pumpkin got a couple soft spots last week and couldn’t wait till Halloween. I hope she will try again next year. It’s nice to spend the extra time with her   Tuesday, October 17 View Page Got some carving in today.   Sunday, October 22 View Page A squirrel ate the face on the other side of this pumpkin so I carved a new one on the backside this morning   Wednesday, October 25 View Page At the local park district today. 250 pounds.   Friday, October 27 View Page The 1442   Friday, October 27 View Page My work had me carve a pumpkin for them today. The kids were a great audience   Friday, October 27 View Page My daughter grew this 400 pounder and sold it to a pumpkin fest. Just carved it tonight for the lucky winner that got to take it home   Saturday, October 28 View Page This morning in Downtown Wheaton at the trick or treat event. 225 pounds grown by the local mulch company   Sunday, October 29 View Page Carved my 1522 today   Sunday, October 29 View Page Second carving on this pumpkin   Tuesday, October 31 View Page Happy Halloween   Tuesday, October 31 View Page   Tuesday, October 31 View Page Lots of carving already today   Tuesday, October 31 View Page Third carving on this pumpkin   Tuesday, October 31 View Page   Saturday, November 4 View Page Pumpkin display still looks pretty good. Cold and wet all week   Tuesday, November 14 View Page Carved over the 1522. A little mushy but worked out pretty good