Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 188 Entries. Friday, February 8 View Page Winter season is upon us. I am home recovering from my new titanium hip. What fun !! Hey the last time I had my hip replaced was 2009 and in 2010 I grew the GPC’s best squash. Maybe it’s a good luck charm.   Friday, February 8 View Page I did manage some fun before surgery. Val, Alex and I got out for some deer hunting while Alex came home for the first Saturday of the PA whitetail season. It was a good father son bonding day. Alex took a nice 8 point.   Friday, February 8 View Page Val and I got out for some ice fishing. Well I stayed in the cabin and watched Val on the ice. No time to slip now.   Friday, February 8 View Page I am trying that winter challenge tomato thing. Not sure how they should be looking but it is a good test run to see if some of my seed would germinate. The trick was to get something to pollinate and it looks like I have few sets. Now I am just going to water , prune, feed a little and see what I get. I won’t be stressing out over them for sure. This is one on my 3.51   Friday, February 8 View Page And a nice lumpy one on my 3.2 I also have one of my Momate plants that is producing a real stocky plant. It was a later thought so I am looking for some blossoms now. It is sort of nice to not worry about a wood chuck sneaking into the patch or a deer making his dinner out of the plants. Let’s hope this winter passes quickly.   Thursday, March 7 View Page Winter Challenge equals getting out of bed when it’s 4 degrees. This is the view of my pumpkin patch from my front porch. In the center is where I grew my 5.37 Momate tomato.   Thursday, March 7 View Page I have a couple growing for the indoor challenge. Probably about 5 pounds lighter than my Momate.   Thursday, March 7 View Page The bigger of the two. Grown on one of my 3.51 from last year. I think I will stick to outdoor growing. I wouldn’t want to figure out the electric bill for the effort. Come on spring. There is a warrant out for Pennsylvania’s weather forecasting groundhog Phil.   Thursday, March 7 View Page A good chuckle is always a nice way to start your day.   Tuesday, March 19 View Page Winter challenge. Time is up to slice the girls off. They look good in their winter spa! One is a looker and the other on the lumpy side. I have no clue what the weight will be.   Tuesday, March 19 View Page Quite a pair.   Tuesday, March 19 View Page Lol. K. Here is the heavier one. As Ricky Bobby said, “if your not first your last “. Not too impressive. I think I will stick to the outdoor growing.   Tuesday, May 7 View Page In preparation for Mother’s Day. The MOMATES have emerged. 10 pounds only a formality now. The hard part is over.   Tuesday, May 7 View Page Nothing like mint juleps to get fired up for the growing season. Val is ready, now we just need to get Mother Nature on board here in the northeast.   Saturday, May 18 View Page The only thing better than a good friend is a good friend with a tractor. We had a small window last week where the patch was almost dry. My good friend TC was willing to take his new tractor thru town and to my house for some tilling practice. Thank you Tom !!!!   Saturday, May 18 View Page Much better !!   Saturday, May 18 View Page I have a new tiller too. Got it in February. Doc says I can dig deeper and faster now. We shall see !!   Saturday, May 18 View Page Had a great day yesterday with my son Alex and best buddy dyberry patch andy. Went to Bethpage to watch some PGA action. What a fun day. Asked a few guys if they wanted to know about growing giant pumpkins. This guy seemed interested.   Saturday, May 18 View Page This guy said he likes tomatoes and wants to hear more. He said he was free for the rest of the weekend and would give me a call for some plants.   Saturday, May 18 View Page Thanks Alex for the best birthday present ever. What a boy !!   Saturday, May 18 View Page Home to the patch and a report it rained hard again yesterday. Wow enough is enough already. It’s a muddy mess down there. I put some half assed shelters over the plants and plugged in a light. They need sunshine if they are gonna survive. !!   Monday, May 20 View Page Tornado warnings yesterday and another 1.25 inches of rain last night. Mud is crying to be dried out. The sky was beautiful but I can’t set foot in the patch. I may be replanting some of my yellow sick looking plants. What fun this hobby is.   Monday, May 20 View Page I know it’s wet when I saw this going across my patch.   