Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 129 Entries. Saturday, January 23 View Page Ok it’s the boring time of Winter and cabin fever has set in. Maggie is looking for something to do.   Saturday, January 23 View Page She was on the phone with Chops dog Saydee and they asked about a Winter Challenge. She heard us growers talking about growing contests for 150 sq ft, growing in buckets, growing for orange so why not a winter challenge. They are so smart.   Saturday, January 23 View Page For her seed choice Maggie picked some from her Dads 600 pound pumpkin from last year. He is excited about trying the 2005 Haist x self so let’s give them a grow. The bag was a bit tough to open but she did it all on her own.   Saturday, January 23 View Page Hmmmm now to select the planting location.   Saturday, January 23 View Page Ok. Got it. Dig the hole a little deeper.   Saturday, January 23 View Page Now the easy part. Fertilize and plant seed all in one smooth motion!   Saturday, January 23 View Page Seeds planted ! Now it’s just sit back and watch them grow! The dogs have a official judge to keep track of the contest and answer any questions. Marv has agreed to oversee the contest. Any pooches interested in entering the challenge are free to give it a try. Just find some of your parents seed stash and help yourself to a few mouthfuls. They have way to many seeds anyway !   Monday, June 7 View Page Wow. Way behind on a diary this year. Like John said they are an important tool to look back and check your individual progress. We started out with high hopes like every other year. John Roba called and had some cold frames he was going to be using and said I could have some. Grower buddy Andy and I took a ride to pick some up. They are well built. Thanks John. We do miss the weigh off at Roba Family Farms.   Monday, June 7 View Page All set and an early start.   Monday, June 7 View Page We had a decent spring. Val and I took some time for some trout fishing. Val caught a nice rainbow and a white claw. Good work val !   Monday, June 7 View Page A beauty !!   Monday, June 7 View Page Going with some orange this year. As always plants are not the size of some of the other diary pics I am seeing but that’s ok. Still plenty of time to grow a nice pumpkin.   Monday, June 7 View Page Maggie is ready for another season   Monday, June 7 View Page I saw the sad news that we lost Marv Meisner. You just never know and have to appreciate each moment we have. I fondly remember Marv handing out these hats at the early PGPGA events to anyone who grew a 1000 pound pumpkin. After years of a 992 and then a 996 I guess Marv felt sorry snd handed me one and said , you are gonna get there Ned. Thanks Marv. You will be missed.   Monday, June 7 View Page Not sure if anyone is catching the NCAA softball championships going on but I have a cousin pitching well for Florida State. It is great softball to watch.   Monday, June 7 View Page Keep it going Kathryn. Bama tonight. Good luck NOLES!   Sunday, June 20 View Page Happy Fathers Day !!   Sunday, June 20 View Page Getting some of my Giant maters planted. They don’t do much good sitting in cups on my deck. I have to remember all of Chops secret amendments that he shared. In they go !   Sunday, June 20 View Page The pumpkin plants are so so and in different stages of growth. This one is our 606. 2005 Haist x self. I only put it in last week. I will see how big of a pumpkin I can grow starting this late.   Sunday, June 20 View Page This is our 1885 Werner. Its not very impressive snd best get a move on. It’s way behind last years 1885 which gave us a personal best in the same spot.   Sunday, June 20 View Page Well we do have one plant which is right where it should be and growing fast. The 1665 McDonald is the star of the patch this year. Hoping for big and orange.   Sunday, June 20 View Page A nice looking baby is forming. I will most likely wait for the next one as we will need some more male flowers to show up to the dance.   Sunday, June 20 View Page I found a surprise while digging into our compost. Just what I need, 40 snapping turtle eggs.   Sunday, June 20 View Page Wildlife abound this time of year. We saw this brute this spring behind the house.   Sunday, June 20 View Page Unfortunately two weeks after we saw him he was hit by a car and the game commission had to put him down. The locals had named him Bubba. He was 7 ft tall and 550 pounds. Sad to see him go that way. RIP Bubba.   