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Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 60 Entries.
Wednesday, January 16 View Page
The Southern Ia. Giant pumpkin Growers will be having our live auction Sat. Jan. 19th. We appreciate any support that you can give us. Great seeds offered.
 
Wednesday, January 16 View Page
A big thank you to all the growers that donated seeds to our Southern Iowa Giant Pumpkin Growers Assoc. 2019 auction. Also thank you for all those that participated as well. Thanks Cecil, Don and Ken for your assistance. Very successful auction.
 
Tuesday, April 9 View Page
Well it has been a wet fall and winter here in S.E. Iowa. I'm not complaining since we have had a severe drought for the last couple years and I mean severe. No tilling since I don't want mud clods. Get the silage fork out and see how out of shape I am. Notice the can of refreshment beside the worked ground. Earthworms everywhere. Good to see!
 
Wednesday, May 8 View Page
Well it continues to rain and is cold. Not a good combo for growing pumpkins. Amish friend "gave" me a "free" 42' x 96' piece of undamaged used 6 mil greenhouse plastic to cover it before the next round of rain.
 
Saturday, May 11 View Page
Never say never. Started a 331 Brown bushel gourd seed 17 days ago and it is breaking through the soil. Should be up and out on day 18. I had 2 germinate off of a bushel gourd that the grower said he was having problems on getting them to germinate in 3 days. Go figure. Now if the 370 would pop. It's day 17 for it too with no signs of germination.
 
Sunday, May 19 View Page
867 Davis is off and running! Plenty more plant's to put out. Just needs to stop raining for 2 weeks now.
 
Sunday, May 19 View Page
Young and Bentley watermelon plants need to get out soon. To wet and cool around here. Just what melons don't like. First year on a serious attempt on these and the weather is crap. Makes no since to put them out yet. Just waiting a little longer.
 
Wednesday, May 22 View Page
Ok I believe the the good lord above wasn't getting good cell phone service. Think my voice mails just got to him this year after praying for rain on 2 years of extreme drought. Big fella you can shut her off any time now. Crazy wet and more coming.
 
Sunday, May 26 View Page
High tunnel is even wet, rain water leaching in. Freaking Monsoon around here. My own 867 Davis plant is looking decent for the conditions.
 
Sunday, May 26 View Page
These Young and Bentley watermelon plants need to get in the ground soon, but it has been too cold and now way to wet to have them out. It is atleast warming up.
 
Monday, May 27 View Page
Well I like the temps that we are getting, but the rain has been a killer. Next 15 days appears to have plenty of rain forecasted. Last year we were in extreme drought and temps were 95 to 100 degrees during this week.
 
Monday, May 27 View Page
This is my good patch. Even had plastic covering it. Raining so much the rain is flowing under the plastic. Other patch has never been worked this year. Weeds everywhere which is good otherwise my soil would have washed down the hill.
 
Tuesday, May 28 View Page
I think I better grow hydroponically this year. This is how I have spent my evening. Culverts under county roads have washed away. Absolutely crazy.
 
Wednesday, June 5 View Page
Got my Young and Bentley watermelon plants out a couple nights ago. Going to grow on ground cover. Way to wet to till. Really excited to grow melons. Never got serious about it before. Hope mother nature cooperates.
 
Thursday, June 6 View Page
Finally able to till in the big patch. Guess my cows like that soft bed. Hot wire going up next. They do a good job of compacting the soil.
 
Thursday, June 13 View Page
Just for your information if you didn't already know, unrolling ground cover for the watermelon patch and YELLOW JACKETS inside the roll does not mix the older and slower you get. Just sayin!
 
Tuesday, June 18 View Page
Culling a few "little" giant watermelons. Plants need to get bigger and set something further out.This is exciting for me since I have never got serious about growing them before!
 
Wednesday, June 19 View Page
Got my 1742 wolf vines buried yesterday evening. Received about 6 tenths of rain today. Hope the secondaries keep on going. Nice plant so far. Wasn't able to get it out in the patch as soon as I wanted, but I believe it will produce well with several secondaries in front of a pumpkin.
 
Sunday, June 23 View Page
4 - 146.5 Young watermelon plants. Warmth is coming. Drowned in the spring. Got dry for 2 weeks and now I received just shy of 4 inches of rain in the last 5 days. More rain coming. Fingers crossed.
 
Sunday, June 23 View Page
300.5 Young is the closest plant in the picture then the 274.5 Bentley and the 272.5 Bentley. Plants are healthy. Just need some warmth to kick them into high gear.
 