Wednesday, June 5 View Page We have had 8 rainy Sundays in a row here in northeastern PA and they are calling for the streak to be broken this weekend. It may be time to til and finish the home patch. The pumpkins have been in their redneck shelters and are just sitting there turning pale. It’s now or never. Its not to early for critter control though. My patch at my moms house is in Bethany Borough so a friendly method is desired.   Wednesday, June 5 View Page At my home patch Val and I use a more traditional method.   Wednesday, June 5 View Page The growing season has begun and I am ready to get going once Mother Nature gets on board. I felt like I was the first pick in the NFL draft when I got the call from the Commissioner that I was selected to join Team Slammer!! Wowser. Pressure On !! PA is having a movement so I will be up for the challenge. Heck with pumpkins maters are where it’s at. I will do my best to make that Porkchop and Escheel guy proud.   Thursday, June 20 View Page Yessssss more rain hitting the Northeast today. We surely won’t have to worry about a drought this year. Thank goodness.   Thursday, June 27 View Page I guess I better post something for posterity purposes anyway. It has been a tough year here for the Honesdale gang. It was with a heavy heart that we said good bye to our leader George. Dyberry Andy’s dad and my second father George was the creator of the dyberry patch and our number one supporter in this crazy hobby   Thursday, June 27 View Page He loved our Wednesday night dinners at the patch for a good meal a few brews and laughs.   Thursday, June 27 View Page Thank u George. You will be missed but never forgotten !   Thursday, June 27 View Page Mother Nature was extra cruel this year. Andy and I both felt the wrath of the gopher world. I couldn’t keep them out of the patch no mater what I did. Sorry Karl. I really wanted to plant your giant this year. The gopher had other ideas.   Thursday, June 27 View Page Enough was enough. I had to consult the professionals   Thursday, June 27 View Page Oh he is good. Real good.   Thursday, June 27 View Page Success. Just s little to late, the damage was done.   Thursday, June 27 View Page Now what to do I do ?? It would have been a easy year to take off and do some of those things I have been neglecting With my hip surgery in February, it would be easy to rest this year. But there is that tomato competition and I did get drafted by the A team. What to do. So after talking with Val we decided it would not be the same if we didn’t have the garden this year. I hobbled to the patch and took a long look and decided if our wounded leader on team slammer could do it. So could I !!   Thursday, June 27 View Page So. We may not have any huge pumpkins this year, but I am all in for the tomato thing. I will do my best to not disappoint the slammer team .   Thursday, July 11 View Page Finally a heat wave and dry spell in Pennsylvania. Started some field pumpkins in the home patch and some late pumpkins may have a chance to at least have something to stare at this year. Besides those beloved tomatoes. I threw everything but the kitchen sink down that mater grow hole this year.   Thursday, July 11 View Page Val and I are having our own bucket challenge with some Beefsteaks that she started from seed. Hers went right into the soil. I didn’t let her on to my secret mixture but the results are speaking for themselves. It should be good news for my competition maters.   Thursday, July 11 View Page Things starting to bloom around here.   Thursday, July 11 View Page It’s dinner time !   Thursday, July 11 View Page I also had two late sprouts germinate for the Delbrut challenge. Better late than never.   Thursday, July 11 View Page I had two weak producers at my Moms patch. So in went the delbruts. Game on. They are without a doubt the smallest plants I ever put in. Maybe it will be a good thing.   Friday, July 12 View Page The humidity has left Pennsylvania at the moment so it looks like some better pollination weather !!! Founds some nice blooms this morning and more on the way.   Friday, July 12 View Page Time to get out the guitar and send some music to that MC Hammer team from the #slammer “cant touch this”   Friday, July 12 View Page Slammer dance   Tuesday, July 16 View Page It’s getting Hot around here. !!! Patch looking good at my moms house. Competition maters on the left and eaters on the right. Orange in the front and Green in the back. I have to give Val the weeding credit. Well done ! That hip has just been to sore to weed :)   Tuesday, July 16 View Page Had a deer stroll through the gate at the home patch although rumor has it orange goose may have left the door open. Anyhow this deer must be a fan of the Mac coy style. Captain Chop says no worries a mega may come out of it.   Tuesday, July 16 View Page Wow she was good. Perfect topping off style and left the mega alone.   