Sunday, June 20 View Page I spied this guy across from our driveway yesterday. He is gonna be a “SLAMMER”!   Sunday, June 20 View Page Finishing up planting the last of the tomatoes. Our eating ones are lined up and I sprinkled the garden with sone Sunflowers around the patch.   Sunday, June 20 View Page My best Easter Egg plant. In a grow bag on our deck. Thanks for the.seeds Zeke. !!   Tuesday, June 29 View Page It’s all about timing with this pollination stuff. I had a female open last week and had no males to attend the party. The plant is big enough now and a 5 lobe was open albeit a funky shaped one but I was able to self the 1665 McDonald. Now the heat is on as it is in the high 90’s today. It’s not looking good. I ran into the same roadblock last year. The little girl is shaded and I ran a mist over my lunch hour but it’s brutal out there.   Tuesday, June 29 View Page I will need a little luck to survive the heat wave and get a successful pollination. I found this bit of luck on the way to the patch. Maybe it will help!   Tuesday, June 29 View Page I have a Elephant ear ready to uncoil. These are fun to watch.   Tuesday, June 29 View Page I watered the plant good this morning and it is still flagging pretty good. I used my little 1/3 hp little giant pump to mist a little seaweed. You don’t need s big pump to get good coverage. This little pump is over 10 years old and works great for me.   Tuesday, June 29 View Page My 1885 werner is starting to pick up the pace but needs to keep moving. I need some more male flowers to do some of the crosses that I would like.   Friday, July 2 View Page The heat wave is over and then the monsoons came. I am hoping my misting program worked and my June pollination can be my keeper. It’s day 3 and it looks promising. Another day or so and I will know. It has a nice long stem and it’s sitting on a good curve.   Friday, July 2 View Page It’s muddy in the patch. Maybe this will help keep any slugs away   Friday, July 2 View Page It’s feast or famine with these females. Unbelievably there were 8 females open this morning on secondary’s on the 1665. With 4 males available. I picked the best positioned secondary and did the deed.   Friday, July 2 View Page The other side   Friday, July 2 View Page The elephant ear is now waving proudly   Wednesday, July 14 View Page What’s up with this weather in the Northeast. Rain, rain and more rain.   Wednesday, July 14 View Page The patch is officially swamp land.   Wednesday, July 14 View Page My only June pollination vomited so will now be hoping my July pollinations hang on. This soggy soil can’t help.   Wednesday, July 14 View Page My more promising tomato plants are also suffering the wrath of the monsoons.   Wednesday, July 14 View Page There may be one on the 1885 werner somewhere under there.   Wednesday, July 14 View Page It is going to take some sunshine to dry this mess out and the forecast isn’t looking good.   Wednesday, July 14 View Page The plants on my deck are looking better. Hey Zeke. I think I am laying an egg !   Wednesday, July 14 View Page Cucumbers next to my house are loving it.   Wednesday, July 14 View Page Planted corn and sunflowers at my old pumpkin patch at my moms house. The house will be going on the market this year and I had to give it one last hoorah and plant something. They are loving it !!   Wednesday, July 14 View Page I’m in for a try at the 5 gallon sunflower challenge. It may be the last one started but someone had to be last. Ricky Bobby says if your not first your last anyway. Thanks for the seed Wixom !   Wednesday, July 14 View Page I decided to grow this at our hunting club. It is a good excuse to go water it at my favorite watering hole. If anyone is in the area you are welcome to stop and help !   Wednesday, July 14 View Page Good old Texas Rod and Gun ! It gets plenty of sunshine and the building should keep it warm. I am pretty damn confident I can get a Top 10 !!! I plan to tie it to the Moose Horns. Game on !!   Thursday, July 22 View Page It’s been a struggle this year doing battle with Mother Nature. I’m not sure who is winning. I have had 3 pollinations abort on the main of my 1665 McDonald. Now down to the last one. It’s a great looking pumpkin so fingers crossed it holds together. The plant seems to be slowing down all vine growth so I terminated the main to allow some extra room for the neighboring plant. The cross is with the 1885 werner.   