Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 102 Entries. Sunday, January 1 View Page Going orange again this year! Happy New Year to everyone and best of luck in your patches and gardens.   Friday, March 17 View Page New patch buddy, this is Tova. She is a 3 month old Blue Heeler (Australian cattle dog). She is already getting training in the pumpkin patch, walking boards and perimeter of the patch is OK.   Friday, March 17 View Page Cover crop really got a good head start this year, and now will need mowing a few times before being tilled in. I alternate between having it rototilled in green and then next year having it rototilled after being killed. We added copious quantities of a manure/compost blend last year so the organic matter will be higher for a couple years. Got a lot of help from Richmond Dave on soil balancing and ongoing ammending.   Monday, March 27 View Page Seed choice was an easy one this year, we are gladly growing 3 Wolf plants this year. Thanks Andy, I really appreciate the opportunity to grow theses seeds, we hope to do them justice and bring a couple whoppers to the scale.   Friday, April 14 View Page The cover crop needed a bit of a haircut before the tractor service could get in and rototill. We will spread down copious quantities of gypsum and a few other micronutrients to get our ratios inline before planting time. Seeds are started, things are happening.   Tuesday, May 2 View Page We did 3 passes with the tiller and combined in the recommended amounts of granular gypsum, 0-0-50, calcium nitrate, manganese sulphate, iron sulphate and magnesium sulphate. Many thanks again to Richmond Dave for his patience teaching me the importance of the Base Saturations and providing me with a deeper understanding of nutrient relationships as laid out in the Langley Estimator. We are behind schedule, but have 4 healthy seedling plants that are eager to get into the ground and inside their heated hoophouses. Oh yeah, I gotta still put them up.   Thursday, May 4 View Page So we threw down some heat cables and covered them in a deep mound of Promix HP with mycorrhiza and a dash of some slow release 14-14-14, then put up our 2 smallest hoophouses to give the seedlings a 2 week overnight heated bedroom, after that it’s freestyle. The 2365 Wolf failed to germinate, so we have a 2006 Wolf and 2493 Wolf this year for Atlantic Giants and two prizewinner plants that will fill in the rest of the space.   Thursday, May 4 View Page So we threw down some heat cables and covered them in a deep mound of Promix HP with mycorrhiza and a dash of some slow release 14-14-14, then put up our 2 smallest hoophouses to give the seedlings a 2 week overnight heated bedroom, after that it’s freestyle. The 2365 Wolf failed to germinate, so we have a 2006 Wolf and 2493 Wolf this year for Atlantic Giants and two prizewinner plants that will fill in the rest of the space.   Tuesday, May 9 View Page 2006 Wolf is liking the 85 degree soil temperature and with the smaller hoophouse, the heat escaping the soil is keeping the ambient air temperature over 60 degrees at night when it’s closed up.   Tuesday, May 9 View Page 2493 Wolf also pretty happy that it’s out of the starter pot and into its new home. With only 2 competition plants this year, the pumpkin plants will have free rein to do what they want. The prizewinners won’t get planted out until there is no need for starter hoophouses, I don’t want the hassle of that this year. I’ve got a bunch of golf tournaments again this year, and will rely heavily on my team grower to step up whenever I need extra hands.   Wednesday, May 24 View Page 2006 Wolf was a bit of a problem child and started out immediately as a double vine. We did some surgery and cut away one of the doubles in the cluster, watered the heck out of it and it has turned around. Main vine is normal (ish) and secondaries are perfect. Off and running, here we go!!   Wednesday, May 24 View Page 2493 Wolf also an early bad actor as you can see a split in front of the small secondary on top. It just exploded one day, I used sulphur to dry and it’s getting all gnarled and like bark, all good and healed. Also off and running, here we go.   