Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 94 Entries. Saturday, January 25 View Page So this is how my new year has started. He was 30 years old, expecting his 1st daughter in May. Not sure my head will ever be right after that day. First fatality in our company's 60 year history. So many "what ifs"   Sunday, February 2 View Page Should post here in a couple days, waiting on one more bubble. Orange growers should be pretty happy with the lineup!   Monday, March 2 View Page Hall of Fame induction, John Barlow, just a absolute great evening   Monday, March 2 View Page Past, and present Hall of Fame   Monday, March 2 View Page Dan Fleser and I talked about this night 5 years ago in Wilkes barre. So happy I got to put it on him!   Monday, March 2 View Page All Attendees!   Monday, March 2 View Page Greeting growers, felt good to sit down samsung said I was at 6,000 steps before 1, without leaving the Flamingo, lots of work   Monday, March 2 View Page I cleaned up decent lol, bibbs tomorrow!   Monday, March 2 View Page Vegas   Monday, March 2 View Page Fremont experience   Sunday, March 15 View Page Well was thinking about taking the year off from growing, and doing a Diary, butttttt iam a giant pumpkin grower and just dont think I can. Good to hear from some growers in Vegas that follow my Diary so I will keep posting!   Sunday, March 15 View Page However trying to get any upgrades done today just isnt happening. To muddy   Monday, March 16 View Page First day of crushing for dept 415, since the accident. 2020 really sucks   Sunday, March 22 View Page 40" ground anchors bottoms should be in almost 30" of clay. Notched a cheap 1 1/4 socket worked pretty well getting them in. Might borrow the Milwaukee 1/2" drive from work. That was a work out for my 3/8 dewalt. Putting one every 8 ft down the sides and 2 on each end. Hoping this will be alot better than attaching my ratchet strap material to the baseboards. Doing a little at a time just incase this covid 19 takes away my income   Sunday, April 12 View Page Barley got started yesterday, and then rain came in. Little behind but not to worried yet   Sunday, April 12 View Page Ran out of cutting wheels, and need to replace this section next weekend. Side boards, finish my new peak and should be ready for plastic. Starting seeds on Wed the 15th. Going to also try to get amendments and grow sights ready next weekend as well.   Wednesday, April 15 View Page Started these tonight! Probably done few backups after these emerge   Friday, April 17 View Page Every time I hear this I think of my pumpkin friends   Saturday, April 18 View Page The recipe, has been gathered. Now this damn wind needs to calm down   Saturday, April 18 View Page Straight pipes, much gooder   Sunday, April 19 View Page Amendments our down, didn't have enough energy to fight the tiller tonight, going to try tomorrow after work   Sunday, April 19 View Page Got some of the wiggle wire rails in, putting I bolts on them in stead of screws should help in tightening the plastic to the ground anchors   Sunday, April 19 View Page Raised the center about 18" should help with the puddles this year. Also braced the crossmembers better. Plastic next weekend I hope   Sunday, April 19 View Page 1742 wolf, 2416 Haist, 1800.5 C&P, 2261 Schmit all popped through the dirt this morning 3.5 days out of the envelopes. So they will be under the close light till Tues or wed, then transplant to 2 gallon grow bags.The 1911 Ureņa hasnt popped a tap yet, 1581 Don Anderson finally popped a tap today. Started 4 more back ups 2016 &2116 Lancaster to cover the 1911 and then I started 2 of my 1372.5 Dmg.   Tuesday, April 21 View Page Well greenhouse house is tilled, hopefully get outside patch tomorrow and at least cover grow spots with plastic so I can get heating cables in this weekend. Looks wet in the forecast   Thursday, April 23 View Page Since Vegas I have been working 96 miles away today my uber ride showed up, and iam now only working 88 miles away. Oh how that extra 15 minutes is going to come in handy lol   Thursday, April 23 View Page Taking this home next time I till in the greenhouse. Hit my head 4 times and dropped at least a dozen f bombs the other night   Thursday, April 23 View Page Well my 1911 Ureņa is still in the germination chamber, it is moving at 1/50 th of the pace as the other 5. Tap root just started a week in and is very slow. Hoping we dont get to much rain this weekend, would love to get these out in 10 days or so   