Thursday, July 22 View Page I launched a torpedo with the 1552 young. Love the length. I showed s good friend of mine the pic and he said, look at that butterfly. I said what ? When I looked at the pic again I saw the image. He said that is a sign ! It’s gotta be a message from my niece Vanessa. She liked hanging out with me so I know she is watching out. Butterflies are her sign. Let’s keep this one going V.   Thursday, July 22 View Page The shape had me nervous with the maturing stem area. She is long. Dam the Torpedos. All my pollinations are later this year   Thursday, July 22 View Page There is a twin on this plant. Only 3 feet froM the stump on the first secondary so it looks like the shape is consistent.   Thursday, July 22 View Page The best looking prospect is a July 9 pollination on the 1885 werner. The plant is coming on strong now.   Thursday, July 22 View Page The rain has been rough on my mater plants but hoping things dry out and can get something going. I’m thinking of Marv as they blossom this year. Hoping to make PA proud. Here is one of my better looking prospects.   Thursday, July 22 View Page My deck is looking like a jungle. Enjoying this container growing.   Thursday, July 22 View Page Eggs a laying !   Thursday, July 22 View Page Cukes are taking over my house.   Thursday, July 22 View Page My 5 Gallon mater bucket entry. Come on Momate. Kick it in.   Thursday, July 22 View Page Sunflower bucket entry is starting to grow. I love the red stem on the bottom of these Wixom seeds. Like a rocket firing up. I can envision a TOP 10 !!!   Thursday, July 22 View Page Hoping this guy makes it to fall. He may not want to be hiding around the hunting club though. So majestic.   Friday, July 30 View Page I missed the 20 day measurement, oh well, 21 day will have to do. The plants are doing ok but not great after the monsoon season. The vine growth is at a minimum now with Mother Nature saying it’s time to grow fruit and not salad so the plants aren’t going to get much bigger. The 1885 continues to roll and looks to have a great shape and should be a lot oranger than last years 1885.   Friday, July 30 View Page I like the shape. She is at 78 inches.   Friday, July 30 View Page The surprise of the patch is the hard charging 1665 McDonald. It has caught up now and sits at 77 inches. Both pumpkins are at day 21. She to has a nice shape and looks like it will be another orange one. The McDonald and Werner are crossed with each other so next years seeds should have some bright orange potential.   Friday, July 30 View Page We are hoping all of our pumpkins will have good color. They should be blinding. Freaky Franky Orange is what we are looking for. Andy wolf knows what that means. They are gonna be so bright that i picked up some eye protection for Maggie when she comes to the patch. We can’t be to careful.   Friday, July 30 View Page The 1552 Young torpedoes both decided to abort on me and the first woodchuck of the season decided to terminate the main for me. I’m pretty sure I terminated him. Not to worry John we have another torpedo launched this one was pollinated July 19. There is still time to grow a nice pumpkin.   Friday, July 30 View Page And yet another candidate on the main. They both were crossed with the 1885 so yet another big orange potential. I like the shapes of these two. Stay tuned for something big and orange from John’s 1552.   Friday, July 30 View Page I spotted this guy on some front yard flowers. A rare glimpse at a Clear Winged Hummingbird Moth. Beautiful.   Friday, July 30 View Page My bucket entry is starting to move. I wonder if it’s to late to get something big. We shall see, come on Top 10.   Sunday, August 8 View Page Sunday pic of the 1885 werner. She is the best in the patch. Sitting at 300 pounds on day 29. Nothing crazy but I never seem to get those huge daily gains.   Sunday, August 8 View Page The 1552 torpedo is growing. The side vine looks like it will be the keeper as the main vine model looks to be aborting. It has some pretty good scarring on the side but it will only add to its beauty. Let’s hope it stays together. She will be orange and the cross with the 1885 should be a good one.   