Tuesday, May 30 View Page 2006 Wolf in the foreground, 2493 Wolf next, 2 prizewinners from Nana Rea behind that and then garlic, onions, potatoes, lettuce and a few other veggies at the top. Plants are both on the go now and I’ll start with my rotation of ferts, fungicides and aphid/whitefly prevention. We also get a weird cabbage butterfly larvae and caterpillars that seem to be merit/imidacloprid resistant. They arrive later in the season so I’ve got time to prepare for that. Again, huge thanks to Ken for this website and our ability to look back at previous years and compare with current progress. It’s abundantly clear that a hoophouse, greenhouse, Polly tent, massive hooptie house or some other type of Richmond Dave growing building is the only way we are going to get plants to the size that Dave has now and it’s not even June yet, amazing my friend. Dave has taken growing to the next level in British Columbia with his knowledge, abilities and dogged determination.   Friday, June 2 View Page Plants are taking off now, it will be a sea of green not long from now. Well, as you can see, I do rake trenches for vine burying ahead of the plant, as I actually find it easier and a time saver to just to allow the vines to go where I want them (in the trenches) and then easy to cover, done and done. I do a few trenches each day while the secondaries are popping out and claiming ground space. Also, we didn’t stockpile compost or any vine burying mix this year anyways after adding copious quantities last year.   Sunday, June 11 View Page 2006 Wolf. Looking at Richmond Dave’s diary and noted that his plants on May 19 were about same size as ours are now, puts us about 3 weeks in arrears. But when I look at our previous diaries from yesteryears, I see we are ahead, behind or right on track, so is all good.   Sunday, June 11 View Page 2493 Wolf with Nana Rea prizewinner plant behind on the right and Richmond Dave’s farmer buddy Ryan’s prizewinner to the left. We will likely try and get 2 pumpkins from each plant as giveaway pumpkins for some friends.   Thursday, June 22 View Page The plants are progressing nicely, but it looks like we will still have July pollinations. I’m doing a weeding and using the broadfork in advance of the secondaries, the broadfork is essential for us, wish I had this tool for my backyard patch days. We are doing a modified pattern with the 2 wolf plants this year with 15 foot secondaries on one side and 30 foot secondaries on the other.   Thursday, June 22 View Page Then, boy and his dog after a few hours in the garden. Tova is 6 months old now.   Friday, June 23 View Page 2493 Wolf on the short side of the plant, plants are getting a pre-heat cooldown in advance of some warm weather. Will be pollinating in the next 10-12 days.   Friday, June 23 View Page 2006 Wolf from the long secondary side, we are continuing with the pre-trenching for secondaries as they stretch out. Will also hopefully be pollinating in the next 10-12 days.   Sunday, June 25 View Page The 2006 Wolf attempted to go flat vine on us, and as you can see it split on one side of the flat vine, then fixed itself and has grown normal from there. Wish I had known the vicegrip fix that I saw in ejab’s diary recently.   Sunday, June 25 View Page Then this problem child (2493 Wolf) was rocking and rolling in the wind on its kickstand leaf, and split wide open as it not so gently started to vine. I almost duct taped it and then Andrea said, “ah these plants are amazing, it will scar over and heal up fine”. She was right, but we will keep it covered and dray none the less. Plants are full speed ahead, pollinations soon.   Saturday, July 1 View Page Day 1 for the 2493 Wolf X 2006 Wolf pollinated on June 30th. Nice big football shape, just how we like them.   Saturday, July 1 View Page 2006 Wolf got a good rub and tickle from patchmate 2493 Wolf’s pollen, looks good so far. Canada Day pollination, now that is good enough reason for a celebration.   Thursday, July 6 View Page Couple of nice prizewinner plants starting to fill in, both have pumpkins on the main and each plant will grow another pumpkin on a secondary.   Thursday, July 6 View Page Front end of the 2006 Wolf with a pumpkin set under the umbrella and another in the tip. I’ll decide later which to keep.   Thursday, July 6 View Page Front end of the 2493 Wolf to the left with a pumpkin under the step stool. All systems go, both plants are rooting like crazy!!   Sunday, July 9 View Page Like Richmond Dave, we allow our secondaries to grow a little longer before being terminated, and then cut them back to the perfect spot and cover them with copious amounts of soil/compost where they have already rooted. It’s termination time on one side of the 2006 Wolf.   