Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 88 Entries. Wednesday, January 1 View Page One of two of my favorite places to be. Up on the side of the mountain at my buddys cabin. Skies are clearing and it is absolutely beautiful up here after the snow storms ended. Gods Country..no noise except Mother Nature.   Wednesday, January 1 View Page View of the backyard. If I can get some manure up there i will plant a couple kins in the backyard. Small pond on the right will give me all the water i need. Happy New Years Everybody. Grow Em Big N Orange!!   Saturday, January 25 View Page Rain Sleet and Snow. Us old fat guys know what to do to prepare for the storm   Monday, January 27 View Page There you go Norm. Hope your happy with it. 27" 6 1/2 lb Lake Trout. Now can I get a couple of your seeds?   Thursday, January 30 View Page Mr. Gansert..how would you like these packaged??? Need to let me know in five minutes or your getting em how I do em. I will take your offer of one seed per fillet. You're a good man!! T   Monday, February 3 View Page My other favorite place to be. Out on Lake George fishing. Caught some morning rays as the sun was about to rise. Warmer than normal in the northeast so I fished from the row boat instead of thru the ice. Life Is Good.   Monday, March 2 View Page Caught my limit of 50 perch by 7:15 am. Pulling them up 2 at a time. Gotta love it.This never gets old.   Monday, March 2 View Page Where I'm fishing has no shore ice. So I make do with what I have. Rowboat to the ice..put down plank on ice. Then step out of boat onto the plank and then walk the plank. Don't get any better than that to get the blood flowing.   Friday, March 20 View Page Life Is Good. Even like the color. Glad they washed the blood out of the bed before I signed the papers. It wasn't my deers blood otherwise I wouldn't of cared.   Tuesday, March 24 View Page Don't believe Mother Nature is ready to give it up yet.   Tuesday, March 24 View Page But it sure is beautiful up here in the Adirondacks!!   Tuesday, March 24 View Page There's one happy camper!!   Monday, April 6 View Page Got to spread 50 yards of aged manure yesterday. Gotta thank my buddy John. Normally this is still covered in snow. Life is Good   Wednesday, April 15 View Page Built a 6'w x 6 1/2'l x 3h' greenhouse this morning out of 6 sliding glass doors. Made a 4' x 5' cart out of plywood and 2 moving dollys. Front door is easily movable if i want to pull cart out and check on the plants I have power to the greenhouse and will add a small electric heater. Sealed up good and double pane doors will help keep heat in. This is going to beat the hell out of growing in the house.   Wednesday, April 15 View Page Greenhouse must be working. Lo 20s this morning..low 30s when i finished at 10 and at noon temp was 82 in the greenhouse. Gotta like that. Life is good.   Wednesday, April 15 View Page Decided to start 4 seeds today now that i have a working greenhouse. 907 Young 1059 v/m x self....1048 Engel 777 Young x Self...these 2 seem to take longer to germinate. Will also start 2 of my own. 699 dmg Hoffman 200 dmg Hoffman x 1501.5 Wagner and from my first year my 500 Hoffman 681 Dill-McDonald x 1374 Engel-open. Will start on hoop houses this week.   Thursday, April 16 View Page Greenhouse is working. a little snow covering the greenhouse this morning. 24 degrees out and 40 inside the greenhouse. Double pane glass is working well.   Thursday, April 16 View Page Started 2 more seeds this morning. both are the 1000,5 Gansert 2011. Older seeds seem to take longer to germinate so I figured I'd better get them started.   Friday, April 17 View Page Started 4 more of my own seeds today. 384 Hoffman 247 Gouin x self..........328 Hoffman 907 Young x sibb, prettiest one in the patch last year...........348 Hoffman 907 Young x self...........300 DMG Hoffman 224 Hoffman x 1297 Young. That should be enough to get me started. That finishes Round 1..Round 2 coming soon.   Saturday, April 18 View Page Gotta like my new greenhouse/coldframe. Snow on the ground the last 3 mornings. Checked temp today at noon 68 degrees in the greenhouse. Low 30s and still flurrying, no sun. I gotta like that!!! Guessing I wont have to supply heat with double pane windows. The concrete slab it's sitting on is a darker color so willing to bet it's soaking up heat as well. I think my problem child is also pushing dirt. Will find out soon.   Sunday, April 19 View Page I've taken a couple starter plants out of the germ chamber. Time to start a couple more. Starting 2 from my biggest kin last year. 550 dmg Hoffman 816 Gansert x 907 Young. I'll be starting seeds as I take plants out of the chamber.   