Thursday, June 27 View Page
My 867 Davis seed is starting to take off. She's plump on the front and back. Just wished the stem was longer. Need to get a mat under her asap lol.
 
Thursday, June 27 View Page
Pic from previous post.
 
Saturday, June 29 View Page
Well somehow I'm still in the game. Had some hail damage and wind damage, but I've seen worse. 60 to 70 mph winds and 2.3 inches of rain in 30 minutes yesterday. Fingers crossed. Hope my plants make a quick recovery.
 
Tuesday, July 2 View Page
Had a nice 5 lobe to pollinate on my 1626 D. Gantner plant this morning. Selfed in hopes of keep ing Debs nice orange genetics going.
 
Thursday, July 11 View Page
Watch out I've got both barrels loaded with this field pumpkin plant. ??
 
Monday, July 15 View Page
Never tried hard to grow a melon before. This thing was just a little nub 2 1/2 days ago. Holy cow!
 
Wednesday, July 24 View Page
I have never grown melons before and really don't know what I'm doing, but I'm sure having fun! 300.5 Young on the left and 274.5 Bentley on the right.
 
Tuesday, July 30 View Page
Don't know what I'm doing on these giant cantaloupes either, but this one seems to be growing well. 52 lb Bennett seed with 4 days growth.
 
Wednesday, August 14 View Page
My biggest cantaloupe is slowing down a little. Hope I can get another week out of it somehow. This is fun!
 
Monday, August 19 View Page
This cantaloupe is north of 50 lbs now on the tape and still doing 1.5" a day ott. My goal was to get above the State Record of 52 lbs set by Dave Bennett and this one is being grown from his 52 lbr!
 
Saturday, August 24 View Page
5 gallon bucket up against my biggest cantaloupe.
 
Tuesday, August 27 View Page
So maybe this grandpa needs to take lessons from his 4 and 6 year old grandsons. We transplanted their plants in, they have only did a "small" amount of weeding and a lot less care than I give my pumpkins lol. Beauties!
 
Saturday, August 31 View Page
Well 2 mornings ago I had a 2 minute hail storm that just wiped my patches out. Going to be hard to get anywhere after this. Treated pumpkin damage with liquid Daconil. 2 minutes wipes out 4 months of work just like that.
 
Saturday, August 31 View Page
Bushel gourd plants leveled.
 
Saturday, August 31 View Page
On a good note I am hopfully over 60 lbs now on my biggest cantaloupe. Hoping to set a new Iowa State record. Current record is held by Dave Bennett at 52 lbs. Fingers crossed.
 
Sunday, September 1 View Page
Well I set the new Iowa state record on my next to biggest cantaloupe in the patch. Previous record was 52 lbs. This one weighed 56.74 lbs. Worried it could go bad after the hale storm that I had 3 days ago. No plant left so I picked it. Happy I did.
 
Tuesday, September 3 View Page
Well I re-set the Iowa State record this morning on my biggest cantaloupe. 61.85 lbs. A big thank you to Dave Bennett for letting me grow your seed and advice. Also thank you Jeremy Lindley, Nick Mccaslin, Danny Vester and Charles Daniel Bentley for all of your advice, tips and encouragement. These guys are all class acts and great growers from Iowa, Arkansas, North Carolina and Alabama. Thank you Ron Wallace for your products that I used from Wow Wallace Organic Wonder. For never growing lopes before I'm definitely happy with the outcome!
 
Tuesday, September 3 View Page
Picked another lope off tonight. 52.54 lbs. This is starting to be fun.
 
Tuesday, September 3 View Page
Iowa State record cantaloupe on left at 61.85 lbs and I picked another one off tonight on the right at 52.54 lbs. Not bad for a days harvest lol. Fun stuff.
 
Saturday, September 7 View Page
Front and back end picture of the 61.85 Davis 2019 cantaloupe. Nice thickness on this melon. This lope was 27.5" long
 
Saturday, September 7 View Page
6 lobes on the 61.85 lope. A ton of seeds.
 
Wednesday, September 11 View Page
Well my 4 yr old grandson just my have an HD contender. Wowzers! 760 est. Davis seed that comes from the 975.5 Gansert x 1374 Engel.
 
Thursday, September 12 View Page
Getting ready for another great weighoff this year! We "DO" allow exhibition entries as well if someone has more than one exhibit in a class and they want to have it weighed or measured. Hope to see you here.
 