Sunday, April 26 View Page Plastic is on, strapped down, and tight. My body hurts   Sunday, April 26 View Page Feel alot more better about this. Still dont want to see anything like last year weather wise   Sunday, May 3 View Page 1581 Anderson outside patch   Sunday, May 3 View Page Roots on 1742 wolf   Sunday, May 3 View Page 1742 wolf outside patch   Sunday, May 3 View Page 1800.5 C&P greenhouse first spot   Sunday, May 3 View Page 2261 schmit middle spot in the green house   Sunday, May 3 View Page 2416.5 Haist spot number 3 in the green house   Sunday, May 3 View Page Didn't want to give up patch space so here's albas garden   Sunday, May 3 View Page Wife's been wanting this for about 10 years. I see myself tripping at 4am checking on pumpkins   Sunday, May 3 View Page Heat lamps and a fire pit   Sunday, July 5 View Page Haven't done any post in quite awhile, still alive, outside patch is in this pic 1581 x2261, and a 1742 x 2416, only 2 that have fabric under them   Sunday, July 5 View Page 2261, iam hoping I have one set on the the 1st secondary, plant has 3 Christmas tree patterns coming from the stump, main hasn't cooperated since the beginning   Sunday, July 5 View Page 2416 in background, still trying to get something set, females would stay small turn yellow and never open, getting some moisture back in the ground hoping to get something to set soon, 1800.5 closest has a volleyball size, but hoping next down the line grows a little in the next couple days, has a better stem situation   Sunday, July 19 View Page Hits day 30 tomorrow, was 214" on 20 DAP shpkld be well ahead of my personal best really leaning towards getting away from greenhouse the way this uear is going   Sunday, July 19 View Page Guess I am growing a watermelon this year, set 10- 100 - 200lb pumpkins and couple watermelon off the edge of outside patch, had a lot of seeds germinate along the edge, so we will see what happens   Sunday, July 19 View Page 2261, had been aborting everything, got 2 pollinations on it at the moment but discovered a foaming stump this morning, cut everything that was effected, if these last 2 abort, pull the rest. Greenhouse sucks this year   Sunday, July 19 View Page 1742 wolf is doing well, day 30 towards end of week   Wednesday, July 22 View Page So mon was 30 dap 1581 x 2261, and quite happy 302" for 636 lb est, been 2 days and I can tell she might of increased her 41 lb 10 day avg   Saturday, July 25 View Page 30 dap on the 1742 wolf was yesterday, 272" for 464 lb est   Saturday, July 25 View Page Day 35ish on 1581 no more numbers just smiles, and one blemish on the stem   Monday, August 10 View Page 1581 Anderson x 2261, slowed down thanks to nect picture   Monday, August 10 View Page Still got a heart beat. Sucks won't see what it could have done   Monday, August 10 View Page 1742 wolf, great shape, nice pace   Monday, August 10 View Page 1800.5 c&p x 1742 best in green house, which will go in book as a failure this year   Monday, August 10 View Page Smallest grown on the end of 1st secondary, plant is a absolute mess thanks to early non cooperation. 2416 x 2261   Tuesday, August 18 View Page Well I've been quiet, I dodged a bullet on the home front the iowa hurricane "Derecho" snuck up on the state destroyed most in its path at the quarry i was working in on the north side of cedar rapids we were right in between the 2 highest recorded wind gust of 106 and 112 mph. The storm and wind sustained those speeds for almost 45 minutes, the area is still restoring power with holes of getting it back tonight. This happened last week on Monday around 12:30 pm. For the state a estimated 10 million acres of corn was flattened for a loss. If you follow me on fb I have video riding it out in my loader. At home I was on the edge we saw 50-60 mph and no damage. We were lucky, very lucky   Friday, August 28 View Page New wr cantaloupe 71.6 lbs Doug English   Saturday, August 29 View Page Sums up my greenhouse for the year, there is a nice solid 340 lber on the other side of that mess   Tuesday, September 1 View Page 1581 Anderson x 2261 Schmit final est weight of 1118 lbs. My little blemish i found July 28th spread into the walls. Had solid green where the stem connected to the vine   Tuesday, September 1 View Page After I officially made it dmg   Tuesday, September 1 View Page Side   Tuesday, September 1 View Page My new 1581 x open   Tuesday, September 1 View Page 1742 wolf, was going to be a beast, lost the main to possible svb, got last 2 secondaries and a small pitch fork keeping a heart beat, i hope. Thanks for the seed Andy!   