Monday, April 20 View Page Started 5 more seeds yesterday 793 Toftness 1000,5 Gansert x self.....666.5 Gansert 681 Gansert x 1092.5 Gansert......1229 Seelow 1317 Clementz x self......775 Gansert DMG 816 Gansert x 1044 Gansert....489 Gouin 681 Gansert x 923 Gouin   Monday, April 20 View Page 907 Young and 1048 Engel aren't up so I started another 907 Young. Also started a 1297.5 Young 1912 Carter x 1000.5 Gansert. Also started another Engel but not the 1048. Started 1374 Engel 359 Foss x 1048 Engel.   Tuesday, April 21 View Page Started 4 more seeds this morning. 681 Gansert 907 Young x 1044 Gansert.....1044 Gansert 1059 V/M x 811 Gerhardt.....923 Gouin 907 Young x 793 Toftness....532 House 1044 Gansert x 575 Wolf.   Tuesday, April 21 View Page The old guy ain't dead yet. Probably take over a week to get them up if not more. Another club root but was sticking it's nose out so I pawed thru it. Yup club root with stickers coming out all over. Been almost a week and the other was poking thru so I didn't touch it. Why does it take so long for an old guy to get it up. Guess I should have bought some Viagra and put it in the mix. Both 1000.5 Ganserts are pushing dirt and moving. Ain't quite up yet but I will get a woman to talk nice to them. Maybe that will help. Nice older seed for the patch.   Thursday, April 23 View Page Took 9 days but the 1048 Engel is up.   Saturday, April 25 View Page Was very happy one of the two 907s came up. Hardest seed I've seen to get to germinate. Everybody else is up except 1044 Gansert and 1374 Engel. Still early yet so not worrying about those two. 18 up..13 repotted and in greenhouse others still under lights. Life is Good!!   Monday, April 27 View Page everybody is up. All germinated except for one 907 young. The other 907 is up so Life is Good.   Friday, May 1 View Page Started 3 more seeds today. 721 Gansert 1044 Gansert x 816 Gansert.......1215 Young 1297.5 Young by self.....667 Wolf 575 x 1146 Snyder..this seed threw nice dark orange for me last year but didn't make it..giving it another shot.   Monday, May 4 View Page 721, 1215,667 are up and under light. Started 10 of my 328s from last year..prettiest in the patch. These will be used as give aways and backups. Life is Good!   Tuesday, May 5 View Page Got stimulated twice yesterday!! Got my check and I got a seed packet from Joe House. I got 334s and 220.5s both 150 Rea x self. Prizewinner x Orange AG. Glenna grew the 334 as an upright pumpkin and it looked great! Beautiful red color on the 334 and great shape on both. Can you say some nice small kins and beer money!! Thanks Joe for the seeds!! T   Thursday, May 7 View Page Mini-greenhouse is working great. I'm able to open the front door and vent or pull the kins on the cart right out into the sun. Little electric heater with fan keeps the greenhouse at 60 when it's 25 outside. Still really cold here and wont plant for at least another week. I might be close to the teens a couple nights and more snow on the way. Kins are happy.   Thursday, May 7 View Page The 8" 1x8 board vent across the top of greenhouse can be opened a little or a lot for proper ventilation.   Thursday, May 7 View Page Anybody have an idea of what might have happened here. I use clear plastic cups to start my plants. This seed had one of the most impressive root systems I've ever seen. Had to transplant almost immediately after sprouting. 1st true leaf was big but the next two are tiny and misshapen. 4th leaf isnt fully open yet. There are about 20 plants it was grown with under the same conditions. The seed was filed and soaked on the 21st of April. Plant has been up for 10 days.   Thursday, May 7 View Page Sprouts and leaves?? emerging at cots   Sunday, May 10 View Page Starting 2 more seeds today. Can't help myself. 2-224 House 150 Rea x 1059 V/M. Ought to be interesting   Sunday, May 10 View Page Forgot an entry for 5/6. Started 4 each of the 334 and 224 House. All up. Pushing dirt in a day and a half. Can't wait to see what I get. Warmer weather on the way. 8" of snow yesterday 10 miles away from me. Glad I only got a little. Life is good.   Tuesday, May 12 View Page A couple sliding glass doors..minihut..looks like solar panels !! Can't Wait   Sunday, May 17 View Page Took ten days but both 224 House are up. Started some more and then dumped cups from 2 original seeds. Both had club root. Replanted and now up. I'm a Happy Camper!!   Sunday, May 17 View Page Sorry..only took a week not ten days on the 224.   Tuesday, May 19 View Page Apple Tree is in Full Bloom!! Waiting for leaves on the trees. Lots of Orange Planted. Cuke Beetles are definitely out. Took care of that right away. Sunny and warm in the NorthEast ..Life Is Good.   