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Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 179 Entries.
Tuesday, January 1 View Page
Happy New Year, first post of year, working on the Midwest giant pumpkin growers seed auction. Going to have a lot of great lots on Sunday January 20th! Thank You to all the Growers that donated seeds this winter!
 
Saturday, January 12 View Page
Fun time up in Wisconsin last night, great group of growers! Stayed up till almost 4 am socializing and now I find myself in bed at 8 pm on a Saturday, getting old sucks
 
Saturday, February 16 View Page
8 hrs of overtime should cover my beer in Green bay?
 
Sunday, March 3 View Page
Well got most of my lumber for operation turn screenhouse into greenhouse. Of course I forgot 8 16' 2x4's, but it's a start!
 
Sunday, March 3 View Page
2° out -14° tonight. Guess I wont be getting my soil sample anytime soon. Or getting any 4x4's in the ground in near future. Ready for warmer weather! Less than 2 weeks till Green Bay!!!!
 
Thursday, March 7 View Page
So, I went to college for 4 years, I have a degree in Graphic design, with a minor in art, and played football for 4 years. And this is my new office! My summer job in college has led me to a career in the mining industry (18 years in june) and this is the 1st brand new pit loader in our company in over 15 years. Going to be a great year!
 
Friday, March 15 View Page
Having fun at the big show! May have had to much fun last night
 
Monday, March 18 View Page
Theres a story to this one, Thursday night in Green bay we partied hard! I will never forget the time I met Jim Hazeltine!
 
Monday, March 18 View Page
The big show attendees!
 
Monday, March 18 View Page
My Wisconsin Club family!
 
Monday, March 18 View Page
My wife did her own thing, but we both had a great time!
 
Monday, March 18 View Page
I photobombed Joe's Stillwater Howard dill winner in the slide show. Pretty sure no one noticed. It was a beautiful pumpkin
 
Monday, March 18 View Page
Take one of these shots every year. Forgot to do it in wilkes barre
 
Monday, March 18 View Page
Ken Received a well deserved Award! Nice to have a chat with you Ken!
 
Monday, March 18 View Page
Another one with the wife
 
Monday, March 18 View Page
Way better trophies tour than the one Minnesota
 
Monday, March 18 View Page
Eddy Z! You are the man! Look forward to your Diary and drinks in Vegas!
 
Monday, March 18 View Page
Now to figure out how to get this big bag of perlite out of truck closer to patch without driving through the yard
 
Tuesday, March 19 View Page
Well I finally got the new machine dirty!
 
Saturday, March 23 View Page
Still not thawed or dry enough to start upgrading. Was able to get my soil sample, my pvc collector hit frozen ground at 6" in a few places, but kept going in the rest of my dozen spot. Dry tomorrow, on to western labs on Monday
 
Saturday, March 23 View Page
Flags marked more support, tie in with rest of structure. Weather is not in my favor for next week but hopefully have it done and plastic on 1 month from now. Right before I put plants out
 
Saturday, March 30 View Page
4 x4's in their holes, lumber layed out. Might get something accomplished tomorrow afternoon.
 
Sunday, March 31 View Page
Excited, got some big shoes to fill! Hoping I can represent the central Region well as I join a great GPC committee !
 
Sunday, March 31 View Page
Got some work done today
 
Sunday, March 31 View Page
And the other side, if the weather cooperates next weekend I should be ready to put the plastic on soon
 
Sunday, March 31 View Page
And the other side, if the weather cooperates next weekend I should be ready to put the plastic on soon
 
Wednesday, April 3 View Page
Birds eye view of my job, I'll take that 35,000 ton pile of rock and turn it in to littler rocks at 650-700 onstage per hour. New loader deffiantly helps however it broke at 59 engine hrs and went back to moline. At least they gave us a rental
 
Saturday, April 6 View Page
North side, straightest these have ever looked. Reinforcement should work. Side boards and double channel wiggle ire up tomorrow weather permitting
 
Saturday, April 6 View Page
South side
 
Sunday, April 7 View Page
Rained most of the day, main reason going to a greenhouse. Got my side boards up on both sides. Plastic will go 56 ft over the middle end for end
 