Tuesday, July 11 View Page Pumpkins got the measure tape gently wrapped around them today for the first time. Day 11 for the 2006 Wolf at 22” in circumference and day 10 on the 2493 Wolf and she stretched the tape to a full 23” in circumference to best her patch mate, for now.   Thursday, July 13 View Page We reinstalled the hooptie houses and I’ll cover them with a 1/2 roof to keep sun and water off the pumpkins, but allow for ventilation on the lower sides and ends.   Friday, July 14 View Page The prizewinners are getting golf umbrellas now. I had to do shout out to my golf buddies and ask for any damaged, worn out or unwanted umbrellas to replenish my stock. After awhile they get sun beaten and repaired with duct tape only so many times. We have 3 pumpkins on 1 plant and only 2 on the other, they will be beauties.   Sunday, July 16 View Page Day 15 on the 2006 Wolf and it’s 43” in circumference.   Sunday, July 16 View Page Day 16 on the 2493 Wolf is 40” in circumference. It’s more pear shaped at the moment and I’m now seeing the crooked blossom end nub is more pronounced. We are positioning and burying vines and terminating some secondaries, it’s go time!!   Tuesday, July 18 View Page 2493 Wolf in front is at day 18 and is 48” in circumference, doing 4 inches per day right now. Behind that is the 2006 Wolf at day 17 with 53” in circumference so a better daily gain at 5 inches per day. Yes, lazy man needs to cover his hoop/shade covers, but I’ve been hand watering whenever I can.   Tuesday, July 18 View Page The 2 prizewinner plants are gobbling up the available soil space left in their allotment. Impressive secondaries, bigger than the Atlantic Giant secondary vines easily!! We have pumpkins set on both main vines and are now being selective about the secondary fruit we will allow to grow. We had a couple 350 lb pumpkins from prizewinners along with 2 others at 260 lbs each on one plant. The plan for this year is to maybe cut it down to 2 pumpkins per plant instead of 3. They are for giveaways to friends and family, so more is usually better but expectations run high for pumpkins at least 250 lbs.   Thursday, July 20 View Page Day 20 for the 2493 Wolf measured out at 55 inches in circumference. I’ll start doing full OTT measurements today and then report 10 day gains.   Friday, July 21 View Page Day 20 for the 2006 Wolf and it comes in at an even 70 inches in circumference. The only thing prettier in the pumpkin patch are the prizewinners, but I can tell already tell that this 2006 Wolf seed is something pretty special.   Saturday, July 22 View Page We didn’t start planning early enough for the Weighoffs last year, and we missed out on a couple opportunities to go South of the border to Washington State. This year we plan on going to the Elysian Brewery weighoff, so special attention is being paid to ensure we have followed the rules and won’t use any products not specifically labelled for pumpkin growing. Thanks to Cindy for taking the time to advise me in advance, I really appreciate that. Also want to attend the Carpinito Brothers Weighoff, so that is being added to the Calendar also.   Sunday, July 23 View Page 2006 Wolf poses for a photo during the brief moment of time when sheets are being changed after a watering or heavy overhead cooling session with the whizzer sprinklers. By the way, I bought my whizzer sprinklers from Joel Holland likely 15 years ago and have used them every year since then, a testament to the quality of products and services available from Joel and Mari-Lou.   Thursday, July 27 View Page The prizewinners are now getting golf umbrella upgrades, plants are almost full, I’ll be terminating most of the secondaries over the next few days.   Thursday, July 27 View Page Down below the prizewinners, the competition plants have also almost filled in their growing spaces. Plants are still actively and aggressively rooting so we are still trenching ahead of the vines and then burying and covering them when they hit the ground and root at every leaf node. I’m seeing a lot of diaries where growers aren’t putting in the extra effort to bury/cover or otherwise encourage all the adventitious roots that form below and above all the way along the vines. Yup, it’s alot of tedious work and I recently said to my growing partner that when the time comes that I can’t get on my hands and knees in the patch to bury my vines, we will stop growing.   