Tuesday, July 16 View Page Hmmmm while hammer pants is dancing around..... gotta say, Baby Got Back!   Thursday, July 25 View Page Val and I had a good weekend and delivered Alex to his next adventure. A four year stint at Virginia Tech and a quest for a PHD. He is officially a Hokie.   Thursday, July 25 View Page We really like Blacksburg and will be back. We found a nice watering hole.   Thursday, July 25 View Page It was brutally hot while we were away so the jury is out on any damage to the tomatoes and pumpkins. I know there are no pumpkins at my house. Vals grow boxes and bags are doing well. Maybe I should plant pumpkins in them next year   Thursday, July 25 View Page Peppers galore   Thursday, July 25 View Page Good luck Alex. I’m proud of both of my twins, Alex and Lauren. It’s a good time of their lives and mine too   Monday, July 29 View Page Val and I spent some patch time this weekend We do have a squash and pumpkin set at my Moms patch. The plants are small with limited secondary’s growing but at least we have something to stare at. The squash is gonna have a crazy shape. The stem is bending low as I didn’t get it elevated early enough.   Monday, July 29 View Page Shade structure built and she is good to grow.   Monday, July 29 View Page Our pumpkin there should be a nice orange one that looks like Will have a nice round shape.   Monday, July 29 View Page It has been a crazy growing season with Mother Nature and the ground pigs setting us way behind at my home patch. Our early plants were devoured and our chosen seeds wasted. Sorry Karl and Don Barron I really wanted to grow those out this year. We have been determined to keep chugging along. You have to keep pushing forward. There must be a life lesson there somewhere. I spied a bumper sticker that says it all. No sense letting a few setbacks keep you down   Monday, July 29 View Page The ground pigs are still nibbling things. My patch cat said these things are just too big.   Monday, July 29 View Page Thanks to the tomato challenge it has been a fun year. Nothing like an early morning cup of coffee and a look thru the tomato vines to see if a new bloom or set can be spied. It looks like I have a few candidates. Some megadoms on my own seeds look promising.   Monday, July 29 View Page   Monday, July 29 View Page A nice one on a store bought Delicious seed.   Monday, July 29 View Page It must have been a silver bullet seed. All of the small buds look to have potential.   Monday, July 29 View Page I like the looks of this blossom on my 3.26 Pittston winner from last year. A megadom Maybe this will be the one to put the smack down on the Pajama Dancing Hammer team.   Monday, July 29 View Page I have a few of my MOMATES growing. It is slow to throw mega blooms. Sorry Chop and Escheel but no worries. I am starting to think some of this mega drama is just that. I am pretty sure my 5.3 last year was a single. You can’t be afraid to let a well positioned big stemmed single roll. The Momate has a great rounded bottom and no stress that a lumpy mega bloom can cause. I’m thinking this single gal is gonna grow a big tomato. Time will tell. Time to feed these beasts and enjoy the ride.   Monday, July 29 View Page Can’t touch this !!!   Tuesday, August 6 View Page We are experiencing a nice stretch of weather in the Northeast ! It should be good news for the pumpkins. I’m still having issues with ground pigs this year. It has been a struggle. I had to remove another one yesterday. That’s 5 for the season. It’s hard to contend with that kind of population.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page I have some young pumpkin and squash sets in hopes of salvaging something for the porch at least. I have a good looking field pumpkin plant that should be setting a female soon. It’s from my 86 lb from last year which was good enough to win the MAGPGA first place. It’s the 81 wolf x self.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page It should be good tomato weather and I am chugging along and trying to keep the plants healthy. A few are in the fit in your palm size but I need to push them to the next level if I want to compete with the big boys. There should be plenty of time to get me there. Slow and steady wins the race.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page Uhhhh ohhhh a rare mega on my MOMATE. Not sure what to expect but I better get a sling under this one.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page I have some nice megas on my latest plants that I put in. The plants are only waist high but megas look promising. I better check with Captain Chop to see how to handle these.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page I will be watching this one. My 3.26 Pittston is proving to throw nice Megas. Watch out Pajama Hammer Dancers !   