Sunday, April 7 View Page
These weren't cheap but will be nice to have. Double channel wiggle wire. Top portion will hold the main piece, then I can choose plastic or screen the bottom 7 ft down the sides. With our iowa summers definitely screen if not open. Wish this was a roll up curtain automated of course. Maybe next year
 
Sunday, April 14 View Page
Seed starting day, 4 on left is my greenhouse line up, any fail then we replace with the ones on the right. May do a few extras just in case after 1st batch
 
Sunday, April 14 View Page
Call me crazy, doing a 5th plant outside greenhouse. Still mostly lawn yet. Left plant is 867 Davis, 1st attempt (healthy looking seed) didnt take, so I put in another that looked like it survived a mail roller, barley. But hey it popped! The other plant is the 1458 charity f'n Marshall (1989.5 Daletas x self)
 
Sunday, April 14 View Page
Put some plastic down over grow spots, hopefully dry up enough I can do something, pretty muddy finishing up the greenhouse. It officially is ready for plastic
 
Sunday, April 14 View Page
Salvaged a few pieces of screen to run down the sides when it grs warmer
 
Tuesday, April 16 View Page
The "what the hell am I thinking, your busy enough patch" has been tilled. 1458 cfm will go out here, along with melons and a few tomatoes. And iam sure albas sunflowers
 
Saturday, April 20 View Page
Had very little wind today, so I pounced on the opportunity. 90 ft long x 56 ft wide
 
Saturday, April 20 View Page
Need to do sides tomorrow after Alba finds her Easter eggs. Going to have some pooling on top and other tweaking. But it's on there pretty good. Lots of wiggle wire
 
Saturday, April 20 View Page
Not sure what's going on with this 2152. Same mix as the rest. 2283 looks great, 2528, had a split on one cot leaf, but should be fine. First 2091 was a dud, but 2nd started breaking soil today. Put a 2344 Paton in today, just in case that 2152 is a no go
 
Sunday, April 21 View Page
All sealed up, 25 mph wind gave me a chance to tighten some spots up
 
Sunday, April 21 View Page
Got a little toasty, 85° outside
 
Sunday, April 21 View Page
I put deck boards on top with wiggle wire, wind had them moving all over, this helped a lot on the waves
 
Sunday, April 21 View Page
2,283, 2528, and 2152. 2091 #2 came up yesterday will move to grow bag on Tues. Got a 1991 vanderweilen and 2433 in chamber. Not certain I want to go with that 2152
 
Tuesday, April 23 View Page
63° outside, 84° inside! It got up to 111° in there today. Spread perlite, should have worn a mask, cough, cough
 
Tuesday, April 23 View Page
Had some rain last night, lots of pooling pushed off 500 gallons or more. Stuck some 8 ft 4x4's length ways in middle it helped, need to get 3 more, and got another idea to to shed the water
 
Saturday, April 27 View Page
Long day, wet and heavy
 
Saturday, April 27 View Page
Wind locked me in, Alba to the rescue!
 
Saturday, April 27 View Page
See if I cant keep it a little warmer than the 24° they are talking
 
Friday, May 3 View Page
Hopefully this weekend, outside
 
Saturday, May 4 View Page
Been awhile since I had a camper out in the open, 1458 Charity F'n Marshall is out side. It was vines out 18" in the basement and kinked itself a little bit. Weather has been crappy. Till around it in the morning.
 
Saturday, May 4 View Page
Amendments applied to the greenhouse according to the soil calculator (thanks Mike) CFN patch got the leftovers
 
Sunday, May 5 View Page
Tilled both patches this morning before 8:30. Much better in green house when its 60 compared to 98
 
Sunday, May 5 View Page
Fans are up, mister tips are soaking
 
Sunday, May 5 View Page
My puddling, hopefully solved. Looking at radar I will find out shortly
 
Sunday, May 5 View Page
I got 100 yards of 1" ratchet strap, strapping. I hope this is a little tougher than the rope. Definitely nice feeling it get tighter
 
