Seeds...

This time of year a lot of people, especially new growers, start looking for seeds. Let me say that anyone who wants seeds from my 779, which I think will be good, can have them. This is assuming that there will be seeds. Send me an email for more information.

But the best time to look for seeds is starting in November. Seed trading and exchanging goes on all winter. No rush. But right now most grower's seeds are still in the pumpkins. Sometimes there are 500 seeds, sometimes there are none, and usually the number is somewhere between the two.

Another great way to get great seeds is to join a club. For a small membership fee you'll get more seeds than you can ever plant. When you consider all of the postage and supplies that are needed to trade seeds individually, it really makes sense to just join a club that has a reasonable membership fee and a good seed distribution program.

Some post-season thoughts

Our great fall weather finally came to an end a few days ago with about four inches of snow. So far, I've made half-hearted attempts to clean up the garden. There is simply no time. Well, it's very hard to find time. Every night there is something to do with the family, Saturday is usually the same. I do want to get going with sand and organic matter. Most people I talk to that have manure can't understand why I'd want it now instead of in the spring.

We just saw a mini-fiasco over the supposed 1900 pound pumpkin back east. Turns out it was all a misunderstanding. It never measured 1900, rather it was more like mid-1500s. I think the guys involved would do it differently if they had to do it again. There is a certain amount of "fish story telling" in this sport. If the media got it wrong, the guys involved didn't correct the mistake. My only concern might be that the next time that someone really does have a pumpkin that measures as a world record, the media is going to say, "ah, fool me once....". Then again, I don't want to defend the media. Their only job is to tell a story, not necessarily a true story. So, I don't have a cut-and-dried opinion. Live and learn.

No record this year? Is this the first year in the last... what? 15 to 20 years since we've gone without a new record? That goes to show how special a 1600 pound pumpkin is. There still could be a record, but I think all of the big-time weighoffs have already happened.

This blog will continue throughout the winter. Please stop by on occasion, and you're welcome to use the "leave a comment" feature at any time.

Still no freeze.....

Here we are into October, and still no freeze! Amazing!

Actually, I'm about ready for a freeze. I need to get the garden cleaned up and start working toward next year. At this moment I have four giants on display in front of the house, and another one of mine is on display in front of the neighbor's house.

I'm still very happy about the 779. Next year the 779 is going in, followed by a host of orange seeds. I might also opt for another 964. But then again, every year there are a lot of surprises, and seeds that beckon. At this point the only sure thing is that the 779 is going in, assuming there are seeds in the fruit.

Eastern Idaho Pumpkin Picking Party

This event always draws a crowd, even in a down year. I'm always amazed at how many people come to see us weigh these things.

Below I'm with the 779, grown on the 964 Wolf. It went about 90 pounds heavy, and was pollinated by the 1092 Martin. No dill rings, no deep ribs, no problems whatsoever. This made the whole year worth it.

779

I'm very happy tonight. My 964 Wolf fruit went way heavy for 779, a new personal best!

It was measuring 326.5 OTT inches, which translates to 690 on the table I use. Would you believe that I still use the table in Langevin's Book II? Anyway, that's 89 pounds heavy and what, 15%? I can't find a calculator and am too tired to look, but I'll take that any day. So now the 779 Warren is (964 Wolf X 1092 Martin). I'll be planting this one next year.

Once again I want to thank Brian Christensen for hosting another great weighoff. Brian had his second official fruit over 1000, at 1003. I've got lots of pictures... I'll probably start posting some tomorrow.

779... a number numerologists love, ah....

Sandy soil?

I was talking to my farmer friend recently. He said that potato farmers who have sandy soil are pulling an extra $1000 per acre in production over growers who don't have sandy soil. 

Sandy soil goes in streaks here. About 5 miles to my north is a sandy area, and farmers love it. Mine is a silty river-bottom stuff... and I've convinced myself that I'm going to add a lot of sand this winter and see what happens. I'll probably add only enough to amend two or three AG plots, but if it works, I'll be adding more each year and improving all my garden soil as I go.

Freeze free

We're now past the autumnal equinox, and still no freeze! That's got to be some sort of record. Still, it would have been better to have good weather in the spring.

604

Here is one I haven't talked too much about. My own seed, the 604, grew this one. It's taping between 1000 and 1100.... just kidding. I'll be lucky to hit 550 with this one.

Last week

Here is spongebob, I mean, the 964, with one week to go. It's finally developed a tiny bit of color and cantaloped all out.

Tripod closeup

Another one, showing the gear needed for my tripod setup.

Lifting tripod

This time of year, a lot of people start thinking about how to move their pumpkin. This is one of the best ways. Click on the picture for a bigger version. Any questions? Just ask.

Hip to be square

Here is the 964 fruit, showing us that it's hip to be square. While you try to get that song out of your head, I'll add that if everything goes really well, and that's a big IF, but if everything goes well from here on out, there is a chance that this could beat my personal best of 720. I don't think it can make it to 800.

Eastern Idaho State Fair

The fair this year was a bit of a step back. To my knowledge, Brian Christensen and I were the only entrants in the adult division. I say, to my knowledge, because I need to leave by 6:30pm and I don't know if anyone else showed up.

