Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 37 Entries. Saturday, January 6 View Page From top to bottom, 1971, 1975, and 1973 Winchesters. See post in non pumpkin related as reasoning behind pic.   Sunday, January 21 View Page My Giant Saguaro Cactus are now 1 year old after I started from seeds bought in Arizona. By the year 2097 they should have their first flowers, and by the year 2113 they should have their first arm. Can't wait, check em every day.   Saturday, February 24 View Page Pic taken deep in some woods over a river. This land about 30 miles outside St Louis was once an old hunting farm for the once wealthy Lemp Family. They ran a brewery in downtown Saint Louis from 1840 up to prohibition. The business was unable to sustain itself and the family suffered from 4 suicides and was known to be cursed (all at their downtown mansion which still stands). There are also many large stones around that look to have once been used for the structure.   Tuesday, March 27 View Page We drive down to our favorite spot in Florida each March, the heat and sun is a great motivator for the growing season soon to start.   Friday, March 30 View Page I see the massive amounts of compost people are adding, and here's my dinky 1/2 yard after the bed was blown out for every ounce. Only growing in 500 sq feet total this year and going easy on the OM which is still high. I'm also hesitant due to disease.   Friday, March 30 View Page Spence, this is for you. Here's a soil sample I took about 40 miles south of Birmingham, Alabama in a pretty rural spot after I pulled off the road. That's some red clay.   Thursday, April 5 View Page This has been the latest spring I can recall. Usually we are green all over with dogwoods in full bloom. The understory shrubs are just starting to throw leaves, but happy I am finally getting the Rye tilled in. On the left is where the 1674 Marsh '10 will go, and on the right where the Rye is still up is an undecided Gansert. On a plus note, the soil looks incredible this year... very rich and the most worms I have seen.   Friday, April 13 View Page Started my seeds today on Friday the 13th. 1674 Marsh 2010 816 Gansert 2016 (Engel and Gerhardt orange) Not pictured, last minute filed and started a 1991.5 VanderWielen 2017. I bought it in auction and figure it can battle the Marsh. The 1991 has great genetics (2145 x 2004), but no Marsh plant has ever failed in my yard. Nod to Marsh.   Friday, April 20 View Page Our small stand of Mayapples in the backyard that usually pop each March have finally arrived with the warmer temps. Soon we will all be complaining about the heat. 1674 Marsh (2010), 1991 VanderWielen (2017), and 816 Gansert (2016) are all on day 5 after germination and all look healthy.   Saturday, April 28 View Page 1991.5 Vanderwielen and 1674 Marsh on left duking it out, 816 Gansert on right. Patch keeps getting smaller as kids get older.   Wednesday, May 9 View Page 87 degrees at 7pm and in the 90s the next 7 days. Plants are starting to explode. Need to cull soon.   Monday, May 14 View Page 92 degrees again today and had to cull due to fast growth. The 1991.5 Vanderwielen and 1223 Gansert got cut while keeping the 1674 Marsh and 816 Gansert. Plants decided for me.   Saturday, June 16 View Page Another day at 98 degrees with indexes at 107F and looks to hold that way until Tuesday. But, plants are being strong and so far this 1674 Marsh took at 1 DAP. I'll be more confident by day 5. This one looks to be flat and long.   Saturday, June 16 View Page Another day at 98 degrees with indexes at 107F and looks to hold that way until Tuesday. But, plants are being strong and here's the 816 Gansert on poll day. I've never seen a more symmetrical 5 lobe or pkn shape. I should probably cut that leave to prevent scratches.   Saturday, June 16 View Page Pumpkins aside, this is my ideal day... we do it for miles every week.   Friday, June 29 View Page Previous entries went down to multiple days of heat over 105. But now I have this 9 DAP 1674 Marsh from '09. I have two at DAP2 on the 816 Gansert both the size of apples and look to have took. Things are looking positive for now.   Friday, June 29 View Page I know it means nothing, but not sure I've had one grow this big at 2 days old (816 Gansert). The shape is perfect and guaranteed to go orange. It was 112 heat index today with humidity (actual high 100). It's like soup outside, so please let her keep going. We look to have more hot ones, but back to low 90's by early week.   Saturday, June 30 View Page Soon to be culled backup flying Saucer at 2 DAP on the 1674 Marsh. If I did a blossom down challenge on this guy, I might have the tallest builing in the state of Missouri.   Saturday, June 30 View Page DAP 10, and just like that, it grew 5.5 inches in CC since yesterday. Must be the modified natural water.   Tuesday, July 3 View Page Day 13 for the 1674 Marsh (38 CC). Seems to like Catalpa tree's and Oaks overhead.   Friday, July 6 View Page DAP 16 at 52CC on 1674 Marsh. The 816 Gansert will be DAP 10 tomorrow and well over 30 CC. Perfect spere shape too.   Saturday, July 7 View Page Culled the biggest 9 DAP (1674 Marsh) I have ever had at 34 CC. I might regret this, but am going with the 17 day old at 55CC. It was on the last sidevine and not in a good spot due to shade. Late season disease is always a factor.   Saturday, July 7 View Page 10 DAP for the 816 Gansert at 30 CC exactly. It's Engel x Gerhardt... gonna go orange with those 3 names.   Tuesday, July 17 View Page 20 DAP on the 816 Gansert and 71 CC. It has great height relative to CC and overall OTT which is what I like for displays. I don't plan on going to a weighoff so weight is irrelevant.   Thursday, July 19 View Page Uh oh   Monday, July 23 View Page Have caught a raccoon and possum in the garden with the Havahart trap, but now my little helpers are showing up by the thousands out of our frog\toad pond. At this point on out I will not do any chemical overhead sprays... just Organocide.   Tuesday, July 24 View Page Lost the 1674 Marsh today. Down to the 816 Gansert.   Friday, July 27 View Page 816 Gansert 30 DAP ~300 pounds   Monday, August 6 View Page 816 Gansert, DAP 40. If it makes it, could be one of the darkest orange I have ever grown... my 1059 VMG wasn't this orange day 40.   Thursday, August 16 View Page 816 Gansert creeping along this evening. It's only a 250 sq foot plant, but very pleased how it held up in the Missouri heat to produce this potential HD winner. Seed is highly recommended for color and heat tolerance.   Saturday, August 25 View Page Growing Gourds everywhere we can...   Saturday, August 25 View Page Hands down the most fun pumpkin I have grown, it now looks like it could be casted in a Lord of the Rings.   Saturday, September 22 View Page Sitting back and enjoying a beer over my 816 Gansert this year. No state record, but definitely a PB for me and my shaded yard.   Saturday, September 22 View Page With 3 young kids fishing trips have been cut down to one a month. Got the go ahead for last night and camped on a small Ozark stream alone. Nothing like casting a big buzz bait across the river without being able to see it, but hearing the blades whistle across the dark waters. The sounds of fish jumping out of the water over the bait missing and then finally hitting is music to my ears.   Tuesday, October 9 View Page I chose not to attend any weighoffs so I can take the pumpkin to my kids school late October. Today is 104 DAP for my 816 Gansert, and I will be picking it on 112 days after pollination (another record for me). There are very few original leaves left and mostly quaternary and quinary growth filling in on the plant. The main vine is still intact, but many of the secondaries are rotted.   Saturday, October 20 View Page Smallmouth topwater Fall bite is in full swing on the small Ozark streams. They'll hit late into the night too. I need to get up north one day to hit the hog lake Smallies.   Saturday, November 10 View Page Thanks again Norm for letting me grow the bright orange 816 Gansert. I'm taking next year off to relax and focus on sports\kids. Wishing everyone the best in 2019.