Tuesday, May 19 View Page Hope this is right pic.no blossoms in last pic   Tuesday, May 26 View Page Been doing some prep work at the Scofield Farm and Planted 14 AGs and several of the House crosses with the 150 Rea..220 and 334 House 150 Rea x self and the 224 House 150 Rea x 1059 V/M. and some Prize Winners. About 30 altogether. I'm gonna be busy   Tuesday, June 16 View Page Broke a couple ribs a week ago on the 9th. I've got 5 weeks to go before full..further participation in this hobby. I've been doing a little to try and stay in the game. Had a few friends over the other day to help finish up patch and veggie garden. I;ll do what I can without further hurting myself. Couldn't pick a worse time of year. Patch is ahead of schedule and I'm behind. I'll make the best of what I can. Looking forward to some nice Orange. I should be OK.   Thursday, July 9 View Page Haven't posted in a while so i thought I better get something in here. Only took me 2 weeks to rebreak my ribs and injure my innards to go along with it. Doc did say something about not lifting anything heavy. Handle broke on a heavy tote i was moving and I fell on it on an downhill incline. Gravity still works the way it is supposed to and old fat guys fall hard. Started internal bleeding in the stomach and i spent july 4th 5th and 6th in the hospital. Still have a month or more for recovery. On the bright side warmer than normal spring has made my plants go nuts. They have overrun there boundaries and its time to cut and bury. My sister has volunteered for this job. God Bless her!! She has kept up with weeding my veggie garden also! Family and friends are there for me and it's very much appreciated. I have 10 AGs in the pictured patch. I have 4 more in the front yard. I've only got vines half buried and she will have her hands full. I will do what I can to help ( which won't be much) but I'm not interested in visiting the hospital again anytime soon!!!! The patch is about full and I'm happy with the patch so far. All Orange and some nice genetics!!!   Thursday, July 9 View Page Living in my backyard are 907 Young, 1297 Young, 681 Gansert, 1044 Gansert, 666.5 Gansert, 775 dmg Gansert, 489 Gouin, 1229 Seelow, 500 Hoffman and 550 dmg Hoffman. Living in the front yard are the 328 Hoffman..prettiest in my patch last year, 220 House, 224 House and 334 House. Can you say ORANGE!   Thursday, July 9 View Page Unfortunately life at the Scofield Farm had to take a back seat. 30 AGs left untended looks like this. Life goes on. Can't wait to fully participate. I'm alive so Life Is Good!!   Friday, July 10 View Page 681 Gansert x 489 Gouin 15 dap 47"cc at 11'...pollinated today at 20' with 907 Young   Tuesday, July 14 View Page 907 Young 15 dap,,,,45cc 107 OTT   Wednesday, July 15 View Page 681 Gansert 20 dap 172 ott 72 cc Love the shape   Sunday, July 19 View Page 907 Young 20 dap 158 ott 65cc   Friday, July 24 View Page 907 Young 20 dap...197 OTT....83cc Blossom end is pushing out a little...starting to orange up   Friday, July 24 View Page last post should have been 25 dap   Wednesday, July 29 View Page 907 Young 30 dap 228 ott 98cc Hopefully it might turn Orange   Wednesday, July 29 View Page Unfortunately the 681 Gansert stopped growing at day 25. It was a looker. Have a couple open pollinations on the 681 that I will work with. Time will tell   Monday, August 3 View Page 907 Young 35 dap 247 ott 107 cc still hoping it will turn orange   Monday, August 3 View Page 775 DMG Gansert on a secondary..194 ott 107 cc open pol approx 25dap   Monday, August 3 View Page 666.5 Gansert 19 dap   Saturday, August 8 View Page 907 Young. 40 dap..250 ott 108cc..growth has slowed considerably ..found 2 other kins under the canopy after the storm..culled them yesterday..hopefully growth will pick back up   Sunday, August 23 View Page A couple of 666.5 on the same plant.. Late pollinations but looking good.   Sunday, August 23 View Page Something about those Gansert seeds that make them turn Orange 666.5 lookin pretty   Sunday, August 23 View Page 1297 Young with a late pollination   Sunday, August 23 View Page What a difference a day makes..1297 Young not as pretty as yesterday   Sunday, August 23 View Page 907 Young..holding together but not growing..she be pretty   Sunday, August 23 View Page 775 dmg Gansert taping 249 ott. on a secondary..really hoping it will turn Orange and have a much better shape...who would grow a Gansert Seed anyway??   Sunday, August 23 View Page Another 666.5 Gansert..bigger than the other two and younger. I believe I had 5 on this plant. Lets see what happens!!   Wednesday, August 26 View Page Found these 2 and another a couple days ago. Lots of open pollinations due to my hospital stay. These are from my 550 dmg kin last year. 550 is 816 Gansert x 907 Young. I'm sure I'll find more!!   