Thursday, August 8 View Page My two plants for the Delbrut challenge are starting to grow.   Thursday, August 8 View Page They were late additions but I am starting to get some decent blooms. I may let them go and then give the MacCoy chop   Thursday, August 8 View Page We have had good temperatures the last week but had severe downpours the last two nights. I won’t need to water for a few days. My hand size maters should be putting on some size   Tuesday, August 13 View Page All of the Single Ladies sure lining up!!   Tuesday, August 13 View Page A nice Momate single gal   Tuesday, August 13 View Page Nothing wrong with a Single gal.   Tuesday, August 13 View Page But hoping the mega Pittston At my moms house keeps filling out all those extra curves.   Tuesday, August 13 View Page Or the 3.26 Pittston at my patch.   Tuesday, August 13 View Page The pumpkin at my moms patch is putting a few late pounds on. She should be an orange looker if she keeps moving in the right direction.   Tuesday, August 13 View Page Pittston tomato festival is approaching. We don’t have anything starting to flash like we did last year. We will have to look around for a sacrificial Lamb if we want to defend our crown.   Wednesday, August 21 View Page Val and I took a break from the garden and hit Bethel Woods for the 50th celebration of Woodstock at the original site. John Fogerty was the headliner. What a great place.   Wednesday, August 21 View Page Some storms decided to try and rain on our parade   Wednesday, August 21 View Page It got a little spooky for a second.   Wednesday, August 21 View Page Ahhh no worries. Always a special time at Woodstock.   Wednesday, August 21 View Page I had no maters flashing this year so we searched for some needed culls to find something. It’s not easy to pull off a big tomato   Wednesday, August 21 View Page Hmmmm that Lambchop is definitely one of those caterpillar blossoms   Wednesday, August 21 View Page And we found one of Vals beefsteak eaters we could enter in the most perfect tomato category. This one was almost candy apple red. A unique color. A beauty   Wednesday, August 21 View Page Well, long story short we got there with a minute to spare. I lost my crown by less than a quarter pound and do to local politics Val didn’t win the best looking tomato. Ehhh what do they know anyway. I had her as the clear winner and hands down the best shirt of the event.   Wednesday, August 21 View Page The thing with culling a big tomato is you are never sure you are doing the right thing. I told my Captain Chop I had two I wanted to let go on my lambchop plant. He scolded me. Ned!!’ Now is the time. Crap chop, but she is 19 inches. Off she went !!   Wednesday, August 21 View Page The good news is !! Now there is one !! You have to listen to your Captain !   Wednesday, August 21 View Page Ok a little off topic but would be remiss if I didn’t wish my number one gardening supporter her happy birthday. Happy 85 mom ! My grandfather was a master gardener at Bethany homestead farms which is down the road. He grew tomatoes and had a beautiful garden right where I am growing now. I am sure he is smiling down.   Wednesday, August 21 View Page Jeeesh I see my entry explaining my culls didn’t come thru. Anyhow all that rambling was about the Pittston tomato festival we went to. 50,000 people over 4 days of events to celebrate the tomato. Anyway. We didn’t win. I had no flashing tomatoes and didn’t pick my biggest. Will get that trophy back next year !!   Wednesday, August 28 View Page The mater patch at my moms is showing its age. The plants are getting stunted with to many dying leaves and my single girls are flashing sooner than I hoped. I really was hoping for at least 3 pounds. They feel heavy   Wednesday, August 28 View Page At least a double here   Wednesday, August 28 View Page This one almost looked like two tomatoes as the stem was split but on closer inspection of the bottom it was fused, barely. It makes for a nice donut.   Wednesday, August 28 View Page These 19 and 20 inch maters look big to the average Joe but in the tomato challenge world they aren’t gonna cut it.   Wednesday, August 28 View Page I really need to step up my game if I’m gonna help the Slammer Team. I am hoping the home patch will put me in the game. Can’t let Escheel and Captain Chop down. The donut was disappointing.   Tuesday, September 3 View Page Val and I are back from our now annual Labor Day weekend Lake Ontario fishing trip. We got an invite from the Chop family to stop by for a visit and after thinking it over we decided that it was our best opportunity to meet my Slammer team captain so off we headed. The Mohawk Valley was beautiful with bountiful apple orchards dotting the countryside. As we got close the gps wasn’t working so I asked several people who were working outside their homes if they new Porkchop and Lambchop. We got the strangest looks. Nobody knew them. I thought we were getting set up. Ahhhhhhh Steve and Jeanne. We made it and they did not disappoint. That guy can grow stuff !!!’   