Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 49 Entries. Monday, January 1 View Page Our field pumpkin was just shy of 150 pounds but still 8th biggest grown this season   Monday, January 1 View Page Carved this one first week of November and it stuck around looking good till thanksgiving with the cold temperatures   Monday, January 1 View Page Even with a couple inches of snow on Halloween we still had 500 trick or treaters. Here’s part of the cases of candy being unloaded for the little goblins.   Monday, January 1 View Page Finally got one of the molds to work on the flat bottom of a 80 pound field pumpkin. People were absolutely perplexed by it. It was definitely the most talked about decoration   Monday, February 19 View Page The Illinois seed auction will be this Saturday evening. The details will be posted soon. We have amazing seeds including some great ones from the past. These 146.5 Young watermelon seeds from 2015 have got to be near impossible to find at this point. They will also be up for auction as well.   Thursday, February 22 View Page This is lot number 7 “retro mega lot” up for bids this Saturday evening—Illinois seed auction. This one lot has over 50 seeds from years 2010 to 2018. Check out all these past greats all in one lot. Details are posted   Thursday, June 13 View Page The 2 plants on the A side. Close is 2342 Stelts and far is 1849.5 Adkins. Added a couple hundred sq ft this year   Thursday, June 13 View Page 2342 x 1849 pollinated this AM 1849 x 2342 pollinated June 8th   Thursday, June 13 View Page 2465.5 Sperry on the B side. Pollination tomorrow   Saturday, June 29 View Page The 1849.5 Adkins x2342 Stelts DAP20. No burn problem this year. 130 lbs. 20 more than I average at this point   Wednesday, July 3 View Page 2342 Stelts x 1849.5 Adkins DAP 20 =173 pounds. Expectations blown away. Weather has been better than past few years. Still got a tracked EF0 tornado less than a mile from our house last week. Wheaton has had several tornados in the past few years now. Hopefully that’s it for this year   Saturday, July 6 View Page 1849.5 Adkins DAP 30=430 pounds   Tuesday, July 9 View Page 2465 Sperry x 2342 Stelts set at 20 feet. DAP 20 -OTT is 191 so 165 pounds. The larger growing area and better fertilizing seems to be a good thing so far. Although I just got the drip tape in last week so I have been hand water and fertilizing from a water can up till that point   Saturday, July 13 View Page 2342 Stelts DAP 30 at 291OTT= 570 pounds just about 40 pounds a day average. That’s a record for my patch this early.   Tuesday, July 16 View Page 3 nights of brutal storms with high winds each one bringing damage in the garden and patch. Last night was too much for almost half the sunflowers unfortunately. The popcorn held up like a Great Wall wind barrier and kept the AG plants from suffering too much   Tuesday, July 16 View Page 2342 Stelts was set too close to the fence so I’m paying the price in hard labor. Had to remove a part of the fence to pull her back a couple inches.   Thursday, July 18 View Page 1849.5 Adkins at DAP 40 OTT 342 =916LBS Almost 100 pounds ahead of last years day 40.   Friday, July 19 View Page 2465 Sperry x 2342 Stelts at day 30 OTT 287.5= 550 Lbs. for the B patch this is going well above expectations.   Tuesday, July 23 View Page 2342 Stelts DAP 40 -OTT 350 = 978 lbs.   Sunday, July 28 View Page DAP 50 for my 1849.5 Adkins x 2342 Stelts OTT= 386 is 1284 pounds. She’s lumpy but beautiful   Monday, July 29 View Page 2465 Sperry DAP 40 =348 OTT is 963 pounds. 42 pound a day for 10 days average. This is a superstar for the B patch which has not produced a pumpkin over 1400 pounds ever. This one if all goes well will crush that patch record.   Friday, August 2 View Page 2342 Stelts DAP 50= 394 OTT is 1357 pounds. The main was chewed before this pumpkin so it developed a divot in the top middle of the pumpkin causing an anti HD shape. Other than that I’m very happy with the old girl   Thursday, August 8 View Page 1849.5 Adkins DAP 60 is 1563 pounds - OTT 416. Water bill reflects this pumpkins size.   