Tuesday, September 1 View Page Other side   Tuesday, September 1 View Page 2416 on 1st side vine on a un maintained plant. Going to be solid but small. Just to damn busy this year   Tuesday, September 1 View Page 1800.5 c&p, still growing, wish I could go back to may and make a few greenhouse adjustments might have done better in there. They did not like going 37° to 115° 3 days in a row in overally dry soil.   Wednesday, September 23 View Page 1742 Andy Wolf x 2416.5 Karl Haist, feels heavy, find out Saturday! Lost main a month ago. Already eyeing one of Andy's 2020 crosses to try next year   Sunday, September 27 View Page The 1,222.5 Caspers, official measurements had it taping 1034 soooo 18% Heavy on the 1742 Wolf x 2416.5 Haist. It was good enough for 5th place!   Sunday, September 27 View Page My dad set the state record with a 267 lb bushel gourd! And he's starting to figure out how to get heavy field pumpkins with a 117 lber   Friday, October 2 View Page Well its almost like child abuse, gave up pruning the 1800.5 c&p back in July, it was so slow compared to the 1742 and 1581 Anderson that I grew outside. But here we are, it gave me a decent size fruit given the lack of attention   Friday, October 2 View Page In the truck! Might be a little heavy even, I don't think the 18% I saw last week but 10% would be nice   Monday, October 5 View Page Well 974, taped 908 so 7% heavy 1800.5 c&p x 1742 wolf. Not bad for how bad things went in the greenhouse early. This was pollinated same day as the 1581 Anderson. On 20 dap was less than 90 lbs compared to the 1581 being well over 200   Monday, October 5 View Page My dad beat me, we were taping real similiar when he put this in the barn and my 1742 lost its main.both taping 1100 give or take a few. Ill take my + 18% to his -10% Happy he finally got a new pb over 1,000!   Monday, October 5 View Page He also got his name drawn for a really good piece of white tail art!   Monday, October 5 View Page John Barlow showing why he's in the hall of fame! Winner and new site record 2,114 lbs. There's been 3 gpc sites in iowa he holds site records at all 3! Even if the iowa state fair doesn't recognize it. He owns it.   Monday, October 5 View Page Seen a 1st we think. That big dark fruit in the back ground is Don Young and Tommy Rhodes state record Squash. Here's the catch its a 2145.5 McMullen x self it met all the criteria of a squash, so congrats Don and Tommy   Monday, October 5 View Page This week is stillwater, I have a entry, my 1118 est I lost in August got another one started in August. So taking a yorkshire terrier to a st Bernard show lol   Monday, October 5 View Page Travis almost matched his 2nd place weight from last year. Can't wait to see what his tiger king does this next week. Could be the largest ever grown between New York and Oregon.   Friday, October 9 View Page Don and Tommy's 100% colored squash off the 2145   Friday, October 9 View Page More green   Saturday, November 14 View Page Way behind on diary 596 caspers grown on the end of the 1st secondary 2416.5 x2261 went heavy even!   Saturday, November 14 View Page Josiahs 2031 on the left mine in the middle lol   Saturday, November 14 View Page Front yard display, had alot of people stop for pictures according to the neighbors, my main reason its tough to sell them   Saturday, November 14 View Page Good seed counts on my 3 biggest all went heavy   Saturday, November 14 View Page 1222.5 Caspers 1742 wolf x 2416.5 haist +++++18%   Saturday, November 14 View Page Van with 9 kids getting pictures:)   Saturday, November 14 View Page Nov 1st season opened oct 1st, got up the tree at 3 pm for my 1st bow hunt. 1 hour and 20 min later I have this beautiful 10 pnt whitetail.   Saturday, November 14 View Page Alba to help with trip to the barn   Saturday, November 14 View Page Drop tine hanging out at the quarry iam working at   Saturday, November 14 View Page Got them weigh them!   Saturday, November 14 View Page Charlie's stillwater winner!   Sunday, November 29 View Page Looking out of the greenhouse at next years patch after the expansion roughly 90 ft x 33 ft good enough for 4 plants. Got the broad forking done finally   Sunday, November 29 View Page All cleaned up, now waiting for a non windy nice day to take the plastic down till 2022   Sunday, December 6 View Page Naked till 2022   Sunday, December 6 View Page Now I can take a break