Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 82 Entries. Tuesday, April 18 View Page Poppy Problem - Poppies have populated the back pumpkin patch and have orchestrated a super bloom of epic proportions. My wife wants to build an accessory dwelling unit smack in the middle of the patch - hence the stakes and ribbons. I’ll let her negotiate with the poppies over it...   Tuesday, April 18 View Page Gold Digger – Starting a double dig in the root zone for my tomatoes. After amending and tilling the topsoil, I move the top layer aside and amend and till the subsoil to give the roots a little room to spread their wings. The topsoil is then pushed back – leaving a fluffy planting mound...   Friday, April 28 View Page The Girls are Back in Town – The tomatoes are in. I planted 6 heirloom plants. Two Pink Brandywine, Two German Queen and two Red Brandywine. I can already taste the flavor…   Friday, April 28 View Page Rea of Hope – I’m going with orange and pretty this year with two of the nicest big orange ones grown last year. Thanks Glenna…   Monday, May 1 View Page Good Girls – My tomatoes are taking off nicely in spite of the cold and overcast conditions. Now if I could only get the coyotes to stop stomping all over the patch compacting the soil...   Monday, May 1 View Page Poppy Problem – My friend Farmer John is pinned in the patch by poppies. I need to clear out a few of these red devils to get the pumpkins sprouts in the ground...   Monday, May 8 View Page Sudden Seed Substitution – My 1977 Rea did not germinate so I started one that I didn’t have a chance to plant two years ago. Thanks John, wish me luck! (god knows with all the critters around here I'm gonna need it...)   Thursday, May 11 View Page The Parting of the Red Sea – I hacked out a path through the poppies to the middle of the patch and got my two pilgrims into the holy ground. (seen just beyond the two boards…)   Sunday, May 21 View Page New Kids on the Block – I cleared and tilled a little island in the red sea of poppies to give the kids some room to run. That’s the 1634 Rea on the right and 1552 Young on the left...   Sunday, May 21 View Page PeekaBoo – Hidden between rows of Flanders Poppies my heirloom tomatoes are really taking off. My little giants are in the transparent cages on the upper right...   Sunday, May 21 View Page Righteous Reds – The two Red Brandywines plants are growing like crazy and are now twice the size of the Pink Brandywines and German Queens...   Thursday, June 1 View Page Baby Rea - Rea of Hope is the prettiest little baby. She’s not crawling yet but she’s kicking her legs real strong...   Thursday, June 1 View Page Youth is Wasted on the Young – My 1552 Young is a little rough around the edges but I’m hoping she’ll straighten up and fly right as she matures...   Sunday, June 4 View Page Morning Showers – The girls take a quick morning shower. The sun has finally come out and we will hit 80 degrees today. Both girls are showing a tendency to burn after living under overcast skies the last three weeks. Rea of Hope (1634 Rea) will soon head West (right) while Forever Young (1552 Young) is planning to move East...   Sunday, June 11 View Page Critter Protection - I’ve added a wind screen/critter fence to protect my heirloom tomatoes. The wire cages have already been consumed by foliage and were obviously too small...   Saturday, June 17 View Page Shipping Out – The girls have started to run and are about 9 feet now bow to stern...   Saturday, June 17 View Page Forever Young – My 1552 Young is already sporting huge leaves. The first secondaries are just starting to move...   Saturday, June 17 View Page Rae of Hope – The leaves on the 1634 Rea are smaller but the secondaries are really beginning to move...   Saturday, June 17 View Page Caged – I put up homemade cages to support my heirloom tomatoes. These were made from ¾” plastic pipe and 3 ft. bamboo stakes. Unfortunately, I don’t think the cages are going to be big enough...   Tuesday, June 27 View Page Rainbow Plants – Looks like my plants are celebrating Gay Pride today. Being hermaphrodites, giant pumpkins are somewhat sympathetic to the LBGTQ community...   