Sunday, May 5 View Page
Wasnt happy with soil temp 58°, so I put heat cables in today. Last week really cooled it off. Might put plants out after work in couple days
 
Sunday, May 5 View Page
1458 CFM is out
 
Sunday, May 5 View Page
Should have been 1st pic
 
Sunday, May 5 View Page
Raining, windy, so far so niceee
 
Tuesday, May 7 View Page
Let the stress begin, 2091 Midthun on left, 2283 on right. Was lucky enough to see both these hit the scales. They were almost twins
 
Tuesday, May 7 View Page
2528 on right, and 2152 and 2433 paired up. Had some weirdness going on with 2152 early, hoping it grew out of it
 
Tuesday, May 7 View Page
Wet and rainy next couple days. Got some heat lamps next to them. Wish I could double tent them, but hard when you leave as early as I do.
 
Friday, May 10 View Page
Cleaning out my little water hookup shed, anybody need some zipties? LOL
 
Saturday, May 25 View Page
Added a treestand to the patch, it's going to be nice!
 
Saturday, May 25 View Page
2091 on left, 2283 on right from my perch
 
Saturday, May 25 View Page
2433 on left, 2528 on right
 
Sunday, May 26 View Page
Had a electrical malfunction, so plastic sides came off
 
Sunday, May 26 View Page
Screens sides r up, feels nicer already. Gcfi outlet is fixed only electrocuted myself once and on my 2nd budlite
 
Sunday, May 26 View Page
Alba likes the new break spot to!
 
Monday, May 27 View Page
One little screw in every pipe, tightened the plastic up real nice, hopefully help shed some water to. Clamps looked like they had sliding up and down about 6". Order 50 more yards of 1" strapping, out here with 28 mph winds made me paranoid. The screen sides have definitely made it a better pumpkin growing environment
 
Wednesday, May 29 View Page
I've been spotted, guess I should have worn camo
 
Sunday, June 9 View Page
Been awhile, super busy lately. 2528, should have a pollination attempt this week some time
 
Sunday, June 9 View Page
2433, planted a few days behind rest after 2152 came up mutated nothing ready this week
 
Sunday, June 9 View Page
2283, got one in the tip
 
Sunday, June 9 View Page
2091, got one on the tip as well
 
Sunday, June 9 View Page
Finally getting some side vines on the 1458 charity f'n Marshall. Missed one this morning while we were in the Wisconsin dells See what happens
 
Sunday, June 16 View Page
Pollination time! 2528 x 2283 4 lobes 16.5 ft out
 
Sunday, June 16 View Page
2528 Geddes
 
Sunday, June 16 View Page
2091 Midthun
 
Sunday, June 16 View Page
2283 Barlow/Jacobus
 
Sunday, June 16 View Page
2433 Paton
 
Sunday, June 16 View Page
1458 charity fn Marshall
 
Sunday, June 16 View Page
Long gourds hit dirt tomorrow maybe, 143.75 x 2 and a 139.5 Eaton
 
Tuesday, June 18 View Page
I get better success when I dont do the 4 am pollinations. Alba recruited her mom today and they crossed a perfect 4 lobe with the flowers I had waiting for them, the cross is 2091 Midthun x 2283 Barlow /Jacobus set at about 13 ft
 
Tuesday, June 18 View Page
Had to review the camera activity to confirm. Sucks being in a quarry with no cell service
 
Wednesday, June 19 View Page
1458 CFM x 2528 5 lobe
 
Friday, June 21 View Page
Pollination tracker, suggested by Mike Schmit, a whole lot of 2145 -2283 x2433 (5 lobes one was a little indented) 15-18 ft. 2433 x 2528 (4 lobes 14 maybe) should have all my sets soon
 
Friday, June 21 View Page
Alba gave papa Rusty a patch tour this morning, he seemed impressed
 
Sunday, June 23 View Page
2528 x 2283 6 DAP
 
Sunday, June 23 View Page
2091 x 2283
 
Sunday, June 23 View Page
2433 x 2528
 
Sunday, June 23 View Page
2283 x 2433
 
Sunday, June 23 View Page
Busy pollination week
 
Sunday, June 23 View Page
1458 x2528/open
 
Sunday, June 23 View Page
Long gourds
 
Tuesday, June 25 View Page
1st real hot day in awhile, and first mister failure. I have no cell/data service in quarry iam working in. When I got up top I noticed my boards weren't getting wet when the misters were supposed to be on. Got home and found a bad solenoid, luckily I ordered a spare 3 years ago. Several scorched leafs, was the only issue.next few days I better have 0 failures. Everything under shade cloth was fine.
 