Sunday, August 8 View Page My 1665 McDonald has slowed to a crawl and looks to have something going on with it. It wasn’t in the best section of the patch so it could be about anything. It may be done.   Sunday, August 8 View Page Eggs are laying !   Sunday, August 8 View Page Flowers are blooming   Sunday, August 8 View Page Love all of the colors.   Sunday, August 8 View Page   Tuesday, August 17 View Page I better add my Sunday pics. The pumpkins are chugging along and I am pretty much concentrating on my 1885 a little more than the other two. It will be the best shot at something decent. Last years 1885 gave us a PB at 1220. The difference this year is obvious with the later pollination. This date last year we were closing in at 1000 pounds but we pollinated June 23. This year with a July 9 pollination we are closer to 500. Still time for a good pumpkin but the early start is evident. I like the shape and it should have a nice hint of orange.   Tuesday, August 17 View Page The 1665 has stalled but it’s shoulders are filling in. She will make a nice porch pumpkin if it hangs on. Orange will be in her future.   Tuesday, August 17 View Page And wowser, hey John check out this runway model on the 1552. I thought she was down and out but lots of spunk in this shapely gal.   Tuesday, August 17 View Page And her little sister is also showing signs of life. She too may be a real looker if she holds on to her bikini shape.   Tuesday, August 17 View Page I put a Cinderella seed on the edge of the patch and the 5 ft plant has one on it.   Tuesday, August 17 View Page And a Red Warty seed as well. One on it. I don’t think they can cross with a AG but there weren’t other flowers around to self it.   Tuesday, August 17 View Page Eggs still a laying.   Tuesday, August 17 View Page They really do look like a real egg. It is hard to tell the difference.   Tuesday, August 17 View Page First Red Peter peppers are showing up in my container deck veggies.   Tuesday, August 17 View Page And a Fatalii hot pepper.   Tuesday, August 17 View Page I spied this guy lurking in the pot of the Fatalii.   Tuesday, August 17 View Page Cukes hanging on our outside window look good from the inside.   Tuesday, August 17 View Page I have to give a shout out to a good friend of mine. Bill Bursis a member of our hunting club was in a accident 30 years ago and Saturday was his annual golf tournament. Bill for years worked tirelessly to raise money for the Miami project for spinal cord research. He raised close to a million dollars. This annual golf outing is just for Bills’ needs and our group of hunting club members are always in to help. What a great guy, I don’t know how he keeps such a positive approach on life. He is a constant reminder of how much to appreciate each day. If he only had a seat belt on.   Tuesday, August 17 View Page The weather has cooled a bit and there is rain in the forecast this week. Hoping there is still time for the 1885 to get a 4 digit pumpkin for us. Time to sit back and enjoy the ride.   Monday, August 23 View Page This weeks pumpkin pic. The 1885 is chugging along. I am not sure we will get to 4 digits. We won’t get a PB but she will be one of the prettiest pumpkins we have grown.   Monday, August 23 View Page From the front.   Monday, August 23 View Page The back   Monday, August 23 View Page The 1552 torpedo is filling out and keeping its bright orange color.   Thursday, September 2 View Page 5 inches of rain yesterday was a bit much. I found my 1552 rotting. RIP torpedo girl.   Thursday, September 2 View Page The water was rolling over our spillway at the hunting club.   Thursday, September 2 View Page The 1885 is still hanging in there albeit with a sad looking plant behind it.   Thursday, September 2 View Page My sunflower project at my moms house turned out great.   Thursday, September 2 View Page Some huge Mammoths in there.   Thursday, September 2 View Page Still alive for the bucket challenge. Hell yeah I even brought out the big guns. After I almost killed it with kindness with an overdose of nitrogen I brought a second plant that I had at home to coach each other on. I’m gonna hit my top 10 goal if it kills me. They are fattening up so hopefully there is time for them to stretch now.   Tuesday, September 14 View Page It was a good year to not be in the tomato challenge. I grew a few nice ones but nothing Slammerlike.   