This fair is more of an exhibition than a competition. We're allowed to bring split fruit. The fair does award ribbons and give TINY cash prizes (not enough to cover your gas to get there). In the past we've had up to seven different entrants in this category, but our bad weather early in the year hurt some. Beyond that, the bottom line is that we just don't see the interest to grow this hobby around here. Well, maybe I'm being harsh.

I brought in a 547.5 UGLY fruit from the 1092 Martin, and a 416.5 pretty orange one from the 857 Christensen. Brian needed to be out of town, but his wife brought down two splitters, an 829 and another one which I don't remember, but I think it was close to 750.

The highlight this year was the kids category. A local nursery sponsored a contest for the kids, with a $1000 top prize! Brian's son Blake won the event with a 491 pound fruit (grown all by himself) and my daughter Elise took second with a 290 pound pumpkin. Second place brings a cool $250. The best part was a lot of children took part, more than I anticipated. With this year's weather through May and into June, anyone bringing any pumpkin to the fair should be congratulated!

Oh, and I wrote the address to this blog on the side of one of my pumpkins. Hopefully a few of the 100,000 people who pass by will remember, and visit this page. WELCOME! We need more people to join us!! Please send me an email if you are at all interested in this hobby!

Elise's pumpkin

This is Elise's fruit on the 1016 Christensen. This is only about four feet, maybe less, on the main! The plant grew very slowly early on, and that was our only option.

I don't know what causes this "malnourished" look. I see it frequently on the Jack 'O Lantern pumpkins. The color is great, especially on the front of the fruit.

Orange and green...

Here is the 857 next to a leaf. Awesome color... not exactly glossy like last year's 1191 Zunino. The orange is eyeball searing electric orange. But the fruit is small and most of the leaves are not healthy, as you can see in this example. I need to remember this for next year, try using Daconil.

Mr. Ugly

Here is the top front view of the 1092 fruit. The rear end is not so impressive.

Arbor

My arbor is not much this year. Everything got started too late with the cold weather in May and early June. What you see here is a mix of hyacinth beans and long gourds.

964 one week later

Here is a comparison, one week later for the 964 Wolf.

964

Funny how a few days changes your perspective. Right now it's becoming apparent that my best hope for a personal best resides in the 964. It just keeps expanding and there is no ribbing yet. I'd like a little more size and then add a few hundred pounds of ribs.

857

Here is the 857... not too much left in this one. The plant is just way too small, and the leaves aren't so healthy. You can see where a skunk decided to go surfing up on top a few weeks ago.

Still more...

Just keeping everyone guessing...

More on the 1092...

>> "I'll be taking the pretty orange one to the fair."

Or, maybe not. The 1092 is developing a sag line. It's going to split eventually. I don't want to take it to the fair if it's already split, but if it stays intact over the next 10 days, maybe I'll take it.

1092 texture

The 1092 looks like it could go very heavy. I don't know, but when the surface of the skin oozes like an old pine tree sometimes that's a sign that the fruit has energy to burn and will go heavy. Oh well,... it's also the kind of fruit that scares young children. If I took this one to the fair I think kids would ask their parents to "make it go away". I'll be taking the pretty orange one to the fair.

I hate measuring...

OK, well, I finally decided to measure. This just confirmed what I suspected all along... I really don't have much at this point. The 1092 is doing OK, it's now just under 400 and grew 29 pounds in the last 24 hours. That's good. I'll take that.

The 857 is less than 300 and growing only 12 in the last 24. The 964 unfortunately was also disappointing. It's about the same as the 857, and grew only 13. But the 964 is nine days younger, and has a huge plant to drive it. There is still hope that it will take off.

Skunks again...

Everything is going well with the 1092, 964, 857, and Elise's 1016. Each of those fruits have been "clawed" by skunks, other than the 1092. That is, some animal, probably a skunk, has climbed up on top of each fruit, leaving claw marks in the process. I've been cleaning up the damage with a bleach and water mixture.

The 964 is really coming on strong as I thought it would! It's about time to start measuring.

Morning in my patch

First pic of the 964

This one is a later pollination, and is just now coming on strong. It has a LOT of plant to drive it. Excellent shape. I'm officially excited for this one.

857 C - "C" stands for color

You can't beat it!

Click on the image to see a (near) life size version. j/k

1092, officially a blob

Ha ha, the 1092 is officially turning into a blob. That's when the structure of the pumpkin goes all to heck, good luck finding the blossom end. That's OK, as long as it's heavy and doesn't split. In a way I look at this as not putting so much stress on the blossom end, which caused the demise of the 125 Wolf last year, not to mention the 1186 Holland which became an unofficial 604.

Angels in my patch

Yesterday I came home to find that some angels had secretly weeded my entire patch while I was gone for the day! Yes, five little angels and their mother angel did the job! Life is good.

OK, so that free'd me up to do the heavy lifting on a patio project that we would like to have done by next week. That's where I'll be spending a lot of time over the next few days. But to have the patch cleaned up is great!

Oh by the way, the 964 is coming on strong!