Thursday, July 27 View Page Here are those prizewinners under the umbrellas, a couple weeks old and growing pretty quickly, already showing nice colour and shape.   Thursday, July 27 View Page Here are those prizewinners under the umbrellas, a couple weeks old and growing pretty quickly, already showing nice colour and shape.   Friday, July 28 View Page This happened the other day, what a neat experience and so happy that my first one was at my home golf club.   Friday, July 28 View Page Getting fresh sheets for the evening after a quick watering before it gets dark. We have nice evening sea breezes, so the foliage dries out quite nicely before night sets in. Both pumpkins have 30 day numbers coming up soon in a few days.   Sunday, July 30 View Page 2493 Wolf is day 30 today at 95 inches in circumference and 223 OTT. I need to prune a few leaves and lift the main vine slightly again, I really don’t like having to cut or eliminate any rooting but sometimes it’s necessary in the prevention of vine stress or issues in the weeks ahead.   Monday, July 31 View Page Day 30 for the 2006 Wolf and the tape says 114-67-70 or 251” OTT which is definitely a circumference PB, always nice and a good sign. I’m not changing anything yet, however I’m hand watering now more due to water shortages and local regulations. Time consuming moving the hoses around, but somewhat satisfying watering down under the canopy and other spots that the overhead watering is missing. Secondaries on all plants are almost all terminated.   Tuesday, August 1 View Page AG plants getting a morning watering. Real reason we don’t cover the hoops right away is lazy and, I never get it right the first time and put one side too close. One pumpkin has grown forward and is partially out of its hut. I don’t want to move the pumpkin, so moving it’s tent seems reasonable.   Tuesday, August 1 View Page 2006 Wolf in front and 2493 Wolf in the back. Preliminarily examination hint of both our Wolf plants growing orange for us this year, plus we have 5 nice Prizewinner fruit that will be bright orange.   Thursday, August 3 View Page No editing, no photoshop, no colour enhancement. The 2493 Wolf in the foreground has ramped it up, but the 2006 Wolf behind it still has better daily gains at the moment. We think that the 2493 Wolf pumpkin may be our dark horse.   Saturday, August 5 View Page Patch is pretty full. Prizewinners are all set, we have 3 fruit on one plant and 2 on the other.   Saturday, August 5 View Page The 2 main vine prizewinners line up pretty nicely, looking good already.   Saturday, August 5 View Page 2006 Wolf is a crowd favourite at the moment, long, low and wide.   Tuesday, August 8 View Page 2493 Wolf on the left and 2006 Wolf on the right. 2493 is growing downhill headed east, the 2006 is the opposite, growing uphill and pointed west. Day 40 for them both in a few days and I’m expecting good numbers.   Wednesday, August 9 View Page Day 40 for the 2493 Wolf and steady, consistent numbers is what I have to report. 122-80-82 or around 487 lbs. This pumpkin doubled its weight in 10 days and averaged 24.5 lbs per day from day 30-40.   Thursday, August 10 View Page Day 40 for the 2006 Wolf and while she did not double her weight in the past 10 days like her patchmate, we are pretty happy so far. Tapes out at 140-86-83 or 309” and around 623 lbs by the old chart I use. Gained 282 lbs or 28 lbs per day average from day 30 to day 40.   Thursday, August 10 View Page Day 40 for the 2006 Wolf and while she did not double her weight in the past 10 days like her patchmate, we are pretty happy so far. Tapes out at 140-86-83 or 309” and around 623 lbs by the old chart I use. Gained 282 lbs or 28 lbs per day average from day 30 to day 40.   Sunday, August 13 View Page Photo-op while the sheets are being changed post morning watering. Weather is fantastic and a bit of a heatwave is due in our area over the next week to 10 days.   Sunday, August 13 View Page Prizewinners are doing great.   Sunday, August 13 View Page These 2 pumpkins are the biggest prizewinners and one will go to the Saanich Fair in Victoria, BC on September 2-4 and the other is going to the Cowichan Exhibition on September 15-17.   Monday, August 14 View Page Things are going well in our garden. We’ve had a bounty of vegetables and more flowers than we ever dreamed of. The pumpkins are doing good too.   