Sunday, June 30 View Page
F me, 80+ mph. Plants might make it. But when it pulled out and tossed some 12 ft treated 12" boards all the way on other side of the patch. House is ok, neighbors down the road had buildings leveled
 
Monday, July 1 View Page
2528 x 2283 10 min before armageddon
 
Monday, July 1 View Page
2091 x 2283 9 min before armageddon
 
Monday, July 1 View Page
2283x 2344 8 min before armageddon
 
Monday, July 1 View Page
This is 2283 x 2433, previous was 2433x 2528 run for house
 
Monday, July 1 View Page
1458 CFM x 2528 outside and apparently better protection
 
Monday, July 1 View Page
One of my baseboards with 3 ft post hanging, one actually made it all the way over the patch
 
Monday, July 1 View Page
Mile down road farmer has machine shed collapse on him. 5 broken ribs. 78 mph winds. Even took a camper for a roll on to highway 151
 
Monday, July 1 View Page
CFM unscathed 26 hrs after
 
Monday, July 1 View Page
2528, nervous might be aborting after stress
 
Monday, July 1 View Page
2091 took the worse scratched up, see if it improves on its 35" cir
 
Monday, July 1 View Page
2434, real good shape despite
 
Monday, July 1 View Page
2283, sitting ok to. Lot of bent pipes, few broken boards, I have over 200' x 55' of plastic in the garage so hoping to get it back together by Sunday. See what mother bi#$ has to say
 
Tuesday, July 2 View Page
Got the big piece picked up, still no protection from the north, and of course look what's in the back ground, yippee. I need 2 16' 2x4's 1 16' deck board. And probably 5 or 6 pieces of metal conduit ends are find so I'll cut a 75 ft piece out of new role. Hopefully weather cooperates real soon
 
Thursday, July 4 View Page
Got the side the 80 mph wind hit head on, back together today, at least the plants have some protection now, been nervous since it opened on Sunday. I will be getting some anchors and concrete to attach the ratchet straps to. Once that plastic got to bouncing the ratchet straps pulled the baseboards out, then it was doomed from there. Saturday project- straighten pipes. Then next chance with no wind we will get the top back on.
 
Thursday, July 4 View Page
Neighbor just told me paper said excess 100 mph straight line, no tornado
 
Saturday, July 6 View Page
Hopefully in morning, back to somewhat normal
 
Tuesday, July 9 View Page
Back in business!
 
Tuesday, July 9 View Page
1458 on Sunday
 
Tuesday, July 9 View Page
2528 x 2283 hit day 20 on Sunday, 172" Ott. Really making a nice comeback after 80-100 mph winds
 
Tuesday, July 9 View Page
2091 x 2283 hit day 20 tonight 177" cut off backup tonight as well. This one got the worst beating in the storm but hey still growing
 
Tuesday, July 9 View Page
2283 x 2433 hits day 20 on 12th
 
Tuesday, July 9 View Page
2433 x 2528 hits day 20 on the 12th to
 
Wednesday, July 10 View Page
CFM 20DAP 71/55/50 =176" OTT for est 130 lbs
 
Friday, July 12 View Page
2283 x 2433 20 DAP 70/51/50 =171" est 120 lbs
 
Friday, July 12 View Page
2433 x 2528 20 DAP 81/53/51 =185" est 149 lbs
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
Catching up on plants, and found a mushy main on the 2283, same spot I had the issues with my 1587 last year. Leave it in till it quits growing, what's really sad is it was the best looking plant after the hurricane.
 