Tuesday, August 13 View Page 2465 Sperry DAP 50 is 386.5 OTT = 1290 pounds. The best shape of the 3 also the youngest and biggest plant too.   Tuesday, August 13 View Page 2342 Stelts DAP 60 is 415.5 OTT = 1560 pounds.   Tuesday, August 13 View Page 164 Trombley field pumpkin. Big pumpkin but small plant   Tuesday, August 13 View Page 148 Adkins Field pumpkin. Baby still. Huge plant   Wednesday, August 14 View Page Watching shooting stars the other night and got to see some northern lights too. Pretty cool for just outside Chicago   Thursday, August 15 View Page Dog doesn’t have access to this patch. They really are her favorite. I’m sure they will end up on her side soon enough. So cute tho.   Saturday, August 17 View Page 1849.5 Adkins DAP 70 is 431 OTT = 1709 pounds. It has developed a face so it will be a breeze to carve.   Sunday, August 18 View Page 2465 Sperry DAP 60 is 409 OTT = 1496 pounds. She’s behind the other 2 but still has the look of youth on her side with nice soft skin still. This is a PB for my B patch once it hit 1400 pounds.   Sunday, August 18 View Page B patch full view   Tuesday, August 27 View Page Our Illinois weigh off at Heaps giant pumpkin patch Will be Saturday September 28th All entries Must arrive by 10 AM Starts at noon   Tuesday, August 27 View Page Prize money scale for AGs at heaps weigh off Illinois   Tuesday, September 3 View Page Lost a couple nice 300+ pounders. These were the ones I take to festivals to carve. At least one got a face. Sperry kin in background still doing 13 pounds a day in the B patch!   Sunday, September 8 View Page Took my youngest to Halloween horror nights in Orlando. Haven’t been to universal in about 10 years and talked about this for about that long. Had an amazing time and some great life long memories created.   Sunday, September 8 View Page Back in 2016. My youngest and her big win. An Incredible year for us both. Can’t believe she’s off to college next year already.   Monday, September 23 View Page My Stelts kin took a split today all over the mil fabric. I’m sure it’s fine. Just needs a little sulfur??. Sucks that it’s less than a week till weigh off but it was measuring the smallest of my 3. Will have to wait on my 5500 pound patch till another season.   Friday, September 27 View Page About ready to load the old lump,fingers crossed it all goes well. She will have to go a little heavy to hit the 2K mark.   Friday, September 27 View Page She made it on the truck. The bottom is solid and pretty flat so maybe that will Make up for the funny shape. Weigh off starts at noon Saturday at Heaps giant pumpkin farm in Minooka Illinois   Saturday, September 28 View Page It finally happened. I broke the 2k barrier. 453 OTT went heavy at 2021 pounds!! New PB for me????   Sunday, September 29 View Page The 2465 Sperry x 2342 Stelts. It’s OTT 441 also went heavy at 1911 pounds for my exhibition entry.   Sunday, September 29 View Page Me and my 2021 Adkins along with the 1911 Adkins. Standing gloriously in our front yard.   Saturday, October 12 View Page Carved a bunch of 200-400 pounder’s today. This one was my favorite of the day   Sunday, October 13 View Page This morning’s carving at Heaps giant pumpkin patch where our weigh off is held   Tuesday, October 15 View Page The pre carved display. My 2021 on the left and 1911 on the right.   Tuesday, October 15 View Page Carved my 450 pounder today after the rain stopped to kick off the house display   Tuesday, October 29 View Page Carved my 1911 today. It turned out pretty good for being so big. Took just about 3 hours start to finish with my little loop clay tools   Thursday, November 14 View Page Carved over the nasty mold that covered the first carving and added more hair and a beard for the old man winter look. Turned out good for being so squishy