Thursday, August 27 View Page Thank You Joe.!! Got exactly what I was looking for. Smaller bred kins. This is a 224 House (150 Rea x 1059 v/m). Lined the walkway with three plants have 4 kins. I'm a Happy Camper! People kept asking me whats under the sheet. There she be!!   Sunday, August 30 View Page 907 Young starting to turn red   Sunday, August 30 View Page 775 Gansert dmg is the now the biggest in the patch. nice dark orange .still putting on weight..grow season about done here   Thursday, September 3 View Page 907 Young..I will weigh it in a week or so if she holds together..252 ott stopped growing august 8th because   Thursday, September 3 View Page somebody didn't check the stem on a daily basis this time of year. Found rot just reaching the kin..scraped and sulphered and pulled from patch. Thank You Mr Gansert and Mr Young!! Always appreciate your advice!   Sunday, September 6 View Page Hope this scale isn't big enough to weigh my kins   Monday, September 7 View Page 775 Gansert dmg #2. Tall and round and ORANGE and did I say pretty. Thank You for the seeds Norm!! Also Good Luck with the 1382..it be looming large!!!   Monday, September 7 View Page My other 775 dmg #1 both on the same plant.   Monday, September 7 View Page My 550 dmg from last year. This is what I got for crossing a Gansert with a Young...Knarly..my sister will love it..it has character..I guess so   Monday, September 7 View Page Never seen anything quite like this before. This is the vine where it attached to the stem of the 907. Put a regular vine on the ground next to it. Size of vine going into kin was stump size. Kin stopped growing very early august and was doing over 30 lbs a day and then just stopped. Anybody seen this or know why a vine would get that big at kin? Stretched big about a foot and a half on both sides then normal vine size   Tuesday, September 8 View Page Bathroom scale says 75 lbs..easiest one for me to get to. Got a bunch of them. Not bad for planting a dozen in a 15 x 25 patch. Thanks for the seeds Phil!!   Tuesday, September 8 View Page Took my buddy almost a year to send this pic....681 Gansert..from bad part of the patch..200 lbs.. Cheryl his wife did a great job!! Even your small kins are nice Norm. Great I Think for a novice.   Friday, September 11 View Page I asked Mr. Gansert for seeds from what he thought we're his two prettiest kins from last year. One was damaged and it didn't bother me. So I planted one of each. And this is what I got!! No hoop houses etc here. Be tough and you'll survive!   Friday, September 11 View Page 775 dmg Gansert open pollination but I will plant next year. Very tall..late pollination by bees..don't care what it might be pollinated with..nothing else around for miles   Monday, September 14 View Page Loaded and took a few of the girls on a tour today. 907 Young in the front..now 358 Hoffman, she stopped growing august 8th..really surprised she's still around and looks like she will be for a while. The other 2 are both 775 Gansert DMG. Haven't weighed them yet but one is about 400 the other about 450. Waiting for some young blood on Sunday. Us old fat guys struggle sometimes. Seen a lot of smiles today. I love it. Even had somebody ask if they were real. Sunday is pickin day and lookin forward to friends and family!!!!   Wednesday, September 16 View Page Side by each as I've heard it called...666.5 Ganserts..bigger one was crossed with 775 dmg Gansert other was open. More nice Orange.   Saturday, September 19 View Page As Mr Young called it...a Field Of Fun!!   Thursday, September 24 View Page Turns out the Scofield Farm Jungle wasn't a total loss. The deer missed one.   Thursday, September 24 View Page Another 550 dmg Hoffman 816 Gansert x 907 Young..the only one out of the 5 that didn't have big ribs. I Thank You both for the seeds that you have given me!! T   Friday, October 9 View Page Finally got a Blossom Upster to make it to fall time. Been trying for a few years with the 907 Young. Kerry you can stop kicking him now. About 9 kins off this plant. Updates to come on the prettiest one.   Saturday, October 10 View Page 907 Young x 500 Hoffman now the 358 Hoffman. The prettiest kin I've grown so far. Not very big but she sure is pretty. This kin had stopped growing by August 8th due to vine issues. Can't believe she's still around. Was putting on over 30 lbs a day before she stopped growing. Thought I was going to have a much bigger beauty. John Thank You for the seeds! It's final resting place is the Sanders Farm. Been hanging out on my front lawn for a month now it's somebody elses turn.