Wednesday, July 17 View Page
Day 30 for the 2528, 118/80/75 for 273" est 470 lbs. Only plant that doesn't have main issues. 3 days in upper 90's should show them if they are there
 
Wednesday, July 17 View Page
Went ahead and did a day 25 measurement on the 2433 and cut the first 4 ft off the main 113/65/63 for 241" est 323 lbs. The 2283 only gre 17" total on the ott since Friday, only thing feeding is the vine connected to stem. Probably pull plant this weekend, what's left of it anyways
 
Friday, July 19 View Page
2091 Midthun x 2283 B/J Day 30, 118/76/73 =267" for est of 440 lbs
 
Saturday, July 20 View Page
1458 CFM x 2528 day 30, 102/75/68 =245" for 340 lbs est
 
Sunday, July 28 View Page
1458 CFM x 2528 day 39 est 496
 
Sunday, July 28 View Page
2528 x 2283 day 41 est 797 lbs
 
Sunday, July 28 View Page
2091 x 2283 day 38 ,est 714 lbs
 
Sunday, July 28 View Page
2433 x 2528 day 36 est 661 lbs, flat pancake with a 151.5" circ gain 20" in circ from last Sunday
 
Sunday, July 28 View Page
2283 x 2433 day 36 est 210 lbs, next pic will explain why so little
 
Sunday, July 28 View Page
Cut main off day 21, only thing feeding is little sidevine going to the left. Keep it going till it quits growing
 
Sunday, August 4 View Page
1458 x 2528 great shape, take this patch more seriously next year
 
Sunday, August 4 View Page
2283 somehow gained 53 lbs this week with no main.
 
Sunday, August 4 View Page
2433 has got a 165.5" circ on day 43
 
Sunday, August 4 View Page
2091 to much new plant growth on this one, going to gradually thin it out, boulder shape is nice for heavy
 
Sunday, August 4 View Page
2528 is dead even with my personal best numbers on this date
 
Tuesday, August 6 View Page
So I got hit yet again, this time confirmed tornado. I can see its path if I walk 20 yards down hill of my long gourd trellis 300 yards away in the cornfield. My patch was the furthest thing west of it that got damage. Pumpkins seem to still be ok. But a day with out their fans was noticable
 
Tuesday, August 6 View Page
One view, side I fixed 35 days ago did good, now to fix otherside same way
 
Tuesday, August 6 View Page
Pulled corner completely out
 
Tuesday, August 6 View Page
Puddles on top are doing some serious scorching. Got to leave them there till I get plastic reattached. Misters on tomorrow, hopefully I didn't miss any other broken waterlines
 
Tuesday, August 6 View Page
Yuck, pipes r bent way worst this time
 
Friday, August 9 View Page
Well I picked the 1458 CFM and took it to Des Moines to the iowa state fair. I was hoping for top 5, but it came down to mine weighing 698 and Don Young and Tommy Rhodes taping 698. Which way would theirs tilt? It decided to go 60 lbs heavy so 2nd place for me! Congrats to Don and Tommy for the victory! Congrats to everyone else that had a entry today, and looking forward to talking to everyone in Bloomfield again next month!
 
Friday, August 9 View Page
When I got home I had to cut the main halfway on the 2091. It hit 4 digits probably today. May be candidate for Michigan state fair
 
Saturday, August 10 View Page
Got the greenhouse back together AGAIN, pipes aren't pretty, plastic ain't pretty. This is my neighborhood red circle is my greenhouse, solid purple line was tornado path. Light purple was the areas that seen damage
 
Tuesday, August 20 View Page
Ready for October, 2091 no gains thurs- Sunday, noticed a pin hole on top of stem last night. Dug rot out, peroxide and got my tea brewing air bubbler in there drying it up. Hopefully it can make a scale
 
Sunday, August 25 View Page
2091's final day, rot in stem made it to cavity est 1048 lbs
 
Sunday, August 25 View Page
Though I had it, 2 days to late
 
Sunday, August 25 View Page
Vine wasnt near as bad as the stem
 
Sunday, August 25 View Page
2528 in mid September form, yep still August. Cut main off several feet before stem today
 
Sunday, August 25 View Page
2433 hit 187" in circ today
 
Sunday, August 25 View Page
2283 if only it had a plant before the stem, HD contender
 
Monday, September 2 View Page
Got all the open areas planted with Ron's kodiak mustard
 
Sunday, September 8 View Page
2528 x 2283 still growing! Had a little scare examining around the bottom it was real wet on one side, almost cried. When I put sheet back on it confirmed a hole in plastic above.
 