Monday, August 14 View Page Both Wolf pumpkins are beauties right now. The 2006 Wolf is bulging out in a few spots and the 2493 continues to grow tall and wide.   Saturday, August 19 View Page Day 50 for the 2493 Wolf today and she measures at 141-90-89 or around 755 lbs. That calculates to a 226 lb gain from day 40 to 50 and about 22.5 lbs per day for the 10 day average. Forgot to take a photo, so this is Tova our 8 month old puppy.   Saturday, August 19 View Page 2006 Wolf at day 50 is 156-96-91 or 343 inches OTT for an estimate of about 925 lbs. She gained 245 lbs in the day 40 to day 50 period so averaged 24.5 lbs per day for those 10 days.   Monday, August 21 View Page 2493 Wolf in the front and 2006 behind. We’ve got some amazing weather still in the longer term forecast, sure hope September is the same.   Monday, August 21 View Page 2006 Wolf is so shiny and smooth, a good steady grower that is not knocking it out of the park, but maintaining a steady growth pace.   Saturday, August 26 View Page Just to show, we do grow other things besides pumpkins. We have a 40 foot row of dahlias at the bottom, then 2 giant pumpkin plants, then another 40 foot row of dahlias in front of the vegetables garden that is dwarfed by the 4 rows of sunflowers at the back of the garden, and beside the vegetable garden and sunflowers, is the prizewinner pumpkin patch.   Saturday, August 26 View Page Another shot of the flowers, awesome this time of the year!!   Saturday, August 26 View Page The 2006 Wolf gets the spotlight today with day 60 numbers looming on the calendar next week. We have not done a full OTT measurement since day 50, but I’ve snuck in a side to side measurement this morning and like what I see. I haven’t done a tissue test, nor an additional soil test since the spring pre-planting amendments went in. Yeah, we are seeing the usual senescence on the plant, leaf colour differences (super green, super big, not as green/smaller leaves), plus some minor inconsequential yellow spots/dots and other things that take place in the pumpkin patch and garden on a yearly rotational basis. I believe our plant health at this time, will safely allow us to ride it out until September 23rd when one of them takes a trip to Seattle and the Elysian Brewery. Look out Washington State, North Shore Boyz is headed your way.   Monday, August 28 View Page For comparison, here is the 2006 Wolf stump/Basel crown area today it healed nicely from its troubled beginning. The attached link is from 2 months ago. http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=338994   Monday, August 28 View Page And here is the 2493 stump today, are knarled up and healed. A leaf and secondary was poised for trouble and a windstorm created the twist that caused the split. Never give up, these plants heal. Link is also from 2 months ago. http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=338995   Tuesday, August 29 View Page 2493 Wolf on day 60 is at 155-95-95 for around 940 lbs. Gained 185 lbs in the 10 day period between day 50-60 and averaged 18.5 lbs per day in the process. A full 3 weeks to go until harvest, hopefully the weights continue to be added until that day, at least my hooptie cover is now on my hooptie hut, we had thunderstorms yesterday and rain for the first time in awhile. 2006 Wolf is day 60 tomorrow, then I head up the Island to a big golf tournament that a bunch of us from our Golf Club that go into each year.   Tuesday, August 29 View Page 2006 Wolf also at day 60, tape says 166-102-97 for about 1101 lbs, gained 178 lbs from for the past 10 days or a 17.8 lbs per day average. The hooptie roof will be clipped on before I head off for a few days. Curse of the West Coast is we almost always get rain for our Labour Day Holiday weekend that is coming up. Go figure.   Wednesday, August 30 View Page This is Tova, our 8 month old Australian Cattle Dog (also known as Blue Heeler) poses beside our Saanich Fair entry. This pumpkin made it to 100-75-75 OTT, there are 2 other pumpkins on the same plant. Fellow grower Andrew Hawthorne is doing me a solid and picking the pumpkin up and delivering for me, since I’ll be away golfing. Thanks Andrew, really appreciate it.   Wednesday, August 30 View Page This is Tova, our 8 month old Australian Cattle Dog (also known as Blue Heeler) poses beside our Saanich Fair entry. This pumpkin made it to 100-75-75 OTT, there are 2 other pumpkins on the same plant. Fellow grower Andrew Hawthorne is doing me a solid and picking the pumpkin up and delivering for me, since I’ll be away golfing. Thanks Andrew, really appreciate it.   