Tuesday, September 3 View Page Lots of big maters in that secret garden.   Tuesday, September 3 View Page If was nice that Val and Lambchop got a chance to meet and talk smack about how much fun it is to be married to mater crazy men.   Tuesday, September 3 View Page The gardens are beautiful with multiple huge maters hanging like Christmas ornaments. All was going well when we were asked to taste some sort of flowering cap like plant that made our tongues numb and we started drooling like crazy. Next thing I knew there were some sort of boner pics going on and now I can’t remember any of the tips he told me. What was that thing Lol. We were given a parting gift of their beautiful peaches and we will be back to keep this friendship going.   Tuesday, September 3 View Page Off to the lake. The miles to Porkchop’s was shorter than we thought. We started out in the morning with a glorious sunrise. Life is good   Tuesday, September 3 View Page The salmon did not cooperate as well as we hoped but a bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work. I managed to find one.   Tuesday, September 3 View Page Oh Val !!!! She had to out do me with a real hog. A Slammer.   Tuesday, September 3 View Page Back home we came and i had to check on my little beauties. Some more of our eating tomatoes were ready and a variety I started from seed are ripening. I like the looks of these. Giant Rainbow. Beautiful maters   Tuesday, September 3 View Page And they taste good too!!   Tuesday, September 3 View Page After seeing Chops champions I am hoping I can keep up and represent this coveted Slammer team. Pressure is on. One of my biggest is starting to flash. A bit earlier than I hoped but it is what it is. It won’t be long now til I will have to get a weight. This is one of my mega MOMATES.   Tuesday, September 3 View Page And this is the other. This one is still Green !!!!! Nedddieeeeee!!!!   Tuesday, September 3 View Page Hey Chop I think ur gonna be happy with ur Momate. This one was a rock. Small split on bottom DQ’d it. Crap   Tuesday, September 3 View Page Crap. Sorry gang. That was meant for Porkchop. That one was ineligible for competition. Got to find a delete button on this thing.   Thursday, September 5 View Page This tomato thing is as nerve wracking as the pumpkin thing. Spied another woodchuck frolicking in the patch yesterday. How dare he. So set a trap last night and this morning. What !!!!   Thursday, September 5 View Page Ugggh like wild frigging kingdom this year. A check of the maters and ohhhh a Momate is blushing   Thursday, September 5 View Page Shall I cut today, tomorrow, the weekend. Help CHOPPPP ! Captain said Ned ur a big boy now do what ya think. Hmmmm after a half day ponder I figured that woodchuck is still in the area sooooo off she goes. Top good. No rot.   Thursday, September 5 View Page Bottom. Pretty!!   Thursday, September 5 View Page And a sexy profile Mom has !   Thursday, September 5 View Page Let’s see what her belt says.   Thursday, September 5 View Page Off to the market we go !! Not bad but was hoping for bigger. Sorry slammers. Buttt hey it raises my numbers and it is still early. .I have a few more hanging on so chin up Chop Chop. Game on   Thursday, September 5 View Page Ranger the Raccoon can thank me some day. I put him in a good spot. I wouldn’t mind retiring there someday too.   Wednesday, September 11 View Page People say that I caved and let Val bring home the puppy she always wanted. Well maybe I did, so be it. A happy home is a happy home. Meet Maggie   Wednesday, September 11 View Page Hey I have a woodchuck problem in my patch. Maybe Maggie can help out. Good plan Ned   Wednesday, September 11 View Page Things are starting to show their age around here. The patch at my moms has been neglected with lots of blight but I did find a nice flashing tomato. And wow did it have junk in the trunk. It’s on my 3.26 Pittston I call it. That seed has been throwing nice Megas for me.   Wednesday, September 11 View Page Time to pick. Top good   Wednesday, September 11 View Page Bottom good and crazy looking   Wednesday, September 11 View Page Hmmmmm not as big as it looks.   Wednesday, September 11 View Page Off to the Market. Well for how I have mistreated her. And how big the circ was. I will take it. Come on Ned. These weights are showing why I am a B grower. She is a beauty. Maybe I can bribe my slammer teammates to try that 3.26 next year.   