Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 54 Entries. Friday, January 6 View Page Getting a start on the 2017 season. Just won a 1910# Tobeck on tonight's seed Auction:)   Sunday, January 8 View Page Won some more seeds on last nights auction. 1824 Shenoha (2145 McMullen x2230 Wallace) 1539 Shenoha (Wallace x self) 1111 Shenoha (Meier x self)   Tuesday, January 17 View Page Got a start on my hoop house today. I'm going to build 4 of them 6'x4'. Hope to get the kins in the ground earlier this year.   Wednesday, January 25 View Page Got some seeds in the mail today:)   Tuesday, January 31 View Page I got one hoop house finished and another one started today.   Sunday, February 12 View Page Getting shack wacky so I made a seed starter. Started a germination test yesterday. Two 100w equivalent led bulbs and a 24' heating cable under the tray keep it between 80 and 90 degrees and humid. I'd like to add an exhaust fan on a thermostat next.   Tuesday, February 14 View Page 13 of the 14 seeds I started germinated. I will grow them for a while and see what ones grow best. Some are in Pro-mix some in Miracle-Gro and a few other soil mixtures.   Tuesday, February 14 View Page Test germination   Tuesday, February 14 View Page Just broke through the soil and the roots are starting to show. I used a clear cup inside a colored cup so I could see how the roots are coming along   Thursday, February 16 View Page Germination box is working great. I filed the edges and Soaked them for 2 hours then planted the seeds 5 days ago. I removed the bottom heat today.   Thursday, February 16 View Page Here's 5 different plants I'm experimenting with different starter soils. The plants are 5 days old. From left to right 1st plant has the biggest root system it's planted in Miracle-Gro I added Mykos and rolled oats and watered it with molasses. I let the soil set covered and in a dark warm spot for a week . The soil grew a white fuzz on the surface and though it. The reason I added the molasses and oats was to try and grow my own mycorrhizae (something I read online). I planted 4 kin plant in the soil and grew them for 2 weeks. After the two weeks I cut the plants off and tossed them and mixed up the soil and inoculated roots and reused it for this plant. 2nd plant is the same soil mixture as the first except I didn't grow a pumpkin in it. I just add the soil oats water and molasses and let it sit for a week. 3rd plant is Miracle-Gro with some Mykos add. 4th plant is growing in Miracle-Gro 5th plant is growing in Pro-mix   Saturday, February 25 View Page Looks like Promix is the winner of this test. Plants are two weeks old today. The one growing in Promix is farthest right.   Sunday, February 26 View Page Test plants 13 days since seeded.   Saturday, March 4 View Page 3 weeks since seeded. 1st one on the left is growing in the soil I was experimenting with. (Mykos molasses and rolled oats) middle is Miracle-Gro and last is Promix. No fertilizer yet the only thing I gave them was some kelp tea.   Wednesday, March 22 View Page So much for an early spring. More snow on the way tonight   Wednesday, March 22 View Page Pumpkin patch still covered in snow and more on the way.   Wednesday, March 22 View Page My McCracken seeds arrived in the mail today:) As of now this is my 2017 line up. I'm thinking about cutting it down to 4 plants just can't decide what to cut the Sperry or the Connolly.   Saturday, April 1 View Page First time trying the paper towel germination method. 6 for 6. Hopefully the weather changes and melts all the snow. Can't wait to germinate my seeds for this year's line up!   Tuesday, April 11 View Page Finally getting some nice weather,62° today! Covered a section of the patch 118' × 22' with black tarps. I'm hoping they will warm the soil and give me a bit of a head start??   Tuesday, April 11 View Page Got some field pumpkin seeds in the Mail today from World record field pumpkin grower John MacKinnon :) .also got a new book.   Friday, April 14 View Page Soil warming   Sunday, April 16 View Page Bagging up some seaweed   Monday, April 17 View Page My first attempt at making my own compost. We store cabbage over the winter at our farm so I have tons of culls and leaves on hand. The compost consists of cabbage leaves straw and seaweed. Added a cup of urea and sprayed it down with some lactobacillus I made. It seems to be cooking nicely from the steam it's is giving off.   