Tuesday, September 14 View Page Eggs are putting on their Easter colors   Tuesday, September 14 View Page Peters are getting red   Tuesday, September 14 View Page A nice orange color on the 1665   Tuesday, September 14 View Page The 1885 is one of the best looking pumpkins we have grown. Val doing her Kayla Maroney unimpressed look. We won’t make the 4 digit club this year.   Tuesday, September 14 View Page I still like it a lot. Pictures don’t do it justice.   Tuesday, September 14 View Page If has those brilliant Calai speckles   Tuesday, September 14 View Page Finally getting a set for the bucket challenge Come on Momate, you have got this.   Tuesday, September 14 View Page And the sunflower bucket twin towers are moving, albeit late. It’s supposed to be summer like weather for the next week. Could a top 10 dream become a reality !!!!! Let’s do this !   Sunday, September 19 View Page Sunday morning pumpkin check. It’s that always praying they are holding together. With all of the downpours we have been having you never know. Our most unusual pumpkin goes to Mr Peanut. I love it. !!   Sunday, September 19 View Page The 1885 continues to add some more speckles and orange. She is a beauty.   Sunday, September 19 View Page She is a low riding lady with a smooth complexion and we did a good job of not putting any self induced scratches on her. I’m not sure if Val and I will be making any official weighoffs to see if she would compete for a Howard Dill award but she would have to be a contender.   Sunday, September 19 View Page We pollinated the 1885 with this 1665 McDonald. So with the addition of the Young Orange genetics the seeds should be worth a try for a big orange pumpkin.   Sunday, September 19 View Page I found one decent tomato on a withered plant. I better get the clippers snd we will see what it weighs.   Sunday, October 17 View Page Big day today. Bucket challenge is finishing. My MOMATE just wanted to stay GREEN.   Sunday, October 17 View Page Here ya go Zeke !! Better than last year. I guess that means something.   Sunday, October 17 View Page I guess I better catch up on some pumpkin stuff. It was time to pick our 1885 werner. Thanks to neighbor Craig for bringing his tractor over.   Sunday, October 17 View Page There were no big weighoff for us this year. Grahamsville NewYork to visit some old friends and talk pumpkin with Sean McAndrew. It’s always a good day. Our 1885 weighed 839 Not bad for a wet season. But about the third of the weight of Andy wolfs 1885 and the Italian monster.   Sunday, October 17 View Page This fruit is interesting. It was grown by a friend of ours who has grown some nice AGs over the last 10 years. He treated this years plant like any other and used a seed from one of his 800 pound orange Giants. He buried the vines and did all of the right things.   Sunday, October 17 View Page Leaves were normal size.   Sunday, October 17 View Page But the fruit was very odd. Looked like an AG from the front.   Sunday, October 17 View Page But not the back.   Sunday, October 17 View Page All the sets look like this. The only thing we can think is his open pollinated AG crossed with a buttercup squash he had next to it. It sure looks like it. Hey we may be on to something.   Sunday, October 17 View Page He selfed this years squashkin so I’m gonna save the seeds and see if we can cross something funky into it again. Maybe seed exchange anyone ? It weighed 130 pounds and I am wondering if it will taste good ?   Sunday, October 17 View Page Ok. My season dream of making the top 10 in the sunflower bucket challenge. I had high hopes. Then I proved you can kill theM with kindness. Way to much ferts in that bucket. She weeped at me and never rocketed like I expected. Maybe the late start and shortened sunlight was against me too.   Sunday, October 17 View Page Sorry guys and thanks for all of the support. 81 was the best I could get. I will be back next year. It’s sad but true. Now she just weeps on the gun rack.   Sunday, October 17 View Page We did have a good crop to eat this year. Always a good thing. Never grew spaghetti squash before and we ended up with 13. Yum !!   Monday, October 18 View Page I may cross the squashkin with this ruby red beauty. I o my had one fruit on my Warty Red pumpkin but she is a looker.