Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 34 Entries. Sunday, June 21 View Page I started about 10 seeds this year, the followig 5 made the final cut: 1299.6 Reiss 08 (1041.5 Mckie 06 x 1068 Wallace 03) 1011.9 Reiss 08 (998.6 Pukos 05 x 1068 Wallace 03) 768.7 olsen 08 (1231.5 Pukos 05 x 904 Stelts 06) 649.7 olsen 08 (904 Stelts 06 x 1062 Stelts 06) 587 Rupf 08 (1385 Jutras x 1207 Young) I hope everyone has a great year.   Tuesday, June 23 View Page 10 May, patch looks good, plants are okay, nothing special, but I am happy.   Tuesday, June 23 View Page 11 May: my shoulder hurts without my pain meds. the procedure ended up being more complicated than expected, I will be in a sling for 6 weeks and then 6 months of therapy. I had an ac joint impingement, acromial spurs, rotator cuff tear and a slap tear, "A specific type of labral tear is called a SLAP tear; this stands for Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior. The SLAP tear occurs at the point where the tendon of the biceps muscle inserts on the labrum." the slap tear required anchors to fix, it was the biggest thing they found that was not suppose to be part of the procedure. now I need to focus on recovery, going to take some time. All pumpkins this year are going to be called Plute/Olsen since Martina is going to have to help me in the patch during my recovery.   Tuesday, June 23 View Page 9 June: The plants are starting to look pretty good, specially the 1299 Reiss, very aggressive. The weeds are looking great, Martina has not had a lot of time to work in the patch since she has had to nurse me (can't use my right are at all). I have a feeling like the recovery is going very slow, my should is very stiff, sorta frozen, my physical therapy pasive range of motion is not going well at all.   Tuesday, June 23 View Page 21 June: First day of summer, Martina and I have been hitting the weeds hard so the patch is looking pretty good again. My physical therapy is not going well, though my injuries are healing just fine. My range of motion is terrible for 6 weeks post-op, might have to ask my orthopedist for his opnion. The pain is actually getting worse, I have been on a Percocet wave for 6 weeks now.   Tuesday, June 23 View Page 23 June: Weather is starting to pickup, will definitely have some pollinations on all plants between now and the first week of July. Went to see my orthopedist today, I have a frozen shoulder (I new all along my range of motion was out of wack), so now I get to have another operation so that he can go in and "loosen" everything up that he so diligently "tightened" for me. Op date is 29 June. I have a feeling the weeds are going to take over again. I also have a feeling that this will be our best year yet, keeping my dumb ass out of the patch is probably the best thing that ever happened to my plants.   Sunday, June 28 View Page The plants are looking as good as I have ever seen them by the end of June. Have not had much luck with pollinations yet (weather did not help on those days), but there should be 3-4 ready for the bees in the next few days, I am depending on them this year due to my health. Tomorrow I have my operation and will be an in-patient, not sure how long. i already miss martina, luke and my patch....   Thursday, July 23 View Page Feels good to get back into the patch. Here is a view of our 6 plants.   Thursday, July 23 View Page Here is the 768.7 olsen 08 (1231.5 Pukos 05 x 904 Stelts 06) x 1299.6 Reiss 08 (1041.5 Mckie 06 x 1068 Wallace 03)   Thursday, July 23 View Page The stem of the 768 has a lot of small splits but nothing to worry about at this time, will have to keep an eye on it as it starts to grow for sure, might be a case for martina's hair dryer later on in the season.   Thursday, July 23 View Page 793.4 olsen 08 (1062.5 Stelts 06 x 1231.5 Pukos 05)x Open. We counted on the bees to do a couple of pollinations for us this year do to my hospital visit. The 793 does not have a prime spot in the patch, it is growing from the side of one of the patches onto the grass.   Thursday, July 23 View Page 587 Rupf 08 (1385 Jutras x 1207 Young) x 1299.6 Reiss 08 (1041.5 Mckie 06 x 1068 Wallace 03)   Thursday, July 23 View Page 649.7 olsen 08 (904 Stelts 06 x 1062 Stelts 06) x 649.7 olsen 08 (904 Stelts 06 x 1062 Stelts 06) This one is on a side vine, the main turned into a ribbon so I terminated it.   Thursday, July 23 View Page 1011.9 Reiss 08 (998.6 Pukos 05 x 1068 Wallace 03) x Open   Thursday, July 23 View Page 1299.6 Reiss 08 (1041.5 Mckie 06 x 1068 Wallace 03) x 1299.6 Reiss 08 (1041.5 Mckie 06 x 1068 Wallace 03) This is the best one in the patch right now. Nothing great but we are very happy with it, estimated about 180 pounds or so right now.   Friday, July 31 View Page I am happy with how things are going in the patch, here are pictures of my best 3: 587 Rupf = EST 122 lbs   Friday, July 31 View Page 768 olsen = EST 225 lbs   Friday, July 31 View Page 1299 Reiss = EST 272 lbs I hope everyone is having a great year and as much fun as I am in their patches. Grow em big!   Tuesday, August 11 View Page 1011 Reiss EST 235   Tuesday, August 11 View Page 587 Rupf EST 298   Tuesday, August 11 View Page 1299 Reiss EST 383   Tuesday, August 11 View Page 768 olsen EST 458   Tuesday, August 11 View Page 768 blossom end, a real beauty   Saturday, August 22 View Page 1011 Reiss 08 EST 349 587 Rupf 08 EST 434 1299 Reiss 08 EST 446 768 olsen 08 EST 672   Monday, September 7 View Page This is the first year that martina and I have grown together (not sure how other partners do it without helping each other), and the results are very nice. Off my seed, 768 olsen 08 we beat my personal best. The 900.9 olsen 09 UOW   Monday, September 7 View Page And of course I crapped all over that last post, should have read: 900.9 plute/olsen 09 OUW   Wednesday, September 30 View Page What I am taking to the GPC event as a jury member. - a level to ensure the scale is set correctly - a camera to capture important data - extra batteries for the camera - a AG measuring tape - a long gourd metal measuring tape - a knife to ensure vines are properly cut to size - a small spoon for a grower to dig out a soft spot if needed - a probing device for holes/soft spots - diagrams of how other veggies/flowers/ etc should be documented - a weight chart - the GPC rules in 2 languages for all to read if needed - a GPC sign for my table so all growers know who and where I am - a really cool book so we can shoot the bull and have a great time - a GPC World Tour Shirt so people will know who to go to If anyone can think of other things I am going to need please let me know (not pictured, but it came, thanks, Tom!) thanks, owen   Wednesday, September 30 View Page A picture of Michael and I, he brings me the manure and helps with getting the AGs on the trailer and stuff like that. In this picture to the far left is the 747 plute/olsen 09. 587 Rupf 08 (1385 Jutras x 1207 Young) x 1299.6 Reiss 08 (1041.5 Mckie 06 x 1068 Wallace 03) Jutras, Young, McKie and Wallace, all in one package. BTW this AG was EST at 628 and went 747.   Tuesday, October 6 View Page 556.8 plute/olsen 09 (1299.6 Reiss 08 x Self)   Thursday, December 3 View Page For those of you that like orange, check this out.   Thursday, December 3 View Page here is another pic, smae AG, same day, differnet view   Thursday, December 3 View Page here is another pic, same AG, same day, different view   Thursday, December 3 View Page here is another pic, same AG, same day, different view   Thursday, December 3 View Page if you are interested in the seeds from this AG, then go to: WWW.Crazy-Growers.de and ask abot the beauty from Beter Bohnert, you might get lucky, do not e-mail me, i only take the pics..LOL