Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 81 Entries. Saturday, January 9 View Page Me and shazzy... He's smiling now because he did not loose yet! Saturday, January 9 View Page Shazzy explaining how he actually plans on living in the "Shazzy Dome" Saturday, January 9 View Page Chuck is actually a little nervous and left shortly after... Saturday, January 9 View Page Gene checking his pulse after he tried some of the new C02 product on his sandwich... Goes good with salami. Saturday, January 9 View Page Group shot of a few growers left after meeting of the minds Sunday, April 4 View Page I actually went to church today. We have a new pasture who was a dead ringer for Shazzy bless my seeds for 2010.. Same big head and glasses, he weighed in around 250lbs. The only difference is he had a goatee beard..He sounded just like him too. As I shook his hand as I left the church, He said nice to see you brother, Just like Shazzy..I am either blessed or cursed this year... I will get a pic of this guy to post later Sunday, April 4 View Page Broad forked the tent areas for the tents. Yes, I feel I'm in good enough shape to do it myself;) Sunday, April 4 View Page Big Red pounded in the amendments. Let The games begin! Saturday, April 10 View Page After work today I spent 4 quality hours in the patch..Tilled most of the remaining winter rye, put up my racks for the green houses, Spread about 2 yards of my own compost mix in the tent areas and the put together my under the canopy sprinkler system. All 48 heads fired up off my in-line pump pumping from the pond. I will add an in-line filter to prevent clogging of the sprinkler nozzles. Sunday, April 25 View Page Looks like the starting line up has sprouted.. 1385,904 Stelts and 901 Hunt. I planned a 991 Urena, but it has not popped. The 904 was slow to sprout. 5 days..I started another. It will get double planted in it's assigned tent.I have a 1161 and two 1147's slated for Jim's.Speaking of Shazzy.. Sunday, April 25 View Page You got to hand it to a guy who shares his bed with his plants... Thursday, April 29 View Page My once promising line now looks weaker... Its been too hectic here, and I neglected my newborns. I must of over watered and let them get too cold. The cots showed up no problem. Then nothing. After dissection, I lost one 904,& 1147 to rot.. The 1385 and 901 look weak. I planted them in the ground anyway ... Started some more seeds Saturday, May 1 View Page Never give up hope... All seed are in the ground and actually the 1385 and 901 look like they will be fine:) The 904 I planted had a hell of a club root...I hope its not a freak. The 1161 and 1147 are the best looking seedlings by far. Sunday, May 9 View Page Out from the ruin, out from the wreckage... there is life beyond the Shazzydome... 80 degrees here after a low of around 36 last night Sunday, May 9 View Page The 1385 Sunday, May 9 View Page The 901. Wants to run the wrong way. Aggressive little plant Sunday, May 9 View Page The 904. Nice little stump already lol.. Does not look like a freak Sunday, May 9 View Page A couple of Jim's micro-domes....Protection does not need to be big,loud and obnoxious Sunday, May 9 View Page The 1161. I'm going to try to put in some more effort out here.. Sadly, I don't think Jim has even walked back here yet. Sunday, May 9 View Page The 1147 Shenoha. It has a little more of a yellow streak on its back side Thursday, June 3 View Page The 1385 Thursday, June 3 View Page The 904 Thursday, June 3 View Page The 901 Thursday, June 3 View Page The 1161 Thursday, June 3 View Page Shazzy's 1147 Thursday, June 3 View Page My 1169..I will run it flag style for a few carvers for Jim Sunday, June 6 View Page After a truly great weekend that included great friends, ringing the strong man bell.., a parade, and selling over $30,000 in work... I went mid- evil on the weeds in the pumpkin patch..I love sharp steel ;) Sunday, June 6 View Page Tents are coming down...Plants look great... Long road to 1500lbs +... I like my chances at this moment.. Friday, June 11 View Page Yum..My plants cant wait to get their vines into the 8 yards of Organimix from Midwest Organics...The backbone to my growing success...Sells for about $5 a bag at Whole foods..They can't keep it on the shelves.. It's nice to be the poster boy ;) Friday, June 11 View Page A friend of Smashin' Jack stopped by to help move the compost...An intense individual, who did not even break a sweat in this hot and humid 90 heat. He does become a bit hostile around smart mouth blonde's and jokers from the Joliet area Saturday, June 19 View Page Yeah we all got hit hard here in the Chicago area... My 901 was hit the hardest...I cut out one secondary and two leafs on the main after the 1st storm that produced 65 MPH winds. I'm sure more cutting will need to be done today....Pollination on the 904 today..A few broken and twisted here too. Oddly, the 1385 showed very little damage Monday, June 21 View Page I had to remove a unwanted guest today..Mr woodchuck showed his ugly head..Have not seen one here in 13 years. This one won't be back... I had the boys working here today. They thought it was a beaver.. I said get'um and they did.. Monday, June 21 View Page Patch is filling in nicely. I have 1st pollination attempts on all plants.Nailed a nice 5 lobe on the 1385 today x 904 Monday, June 21 View Page A lot of double roots coming out of the top nodes on the 904 plant.. I have not seen this too often. I have another pollination attempt tomorrow..Of coarse in-between the heavy rains, high winds, and 90 degree temps. Wednesday, June 23 View Page Starting a project to collect the rain and use it in the garden / patch for a later date Wednesday, June 23 