Friday, July 7 View Page Young Beauty - A gorgeous perfectly symmetrical 5 lobe female was pollinated sixteen feet out on Forever Young (1552 Young) on 7/7. This pretty girl was selfed. Her older sister at 10 feet out already got the chop...   Sunday, July 9 View Page Angel of Hope 7/9 – Pollinated Rae of Hope with the 1552 Young on 7/9, a four lobe female with one asymmetric lobe 16 ft out...   Sunday, July 9 View Page Hat Trick – Rae of Hope wears a silly hat during her conception business...   Saturday, July 15 View Page Tipsy Tomatoes – As I feared, the Red Brandywine tomatoes have already outgrown their 6 ft support structures.   Saturday, July 15 View Page Mama, it’s Too Hot – Another heat wave this week. Had to shade the vine tips – all the vine tips...   Monday, July 17 View Page Prime Birthday – Forever Young (1552 Young x Self) hit 24” circumference on day 10. Round with a nice long stem, I think this one is going to be tall and shapely...   Wednesday, July 19 View Page Hope is not Lost – Rae of Hope (1634 Rea x 1552 Young) was 25” circ. at 10 days. Shortest fuse I’ve ever seen on a pumpkin. This one could be explosive...   Monday, July 24 View Page Ten Foot Tomatoes – I added extenders and support stakes to my tomato structure. I’m gonna need a ladder to get to the fruit if the whole damn thing doesn’t topple down at the first stiff breeze...   Thursday, July 27 View Page Living on the Edge – Forever Young (1552 Young x Self) has hopped off her box at the edge of the patch and is sporting 72” circ. at 20 days. An orange blush is just starting to show around her blossom stub. Good God - isn’t she gorgeous???   Saturday, July 29 View Page In or Out - Rae of Hope (1634 Rea x 1552 Young) also tapes 72” circ at 20 dap, the same as Forever Young. Both have a nice round shape. However, Rae is an inny and Forever is an outty. Good thing I have something unique to tell them apart...   Sunday, July 30 View Page Young-Un – The first female on the 1552 Young is a somewhat asymmetric 4 lober - round as a golf ball. She was pollinated with the 1634 Rae but at only 10 feet out she may not end up as the keeper...   Tuesday, August 1 View Page Yeehaw! – The juvenile bud, Pliny the Younger (1552 Young) is galloping out of the patch on a side vine...   Tuesday, August 1 View Page Over the Edge - Forever Young (1552 Young x Self) hit 93” circ. on day 25. I had to build a level sandbox for her. She was sitting on a sloped area just out of the patch. Didn’t want to see her rolling down the street...   Tuesday, August 1 View Page Don’t Look Up – Pliny the Younger is standing tall in the patch waiting for her big day...   Tuesday, August 1 View Page Opening Soon – Pliny the Younger (1552 Young) has her skirts tucked in a cup waiting for the big moment...   Tuesday, August 1 View Page Caught in the Act – Tina, my patch partner pollinates Pliny the Younger with the 1634 Rea. Pliny is perched about 23 feet out on a side vine of the 1552 Young plant...   Tuesday, August 1 View Page Patch Pic – Shot of the patch on the 1552 Young side. Forever Young is on the right and Pliny is perched on a side vine at the left...   Thursday, August 3 View Page Super Moon - Rae of Hope (1634 Rea x 1552 Young) is taping 90” circ. on day 25. She looks like a full moon rising in the patch casting a pale glow into the shadows...   Friday, August 4 View Page It’s a Wonder – Pliny the Younger at 3 days…   Sunday, August 6 View Page Over the Rainbow - Forever Young (1552 Young x Self) ballooned to 110” circ. at 30 days. She’s growing a bit slower than I’d like but sure is pretty...   Tuesday, August 8 View Page The Sun also Rises - Rae of Hope (1634 Rea x 1552 Young) taped 107” circ. at 30 days. She thumps and looks like a bowling ball...   Wednesday, August 9 View Page Long Dong – At 8 days, Pliny the Younger has developed quite an impressive stem. It’s over 7 inches long and leaving him hanging close to the ground...   