Sunday, September 3 View Page First bling bling of the season is a 3rd place (again) at the Saanich Fair with a Prizewinner, not only that, it was judged most beautiful entry and that is always a bonus. Some cash and 2 ribbons is a win for us. Estimated at 303 lbs, this one came in a little light at 287 lbs. (around 5.5% light).   Thursday, September 7 View Page Finally got the second hoop covered, just in time for blue bird weather and pretty clear skies. The 2493 on the left is day 70 in a couple days and will be day 84 on harvest day. The 2006 on the right will also be day 70 in a few days but has the luxury of an extra week in the patch than it’s patchmate and will be harvested on September 28th when she is just day 89. Both fruit are growing still about 1.5 inches OTT each day, cantalouping has also started. The remaining 2 prizewinner pumpkins will be hauled to the local Cowichan Exhibition and entered into the biggest pumpkin contest. They don’t weigh the pumpkins and winner is declared by circumference.   Thursday, September 7 View Page Finally got the second hoop covered, just in time for blue bird weather and pretty clear skies. The 2493 on the left is day 70 in a couple days and will be day 84 on harvest day. The 2006 on the right will also be day 70 in a few days but has the luxury of an extra week in the patch than it’s patchmate and will be harvested on September 28th when she is just day 89. Both fruit are growing still about 1.5 inches OTT each day, cantalouping has also started. The remaining 2 prizewinner pumpkins will be hauled to the local Cowichan Exhibition and entered into the biggest pumpkin contest. They don’t weigh the pumpkins and winner is declared by circumference.   Saturday, September 9 View Page Tova is almost 9 months old now and has adopted the “bigger is better” with her stick choice at the beach. Pumpkins are both day 70 today and I’m ready for the ride to stop, I want off now, when is this over….I wanna harvest soon. September is my least favourite pumpkin growing month. 2493 Wolf continues to cantaloupe, has grown a few inches and is 357” OTT now or roughly 1035 lbs, up 95 lbs in the past 10 days so around 9.5 lbs per day. A bit of a quicker drop off in daily gains, but maybe it’s thickening more inside and adding weight. The 2006 Wolf is 380” OTT and has also cooled its jets and gained roughly 130 lbs in the same 10 day stretch, so around 13 lbs per day. About 10 days till harvest time for the 2493 and about 18 days till harvest for the 2006.   Thursday, September 14 View Page The last 2 pumpkins from the prizewinners patch are at the Cowichan Exhibition. We will clear as much of the chickweed as we can, give the area a good raking and get ahead on the cover crop in that area. While I’m ant it, I’m taking soil samples from each quadrant inside the patch for analysis. Andrea promised that she won’t disturb said cover crop when she goes back in to harvest dahlias, and to dig the tubers out before winter. We will stockpile 15 yards of premium compost for the spring and for mixing with peat moss 50-50 and use for covering and burying vines next year. I find the compost we buy is still pretty hot, (the do a custom blend for me) and it’s better for use the next year.   Thursday, September 14 View Page More for my records than anything, these are the first few terminated secondaries on the long side of the 2493. You can kinda see on the far side (the shorter side at 15’) that the leaves are not as robust and healthy, sort of used up.   Thursday, September 14 View Page And these are the last few secondaries also on the long side (30 feet), closest to the pumpkin. All in pretty amazing shape for middle of September. The usual scenecence of the plant is happening slowly but surely from the centre out and that is OK, growth on the pumpkins has also slowed to a more moderate pace anyways.   Saturday, September 16 View Page 2493 Wolf on the left and 2006 Wolf on the right. Very nice mid September weather has set in, watering every second day and only moderate amounts despite no rain, plants look pretty good.   Sunday, September 17 View Page We took 2 prizewinners to the local Cowichan Exhibition and brought home a couple more ribbons for the display in our gardening/pumpkin shed.   