View Page It will end up at the pond over-flow area. A 500 gallon system that will have a few bubbling rocks on top.It already has at least 100 gallons..LOL Friday, June 25 View Page My Neighbor Jim..He looks like a crusty old pumpkin grower... Great guy to have a cold one with at the end of the day... Talk about the patch, world events, or just BS..I hope to put a 1000lbs pumpkin in front of his house this year.. Saturday, July 3 View Page The patch is filled in ..All pollinations complete..Down to the contenders Saturday, July 3 View Page The 901 day 8..will blow past the 10 day bench mark Saturday, July 3 View Page The 904 day 11, was 28" at day 10 Saturday, July 3 View Page The 1385 day 8 Saturday, July 3 View Page The 1161 Day 10..Right at 20" Saturday, July 3 View Page The 1147 named "Hope" big numbers on day 13= 47" Saturday, July 3 View Page The 1169 growing in 200sq/ft. The stump was under water last week..51" day 17 Monday, July 5 View Page It's amazing hot fast the patch drys out with high winds and 90+ temps the last couple of days. It looks a little tattered right now..The good news is "Hope" on the 1147 has cranked out 6" a day the last two days and sits at 59" at day 15.."Baby doll" on the 904 did 7" and is 44" at day 13. "Oz" on the 901 is 30" at day 10...The juices are flowing full force right now Thursday, July 8 View Page Its like getting kicked in the nuts 1st thing in the morning..nice hole from a raccoon last night. The pumpkin was covered with a towel, only the stem exposed..about 1" deep at the deepest. Not sure what to do here..Plenty of scrap pumpkins left out. They decide to hit this one..45+" today day 13 on the 901 Hunt..Have one back-up left on the plant Thursday, July 15 View Page "Baby Doll" off the 904 day 23. Big numbers right now Thursday, July 15 View Page "Scar" off the 901 has healed day 20 Thursday, July 15 View Page "Ellen" off the 1385 blonde and bouncy right now day 20 Thursday, July 15 View Page "Hope" off the 1147 great and white day 25 Thursday, July 15 View Page "Grumpy" off the 1161 was born ugly..day 22 Friday, July 23 View Page My "Baby doll" shirt I was going to wear to the up coming Rob Zombie concert..Kick as shirt for girls only...I ordered on-line ..if your a big strapping lad, do no order anything in a babydoll size...I could rip out of this like the Incredible Hulk..Looks good on my daughter.. Friday, July 23 View Page A sawed off pitch fork I found in Iowa..Probably about 100 years old! Friday, July 23 View Page Mr. Pumpkin will be filling in time here as I take a few days off..Please do not stop by anytime soon...I will not be responsible for his actions.. Friday, July 23 View Page Pumpkins are growing 20 - 30 lbs+ a day right now...Baby doll rules the patch right now. Saturday, July 24 View Page 8-10" of rain last night...on back-up power and no sleep Thursday, July 29 View Page The end product that sits on top of my near 800 gallon rain/pond water storage tank..Sure beats the hell out of looking at 800 gallons above ground? Thursday, July 29 View Page Hope off the 904 around 600lbs Thursday, July 29 View Page Ellen off the 1385 over 400lbs Thursday, July 29 View Page Scar off the 901 over 400lbs Thursday, July 29 View Page Hope off the 1147 around 500lbs Thursday, July 29 View Page Grumpy butt ugly off the 1161 around 400lbs Thursday, July 29 View Page In memory of my dog Buster that I had to put down on Monday..Thanks for the last 10+ years of joy & protecting the patch, pond, home and family. It's been a rough week.. Monday, August 16 View Page Ripped out the 904 plant that had baby doll sitting around 800lbs..The stem rotted almost all the way through. The 8" of rain we had a few weeks back brought everything to a crawl. Then rot, or some sort of disease has set in Monday, August 16 View Page The stem on the 904 Monday, August 16 View Page Baby doll will sit here now, or die here. Might get her weighed Monday, August 16 View Page Scar on the 901 has some rot issues of its own. Around 600lbs Monday, August 16 View Page Ellen on the 1385.. 600+ but won't break any records. This plant is still healthy Monday, August 16 View Page At least I grew my biggest stump this year. Off the 901. Surprised it did not foam up Monday, August 16 View Page Grumpy off the 1161...growing in Jims weed patch.. Rock solid 500+ Monday, August 16 View Page Hope off the shazzy's 1147.. should weigh like granite. Don't know what's left in the tank.. GO SHAZZY! Thursday, September 9 View Page Scar off the 901. Might make it to Milwaukee Thursday, September 9 View Page Ellen off the 1385..Has mad some decent gains over the last couple of weeks. It looks totally different from my 1385 from last year. I hope this means it goes heavy... Thursday, September 9 View Page From my friend Ted..A field of my 988's he's growing. I guess he crossed one with his 993 he is growing this year. Should produce some real lookers Tuesday, October 5 View Page Patch is cleared. Getting ready for compost and next year Tuesday, October 5 View Page Ken Sweets co-world record pumpkin 1725LBS.It was awesome he bought it to our weigh-off. Tuesday, October 5 View Page Shazzy dreaming about his state record pumpkin..Sometimes dreams come true Tuesday, October 5 View Page Top three contestants in front of Ken sweets 1605 that won Tuesday, October 5 View Page My top three at home resting.. Saturday, October 16 View Page Talk about orange..This one is Ted Krueger's 1010 off the 993 Vincent crossed with my 988. I will find a spot for one of these next year Thursday, December 30 View Page Check out my pumpkin piggy bank I got for Christmas..Only for $ in the patch. A must have for any pumpkin grower. I guess they were available at Target