Sunday, September 8 View Page
2433 x 2528, pancake still growing the 192" tape is now not big enough for circ
 
Sunday, September 8 View Page
2283 x 2433 loaded with the 2145.5 and beautiful to boot. Oh what could have been, but so glad I didn't give up on it. Now where to take it
 
Saturday, September 14 View Page
Went over to Kenosha Wisconsin today, my little pollinator with one of the dozen 100 lbers we have on our 1458 cfm plant that had the 698 2nd place state fair pumpkin. We just let it go wild . Took 7th place out of 8 number 8 was damaged. Great time today! Thanks Margaret Martin for taking a way nicer picture than my phone!
 
Sunday, September 15 View Page
We cant get away from the rain here lately 12" since last Saturday, lot of run off making it's way through the patch. Pumpkins are staying dry which is a must at moment. My irrometer is in what I believe a dry spot it was 70% towards dry other day but so much water in surrounding areas has pushed it very wet. Finding that plants like it around 40
 
Sunday, September 22 View Page
Roughly approaching 18" of rain for the month of September and it's only the 22nd. Wtf
 
Saturday, September 28 View Page
So I haven't posted much, 3 weeks ago I was happy the 2528 gave me a good 6" on the week. Then Monday happened, got to digging a little brown out of the stem which led to 2/3 of the stem being removed and a spot the size of my thumb, for the last 3 weeks I did my best to keep the hole in the 3" range, came home Thursday night and she was to deep. So here is the 1372.5 Caspers DMG despite not getting my 1st win, I had fun in Bloomfield today! Pancake looked good tonight when I got home. If anything happens to that one I will be going to the dr for depression
 
Saturday, September 28 View Page
Picture from the good side
 
Monday, September 30 View Page
89°made my hole worse. So retrieved the seeds, she was pretty thick
 
Monday, September 30 View Page
Good amount compared to last year
 
Wednesday, October 2 View Page
6 more inches of rain last night, greenhouse is wet. Just in time to get the pancake out here in the next couple days, yippee
 
Tuesday, October 8 View Page
End of the season, 1152 pancake 2433 Paton x 2528 on left. Went way lite on Saturday and finished 8th. 1372.5 dmg on right, probably be mush in a few days
 
Saturday, October 12 View Page
New Stillwater site record! Mike Schmit
 
Saturday, October 12 View Page
1st place long gourd! Glad I decided to bring it! My dad couldnt make the trip but sent a watermelon that weighed 125.5 good enough for 3rd as well
 
Wednesday, October 16 View Page
Now the rush to clean patch up and broadfork before winter, in all my spare time of course
 
Wednesday, October 30 View Page
Inside the 1152, 5ft across in the inside
 
Sunday, November 3 View Page
Broadforking coming along nicely, chopping mustard, and broadforking in. To muddy from melting snow to till
 
Sunday, November 3 View Page
One of the benefits of not tilling, lots of worms were seen today
 
Saturday, November 30 View Page
Almost done
 
Saturday, November 30 View Page
3900 sq ft overturned 16" now for the outside 2,000
 
Saturday, November 30 View Page
In action
 
Saturday, November 30 View Page
Now to take the top off next weekend, was doing good till the wind we had this week and today, already thinking improvements in the battle vs mother nature
 
Saturday, November 30 View Page
Got my SNGPG newsletter, great read as usual! Third year and I finally was lucky enough to win a little in the virtual weighoff!
 
Sunday, December 1 View Page
Last day I could bow hunt till after Christmas, gun season opens next weekend.
 
Sunday, December 1 View Page
2 of the wettest years back to back, hopefully next year can see some normal weather
 

 

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