Wednesday, September 20 View Page Plywood road, tripod and pumpkin lifter are poised and ready to go. All I need is the ladder and we will hook up the chain hoist and raise the legs and centred over the pumpkin. We always use extra precautions to secure the bottoms of the legs so they don’t dig into the soil as the pumpkin is lifted. Gets easier every year.   Friday, September 22 View Page The Handy lifting system is in place and ready to go. We always spend a few extra minutes making sure the lifting ring and straps are perfect before the final lift.   Friday, September 22 View Page Then up we go and drive the truck under the tripod. Really does get easier every year.   Friday, September 22 View Page 2493 Wolf X 2006 Wolf is Seattle bound. Look out Elysian Brewery, here we come.   Saturday, September 23 View Page 1036 Dixon weighed and placed 7th at Elysian Brewery Weighoff. Was a little over 6% heavy and will make a fantastic beer keg for the Seattle Great Pumpkin Beer Festival, looks like a great time also. https://seattlecenter.com/events/event-calendar/19th-annual-great-pumpkin-beer-festival   Sunday, September 24 View Page 2006 Wolf is next for the lifter and going down past Seattle to Kent Washington at the Carpinito Brothers Farm for the next Weighoff next Sunday, looking forward to it already.   Sunday, September 24 View Page Moved the tripod into place and altered my plywood road into the patch. Good lord, look at the chickweed that invaded the patch this year, I may need to use roundup or a tiger torch and take care of those weeds pronto, I need to get the cover crop spread and raked in.   Monday, September 25 View Page With the threat of rain this week, we decided to harvest a few days early and avoid any traction issues inside a muddy pumpkin patch. This is the 2006 Wolf that is heading south to the Carpinito Brothers Farm Giant Pumpkin Weighoff.   Monday, September 25 View Page 2006 Wolf X 2493 Wolf, both turned out to be great looking pumpkins. Thanks again for the seeds Andy.   Thursday, September 28 View Page Here is our 1036 lb pumpkin on the left, getting prepped for its life as a beer keg at the Elysian Brewery for this weekends Seattle Great Pumpkin Beer Festival.   Sunday, October 1 View Page 2006 Wolf seed became 1155 Dixon at Carpinito Brothers Weighoff this weekend.   Sunday, October 8 View Page In the distance, on the stage past the crowd chanting “tap that gourd” is our 1036 Dixon that poured out beer for 3000 people at Seattle Centre for the annual Great Pumpkin Beer Festival.   Sunday, October 22 View Page First pass by Kevin’s Tractor Service. We are 12 days behind last years cover crop planting. Hopefully we have another mild fall and beginning to winter so that the rye crop has time to make a foothold.   Sunday, October 22 View Page We will spread the rye seed and rake over some tire marks and put the patch to bed. Already planning next years planting spots and looking into greenhouse options and will definitely install drip irrigation for the first time. I’m tempted to take a fall soil sample and see where our numbers are now and likely will, knowing I’ll have to retest in the spring anyways before amending before planting time.   Sunday, October 22 View Page We will spread the rye seed and rake over some tire marks and put the patch to bed. Already planning next years planting spots and looking into greenhouse options and will definitely install drip irrigation for the first time. I’m tempted to take a fall soil sample and see where our numbers are now and likely will, knowing I’ll have to retest in the spring anyways before amending before planting time.   Sunday, October 22 View Page 50 lbs of fall rye seed had been spread and now we’ve had a healthy rain to get things started with germinated. We are 2 weeks behind last years schedule, I hope that does not affect the germination rate or growth of the cover crop, but time will tell.   Sunday, October 22 View Page 50 lbs of fall rye seed had been spread and now we’ve had a healthy rain to get things started with germinated. We are 2 weeks behind last years schedule, I hope that does not affect the germination rate or growth of the cover crop, but time will tell.   Monday, December 25 View Page Leann Krainick from Krainick Dairy Farm presented all the grower entries at Elysian Brewery Weighoff with this beautiful pumpkin Christmas ornament. Thanks again Leann.