Monday, April 17 View Page Here we go! Seeds soaking in half strength seaweed and humic acid. Hopefully the weather warms up so I can get them planted in the hoop houses in a month.   Wednesday, April 19 View Page 36ish hours germinating and the 1824, 1795, 2075 are off too the races still waiting on the 1910. Maybe the best is left for last!   Thursday, April 20 View Page 1910 Tobeck germinated!!   Friday, April 21 View Page Got the hoop houses in place today and the soil inside forked.   Friday, April 21 View Page Hoop houses in place. Hopefully they will help warm up the soil.   Sunday, April 23 View Page Mother nature is testing my patience :(   Monday, April 24 View Page Put the seedlings in bigger pots this evening. The 2075 and the 1824 look great. The 1795 has one cot that is barely attached but it doesn't seem to be bothering the plant. The 1910 is the ugly duckling it's growing but it isn't pretty. I seeded a second 1910 just incase this one doesn't make it. 7 days today since I put these seeds in to soak.   Thursday, April 27 View Page Plants got the first taste of the outdoors today. About 7 days since they broke ground. 1824,1795 and 2075 are looking good! The1910 is still trying to catch up.   Sunday, April 30 View Page Plants are just under two weeks old. Not having much luck with the 1910 it's a lot slower growing than the others. I planted a second 1910 but it's growing simular to the first. If it doesn't take a growth spirt I might replace it with one of my 760s from last year.   Sunday, May 7 View Page 20 days since seed soak. The weather still isn't the best and the plants are getting big. I was holding off fertilizing because I didn't want them getting any bigger. Young leaves started yellowing yesterday so I did a foliar liquid seaweed and drench. They are looking a little better today.   Wednesday, May 10 View Page It's been raining for 4 days now. It's supposed to clear up by the weekend. Hopefully I can get my plants in the ground. they are getting to big for the pots.   Saturday, May 13 View Page Attempting to warm the soil and the hoop houses. I dug a hole put a pipe in it and put a 90 watt flood light in shinning down the hole. Tested it last night outside temperature was 37° inside the hoop house was 56.3° . I'll check the soil temperature today. Hopefully I'll get a few planted tomorrow. Stole the idea from Bubba it seems to be working so far :)   Saturday, May 13 View Page Left to right 2075 Connolly, 1824 Shenoha 1795 McCracken, 1910 Tobeck   Saturday, May 13 View Page 1795 McCracken day one   Saturday, May 13 View Page 2075 Connolly day one   Saturday, May 13 View Page 1824 Shenoha day one   Saturday, May 13 View Page All tucked in for the evening. Going down to 36° tonight   Sunday, May 14 View Page I think yesterday was the worst day I could have picked to put the plants in the ground! Heavy frost !! I haven't opened the hoop houses to check on the plants yet but it's showing 56.8 inside hope they are ok.   Sunday, May 21 View Page 1824 Shenoha is growing like crazy! It's outgrown it's 2'×2' cold frame. I will remove the smaller cold frame tomorrow and lt will be in the 4'x6' hoop house. Hopefully it warms up soon at this rate it will outgrow the hoop house soon.   Tuesday, May 23 View Page 1824 Shenoha   Tuesday, May 23 View Page 2075 Connolly   Tuesday, May 23 View Page 1795 McCracken   Saturday, May 27 View Page Checked on my 1910 Yesterday and noticed a Crack in the main stem. I closed the crack up with wire ties to see if it will heal up. I know I should cull the plant but I'm giving it a few days to see what happens. I was looking forward to growing the 1910 so it's hard to let go. I've got a back up plant just incase but it doesn't have the genitics the Tobeck does.   Sunday, May 28 View Page Culled the 1910 this morning. After looking at it closer the crack was on both sides of the main. Replaced it with a plant from my 760lber from last year.   Wednesday, June 7 View Page 1824 Shenoha. Starting to look a little better weather is finally warming up.   Wednesday, June 7 View Page 2075 Connolly   Wednesday, June 7 View Page 1795 McCracken   Wednesday, June 7 View Page 760   Wednesday, June 7 View Page Watering system is ready to go   Monday, July 31 View Page 1824 Shenoha ( Rosie ) DAP 25 estimated weight 114 lbs   Saturday, August 12 View Page 1824 Shenoha ( Rosie )