Friday, August 11 View Page Stairway to Heaven - Forever Young (1552 Young x Self) has stepped up the pace at day 35. Now packing on over 30 pounds a day she’s taping 287” OTT and enhancing her curves...   Friday, August 11 View Page Just Hanging – Betina hangs out with her pumpkin Pliny the Younger. Pliny has been hanging around to straighten his stem and get him properly oriented. Now it’s time for him to sit his ass down and get down to business...   Friday, August 11 View Page The Eagle has Landed – Pliny the Younger hit the ground running. At ten days he tapes 26” circ. - bigger than his sister Forever Young at the same age. He's gonna have to learn to share nice with his sister, however, since they are both on the same 1552 Young plant...   Sunday, August 13 View Page Rock of Ages - Rae of Hope (1634 Rea x 1552 Young) is starting to radiate a warm orange glow at 35 days. OTT is 282” and she has averaged just over 30 pounds a day over the last five days. There is nothing ethereal about Hope, she thumps like a rock...   Wednesday, August 16 View Page Breathless – Moments later the sky wept large warm drops. Perhaps there is something ethereal about Hope...   Wednesday, August 16 View Page Broad in the Beam - Forever Young (1552 Young x Self) at 40 days. Still growing well in spite of young Pliny on the same plant. Now at 311 OTT and cruising at 30# a day...   Wednesday, August 16 View Page Upstart – Pliny the Younger at 15 days, 45” circ. - Not bad for a late start...   Friday, August 18 View Page You say Tomatoe – I harvested 35 pounds of tomatoes yesterday. Mom’s tomato soup and salsa is on the menu...   Friday, August 18 View Page Hope is not Lost - Rae of Hope (1634 Rea x 1552 Young) has hit her stride at 40 days. Now taping 309” OTT with marvelous color and symmetry...   Monday, August 21 View Page Marmalade - Forever Young (1552 Young x Self) at 45 days. 328 OTT and now slowing down a bit thanks to her younger brother on the same plant...   Monday, August 21 View Page Dolce Vida - Pliny the Younger (1552 Young x 1634 Rea) tapes 69” circ. at 20 days. Life is good...   Wednesday, August 23 View Page Sweet Heart - Rae of Hope (1634 Rea x 1552 Young) 329” OTT at 45 days or about 800 pounds. Shot from above shows that she’s gotta lotta heart...   Saturday, August 26 View Page Day at the Beach - Forever Young (1552 Young x Self) spent day 50 relaxing in the sand. Now 344 OTT and still going about 20 pounds a day...   Saturday, August 26 View Page Price is Right - Pliny the Younger (1552 Young x 1634 Rea) tapes 91” circ. at 25 days and now averaging about 20 pounds a day. I’m not sure the 4’ by 4’ platform is gonna be big enough. Amazing plant is pushing two pumpkins for the price of one...   Monday, August 28 View Page Tangerine Dreams - Rae of Hope (1634 Rea x 1552 Young) 342” OTT at 50 days. I lost the stump on Hope to rot a few days ago. May have to cut the main vine near the stump to stop the rot from progressing down the vine. I must not lose Hope...   Thursday, August 31 View Page Butternut - Pliny the Younger (1552 Young x 1634 Rea) tapes 223” OTT at 30 days. Both Pliny and his sister have slowed down as expected with two pumpkins on the same plant. Pliny is about 250 lbs and averaging about 15 pounds a day now...   Saturday, September 2 View Page Stumped - I completely removed the stump and the first 5 sidevines on Rea of Hope. The rot had progressed some four feet down the main vine. Rae of Hope (1634 Rea x 1552 Young) is still growing slowly since the stump rotted out. Now 354” OTT at 55 days...   Sunday, September 3 View Page Stumped Again – Upon checking Forever Young’s stump I found two areas of rot forming. I removed as much brown snot as I could and treated the areas with sulfur paste. Hopefully slowed it down. I can’t expect any more big gains from either plant...   Tuesday, September 5 View Page Dappled Damsel - Forever Young (1552 Young x Self) at 60 days. Now 356 OTT and averaging 10 pounds/day. I found some late-growth skin cracks forming. She’s starting to show her age...   