Wednesday, September 11 View Page The home patch also has some neglected pumpkin snd squash plants. The squash has to green up now. Nothing competition worthy coming from here but I will have something for the porch   Wednesday, September 11 View Page A nice orange one is in my patch. Not very big but a beautiful orange off of that 575 wolf offspring.   Wednesday, September 11 View Page And another crazy mater off of my 3.26. I think I will name this one Chucky !   Wednesday, September 11 View Page Chucky has got some stuff going on !! Well I still have a mater or two that can put up a better number for my Slammer teammates. This tomato growing isn’t as easy as it looks. It’s gonna be a dog fight in this team challenge event. Good luck everyone.   Wednesday, September 11 View Page And I have to give a shout out to our team Captain. Good luck with that Green Monster. I am a believer ! After witnessing that Mohawk valley patch anything is possible. That guy has a Green Thumb ,he really does. There is Connecticut tobacco hanging and medicinal Caps he fed me that numbed me good and I drooled like a giant Mastiff. There are huge maters hanging like ornaments on a Christmas tree, everywhere. He said he is working on a winter project where they inject aged dog turds with something and you can grow coconut trees with them. It sounds far fetched but never doubt this guys talents. Good luck Chop we are rooting for you   Tuesday, September 17 View Page We are entering mid September and with the Harvest Moon behind us my maters have gotten the word. I found a nice Lambchop at my moms house. It was beauty! That is off of Chops now favorite seed. I think I will save the seeds from this one.   Tuesday, September 17 View Page I was hopeful to add to the team slammer numbers but ..... not good enough.   Tuesday, September 17 View Page These 3 and 4 pound tomatoes look HUGE.   Tuesday, September 17 View Page Better check the home patch ! I had a Momate starting to flash. Won’t be long now.   Tuesday, September 17 View Page I have to keep an extra eye out for the woodchucks this week. I know there is at least one I haven’t gotten. Better get Maggie trained.   Tuesday, September 17 View Page She prefers her pet Lambchop I guess   Tuesday, September 17 View Page With a little training we will be ready for battle next year. She is pretty good under the mater plants.   Tuesday, September 17 View Page Ok. Fast forward 5 days. Ahhhh she is Blushing   Tuesday, September 17 View Page I couldn’t take it any longer. Time to snip. She has the thickest stem I have seen. Top good   Tuesday, September 17 View Page Bottom good   Tuesday, September 17 View Page What a looker   Tuesday, September 17 View Page Let’s check her belt size   Tuesday, September 17 View Page Did the home scale then off to the Market to verify. Exact same has home scale. Sooo a PB for me. Very happy with the Momate. It doesn’t seem to produce many Mega blooms but I had two nice plants which did. Maybe these offspring will produce more!   Tuesday, September 17 View Page What do u do with ur PB tomato. Why u take it out to your hunting club and raise a glass with ur friends. Normal people have no idea how big these things are in person. The 5.53 is Slammer Proud.   Tuesday, September 17 View Page Now it’s our Captains time to shine. I’m aboard and have my tickets. Let’s gooooooo Chop !   Saturday, September 21 View Page It’s not everyday that you get to witness a world record. !! Thanks to the Chop family for allowing us the opportunity. Congratulations. I’m sure the Slammer Captain will be posting many pics of Wilson. The King !!   Saturday, September 21 View Page Andy doing a basketball pose with the Champ   Saturday, September 21 View Page Back home I am now pumped for next year already. I told Maggie that Porkchop has broken the world record. She went crazy. Then said. Porkchop ? She loves Porkchops   Saturday, September 21 View Page I checked my patch and discovered a rotting spot on my 3.26 that had super mega blooms on it. I might as well pick it.   Saturday, September 21 View Page She was a caterpillar for sure   Saturday, September 21 View Page Long and lean   Saturday, September 21 View Page But a rot spot. No good. She was hard and green to with lots of growth left. To bad   Saturday, September 21 View Page Not bad. I will plant the 3.26 again next year.   Wednesday, September 25 View Page Lots of my last tomatoes are flashing. Val and I trying to figure out if we can make a trip to Saratoga. We have our orange pumpkin we could get a weight on along with a mediocre field pumpkin. There should be a Momate or two that are peaking. I don’t think it will add to my team challenge entries but it may be close. I’m getting good at the 3 to 3.5 range. I guess that is what a B grower does.   