Friday, September 20 View Page
Bloomfield Giant Pumpkin Bash is approaching fast. September 28th here in Bloomfield, Iowa. For those traveling long distance to our weighoff this motel is a big sponsor of our weighoff. Clean rooms and "tremendous restuarant ". You better be able to eat a lot. Huge portions! https://southforkmotel.com/
 
Saturday, September 21 View Page
Well 1 week till the Bloomfield Giant Pumpkin Bash and I think my 6 yr old grandson is going to lose his pumpkin. Soft spot up on its front.
 
Saturday, September 21 View Page
My 4 yr olds beauty is still going. Small stem issue, but nothing to worry about. 1 week until weighoff.
 
Sunday, September 22 View Page
Bloomfield Giant Pumpkin Bash is on Saturday September 28th 2019. The prize structure is as follows: GPC plaques and ribbons Giant Pumpkins $1,500 /1,000 / 750 / 500 /250 / 150 / 100 / 75 / 50 / 50 Watermelons $300 / 200 / 100 Field Pumpkins $300 / 200 / 100 Long Gourds $150 / 100 / 50 Bushel Gourds $150 / 100 / 50 Marrows $100 / 75 / 50 Tomato $50 Howard Dill Award $100 Largest Davis County Exhibits Giant Pumpkin $250 Field Pumpkin $50 Watermelon $50 Longest Distance driven by exhibitor $50
 
Friday, September 27 View Page
The Bloomfield Giant Pumpkin Bash will be held at the Davis County Fairgrounds due to rain forecasted. It's at 20471 Old Hwy 2 Bloomfield, Iowa 52537. Call if you have ?'s. (641) 208-5659. It will be held in a huge building for shelter. Info on Message Board (General Discussion)
 
Sunday, September 29 View Page
2019 Bloomfield Giant Bash was a success. Tough growing year for most. Growers participated from Ia, Ks, Il and Wi. 4 State records were set with 3 from Ks and 1 from Ia. Congratulations to all participants!
 
Sunday, September 29 View Page
Placed 3rd at the Bloomfield Giant Pumpkin Bash. 1742 Wolf seed. Estimated 788 lbs and went crazy heavy. Official weight was 981.5. Close to 25% heavy. Very happy with this. This was a self pollination. Tough weather year, but I call this a success.
 
Sunday, September 29 View Page
My 4 yr old grandson received the Howard Dill award on his 1st pumpkin ever. 504 lbs off of the 760 est Davis seed. He also placed 5th.
 
Saturday, October 5 View Page
Pleasant surprise in Anamosa at the Ryan Norlin weighoff today. Didn't realize I had anything like this after the August 29th hail storm. Plants filled in and found these under the leaf canopy. 1st place finish on BG with my 218 lbr and weighed a 206 lb exhibition. 2nd and 3rd largest ever grown in Iowa. Very fortunate.
 
Monday, October 14 View Page
Well I couldn't wait to see the wall thickness on my 981.5. Went 25% heavy on the 1742 Wolf and I selfed it. It smaked like a boulder on the Don Young smack. Front was 17", sides were 10" and it was 2 1/2" thick at the blossom nub. Can't wait to grow it next year. Good seed count. Nub sucked in quite a ways on an inny. Good shape.
 
Monday, October 14 View Page
Another look on the thick walls of my 981.5. I broke a 12" saw-zaw blade cutting this thing open. Had really nice orange flesh.
 
Monday, October 14 View Page
My cows get spoiled every year with the culls I throw out to them. They get so fat on eating the bigger ones at the end of the year. It looks like they are going to explode by the time they get done lol.
 
Tuesday, October 15 View Page
Hoping this picture isn't sideways on my 981.5.
 
Tuesday, October 29 View Page
Not ready for this!
 
Monday, December 23 View Page
I can't ever remember a Christmas week being this warm in southern Iowa! Look at the projected temp on Christmas day! Wow.
 
Monday, December 23 View Page
The Southern Iowa Giant Pumpkin Growers Association (SIGPGA) will be holding a live seed auction on bigpumpkins.com Sunday night Jan. 24th starting at 8 pm Eastern or 7 pm Central time. All the information and auction list can be found on the homepage of bigpumpkins.com under SIGPGA Auction details. This is our biggest fundraising event. All proceeds will help our club put on the Bloomfield Giant Pumpkin Bash this fall. Any support that you can give us on the auction will be greatly appreciated. We have a Tremendous line up full of top genetics of all sorts of seeds for your growing needs. A huge thank you to all the great growers that donated seeds to our auction. Any questions I can be reached at 641-208-5659. Thank you.
 
Wednesday, December 25 View Page
Merry Christmas from balmy southern Iowa. Never have I seen it this warm on Christmas day!
 

 

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