Tuesday, September 5 View Page Spotless - Pliny the Younger (1552 Young x 1634 Rea) tapes 241” OTT at 35 days and is averaging 15 pounds/day. He’s getting a lotta sun young in his life and most of his spots have disappeared...   Thursday, September 7 View Page Hope is not Lost - Amazingly Rae of Hope (1634 Rea x 1552 Young) continues to grow without a stump or the first 5 secondaries. Now 362” OTT at 60 days. That works out to 13 pounds/day over the last 5 days...   Sunday, September 10 View Page Color me Orange - Pliny the Younger (1552 Young x 1634 Rea) tapes 252” OTT at 40 days and is starting to color up. Growth has slowed to a crawl now. I may rename him Pliny the Petite...   Friday, September 15 View Page Cracker Ass - Forever Young (1552 Young x Self) at 70 days is crackin’ up. Still growing and busting out of her own hide. I may cut the main near the pumpkin to slow her down and help preserve her looks...   Friday, September 15 View Page Patch Hugs – Batina gives her pumpkin, Pliny the Younger (1552 Young x 1634 Rea) a hug of encouragement. The plant has lost the stump so he’s now connected to a single side vine with only a few tertiaries. Now taping 258” OTT at 45 days, he’s only moving 5 pounds a day...   Sunday, September 17 View Page Hope Endures - Rae of Hope (1634 Rea x 1552 Young) is still plugging along at 70 days. This stumpless wonder has added about 100 pounds in the last 10 days and still is looking rather young...   Wednesday, September 20 View Page Crazy Critter Chaos – It’s like an unprovoked Russian attack. An army of ground squirrels invaded the patch. Then a mole came in and left mounds on three sides of Rea of Hope. After that, a raccoon tore up the lawn next to the patch and I tested positive for Covid. At 50 days, Pliny remains rather stoic about it all and says: “What no volcano?”   Monday, October 2 View Page Forever on the Move - Forever Young (1552 Young x Self) was plucked today to go to a guess the weight contest at Town Hall. She fit in my truck but just barely. No weigh off for this pretty girl but I did get a secret UOW with my in-line scale...   Sunday, October 8 View Page Ready for Lift-Off – Pliny the Younger (1552 Young x 1634 Rea) is waiting to jump into Batina’s truck. Final tape is 269” OTT or 439 lbs at 69 days. Gorgeous color and shape - he’s looking to wow them at HMB tomorrow...   Sunday, October 8 View Page Hope Hops - Rae of Hope (1634 Rea x 1552 Young) hopped into the back of my truck and wants to hitch a ride to Half Moon Bay. Hope won’t be the biggest at the weigh-off but I’m looking for somewhere in the top ten...   Monday, October 9 View Page Heave Ho – Batina gives Pliny the Younger a lift so he can get into the back of the truck...   Monday, October 9 View Page Waiting in Line – Contestants wait patiently for their time on the scale at Half Moon Bay...   Monday, October 9 View Page Scale Bound – Ray of Hope heads for the scale with her honor guard. 1,366 pounds took 11th place...   Monday, October 9 View Page Jordon on the Move – Hey, this ain’t no beauty contest...   Monday, October 9 View Page Game of Thrones – Pliny the Younger is lifted with the other small beauties for a photo op at HMB. He took second for the Howard Dill...   Monday, October 9 View Page Record Pose – Batina and Joey pose in front of the new World Record at HMB. 2,749 pounds of gnarly wickedness...   Monday, October 9 View Page Queen for a Day – Rea of Hope on the scale being ogled by the crowd...   Tuesday, October 31 View Page Nose Job - Forever Young spoofs the world record’s antics by balancing Moo-Moo the Binky on her nose...   Tuesday, October 31 View Page Carnal Knowledge - Last day of the guess the weight contest in Los Altos Hills. Forever Young has kept the secret under her hat and wishes everyone a happy Holloween...   Sunday, November 5 View Page The Three Pumpkineers – All together now, Forever Young, Pliny the Younger and Rea of Hope plot their next escapade in front of my house. Who knows what new adventures are in store for our orange heros...   Saturday, December 23 View Page Pliny’s Santa Impersonation – The orange trio wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...