Wednesday, September 25 View Page With Porkchop making that 5.71 seed famous. I better save the seeds from this one that I grew off of the 5.71. The genetics are there to grow a big one.   Wednesday, September 25 View Page Val and I did take a ride to Roba’s family farm to deliver one of our orange pumpkins. Maggie loved the place. It’s to bad they gave up their GPC weighoff. It was a great venue. The pumpkin was grown on a 575 wolf offspring.   Saturday, September 28 View Page Harvest time. A great time of year. If only winter wasn’t next and soooo damn long around here. We picked the orange one that has been hiding in the weeds at my moms. Zero foliar feeding and covered all year. Val did about all of the work early on. And not bad !! We still harvest the old fashion way there. 6 men and a tarp! It’s in the truck   Saturday, September 28 View Page We will be Saratoga bound to see some old faces and meet some. New ones. I haven’t even taped our orange goddess. Ehhhh not that big but she is pretty   Saturday, September 28 View Page Time to pull some maters out and see if I can bump up my team slammer number. Hmmmm a few MOMATES are ready and a Borger 4.05.   Saturday, September 28 View Page My plants are looking great for this time of year.   Saturday, September 28 View Page Ok let’s see. First Momate. Nice one. No help there   Saturday, September 28 View Page Another Momate. Nice one. No help   Saturday, September 28 View Page One from a big zac of mine from last year that came from a Larry checkon seed. Nice one. No help though   Saturday, September 28 View Page A Momate. Better. No help though   Saturday, September 28 View Page How about this one. She was hanging nice I had it wrapped up like a Christmas present   Saturday, September 28 View Page She has the curves.   Saturday, September 28 View Page And a thin strip that conjoined her bumps. To the scale madam!!   Saturday, September 28 View Page Ok. Yes !! Not salt in the wound but a bit of a bump for me and the Slammer crew. Weighoffs are upon us. There may be some mater bombs being dropped.   Saturday, September 28 View Page I was going to save one for Saratoga and surprise ole Porky and maybe I did. Hmmmm. I am still In shock over being able to witness the world record performance what a thrill. I have viewed the YouTube video more than once and I get a good chuckle every time I see it. I love this picture. Me and 3 world leaders. Wilson, The Donald and Porkchop. Salute !!   Saturday, September 28 View Page Hmm a squash we found too. Is it green enough ??? Is there bigger squash there ???? Ahhh I think we will leave her home. Next time greeny. Let’s get ready for the Saratoga journey. It should be a nice ride.   Tuesday, October 1 View Page We picked our orange princess and got ready for our Saratoga experience. The pumpkin is a beauty!   Tuesday, October 1 View Page Val and I along with our sidekick Maggie found our destination. The Anne’s Washington Inn was a great place and would recommend to anyone. A fire pit on a beautiful night with several NY growers telling old and new pumpkin tales made for a great night. We took some pics of a little one some guy Karl had on his trailer.   Tuesday, October 1 View Page The weighoff went smoothly and our miniature Atlantic giant looked ok. Someone has to bring some small ones to make those monsters look even bigger.   Tuesday, October 1 View Page We got to kick Ray out of the big chair.   Tuesday, October 1 View Page Ahhh it was our turn   Tuesday, October 1 View Page There were some huge pumpkins there in all shapes and sizes. Look at this pancake. Wow 1732 pounds by Dan and holly Boyce   Tuesday, October 1 View Page In the chair they go   Tuesday, October 1 View Page One to go. That guy Karl. Boom 2035. Crap he beat us !!   Tuesday, October 1 View Page There were more dogs there than pumpkins and Maggie made some friends.   Tuesday, October 1 View Page An 8 week old Great Dane likes Maggie   Tuesday, October 1 View Page And Maggie likes pork chops   Tuesday, October 1 View Page Team slammer was represented. Chop wowed the crowd with another 6 pounder and brought Wilson along for the ride.   Tuesday, October 1 View Page Ok. Back to that guy Karl. I really shouldn’t leak this out but I snuck down early to see what he has been feeding that monster pumpkin. Get ready WOW u better stock up.   Tuesday, October 1 View Page It was a great weekend.   Tuesday, October 1 View Page We will be back   Tuesday, October 1 View Page I found another pic of Karl’s monster on the way to the scale. It had a great shape!! I hope you remember that little conversation we had about seeds.karl...:) Congrats !!