Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 142 Entries. Wednesday, January 23 View Page Brouillard Family Crest Friday, April 18 View Page Filed seeds 1502 Wallace, 1119 Mcmullen & 416 ott Mcmullen. Ice cream containers ready to go, filled with seedling starter soil, spaghum moss, some higromite, azomite, sea agri, bat guano. Still to early to start seeds. A Crest/Code of Arms, what do you think. Saturday, April 19 View Page Went to the horse track and got manure. I also picked up some compost. Sunday, April 20 View Page I have decided to go with the 1502 Wallace, 1119 Mcmullen & the 416 OTT Mcmullen. Thanks again to all the growers who sent me seeds. Sunday, April 20 View Page Higromite Sunday, April 20 View Page Azomite Sunday, April 20 View Page SEA-90 Tuesday, April 22 View Page Soaked seeds for 2 hours, under light and on a heating pad. Thursday, April 24 View Page This year I filed the seeds lightly and only soaked them for 2 hours, being extra careful. Well, three days later and no sign of change,maybe a little bigger. I moved them into the seed starter mix. Friday, April 25 View Page My savior. Good news, 1502 is starting to come out of its shell. Sunday, April 27 View Page Hopefully the cold weather is over with. The 1502 Wallace is slowly emerging from its shell, the 1119 & the 416OTT Mcmullen have yet to break the shell after a week. I still think they will grow. Saturday, May 3 View Page my seeds look like they were planted half in the safe zone and on the other side nuclear radiation efects are being felt. My 1119 & 416 ott mcmullen have'nt sprouted, my 1502 wallace is slowly growing, the leafs are the size of the shell, it is half dead, half growing. I started the last 416 mcmullen, filing I filed to deep and it went into where there is green, I'm hoping it grows. 2nd year curse? Sunday, May 11 View Page Still waiting for 4 seeds to come up, 7 days under light. Wednesday, May 14 View Page I hit the panic button, May 14th and I have'nt been able to get a seed to sprout. I just put four seeds in the ground as is, hopefully they will grow and I can keep the best growing. I also have two in a paper towel under heat light, they have'nt popped from the shell either. I will also be visiting my neighbor Wade and asking him for advice on getting my seeds going. Wade had a 792 pumpkin last year, he has won many other pumpkin contests. I will be praying to God for some pumpkin help. Wednesday, May 14 View Page Oh yeah, the corn I planted around the outside of the garden to act as a wind break is 2 inchs high, should make the knee high by the fourth of july. Thursday, May 29 View Page 555 Janicek is looking growing good, I was also givin a plant from my neighbor, waiting to find out what it is, has some of the biggest first 2 leafs I have ever seen. It is storming in minnesota with pea size hale, put a hole in the 555 Janicek leaf. I put in a gallon container, a spoon of azomite, spoon of higromite, tea spoon of sea agri, spoon of bat guano filled it, shook it, let it sit over night, watered both plants with it, and a little on the tomatoe's and corn stalk that was'nt growing as well as the others. Monday, June 2 View Page Yet another blunder, after taken a closer look I see I put one of the pumpkins in backwards, so I turned it around. I have never name3d my plants, so I will this year, 555Janicek I name "Two Scales" and the other one "The Green Crocidile" I'm hoping all goes well. Monday, June 2 View Page Already changed my mind "Ten Ton Crocidile" o'k, I'm happy. Thursday, June 5 View Page Well all is not bad, I was digging around where I planted a 842 polka and it looks like it is ready to break thru the surface. I also have a 792 wolf that I planted 3 weeks ago just come up. The thing is I have to plants going now so, the 842 polka and the 792 wolf might be used for pollinating. Storming here in Minnesota. Friday, June 6 View Page 555 Janicek "two scales" & I found out what the other plant was its a 1161 Holland "Ten Ton Croc" storms and windy in Minnesota. Saturday, June 7 View Page Finnaly some sun, even if it is only a few hours my plants need it. I have a seed that is breaking the surface after 4 weeks, I gave up on it, now I don't know what it is, have to find a home for it. My plants look like they are sitting in a vulcano, I have no outside protection, so to protect them from the weather I built up the sides. One foot tall all the way around. Saturday, June 7 View Page After going to canterbury park race track for some free horse manure today, I was adding it and I found another seed begining to sprout. Tuesday, June 10 View Page 555 two scales is looking a little better, leafs are getting bigger, weather is slowing it down. 1161 ten ton croc is also growing, maybe a inch a day. I finnaly gave in and went out and got about 50 sand bags, I stacked them up so that they are surrounded (the plants) 5 feet high on all four sides, right up close to the stem, I don't think they will get much sun, but, if everybody's doing it, the sandbag thing, I suppose I'll do it. He he, just kidding. Tuesday, June 17 View Page Being the profesionel gardener I am, I gave my pumpkins a wind break. I found a window screen, 4 ft x 8 ft, took the screen out, cut it in half the long way, giving me 2 2 x 4 pieces of screen, then I went out to the wooded tree area and found 2 3 ft sticks, wrapped them around the end of each stick, put them in the ground and wul ah, 2 wind breaks Tuesday, June 24 View Page We have landing, both plants have there main vine on the ground. Two scales (555 Janicek) is 3 ft out and looks very healthy, Ten Ton Crock (1161 Holland) was off to a fast start now has slowed and is 2 ft out, healthy, a little yellow looking. Thursday, July 3 View Page 555 janicek is doing great, 8 ft long, 1st female today, it is half the size of a pea, it is small, 1161 05 Holland is also doing good, 5 ft long, each have side vines going also. Fed them some Azomite & Higromite today. Sunday, July 6 View Page Vine Borers, I was digging up dirt to barry my vines with and I dug up a vine borer, I went to the other plant and the same thing,,I went out and bought some fruit tree spray by bonine, it has malathion in it and it kills vine borers. Ten ton crock has a pumpkin 6 ft out the size of a pea,, two scales has a pumpkin 8 nft out the size of a dime. Monday, July 7 View Page Ther 555 Janicek (two scales)now has a pumpkin at 8 ft and 10 feet & one at the end of a secondary vine, the third set up. I did damage a few of the leafs when I put on the malathion, I put it on a little heavy, or strong. Tuesday, July 8 View Page 555 Janicek, other wise known as "two scales" has 4 pumpkins growing on it, a record for me. Wednesday, July 9 View Page 555 Janicek is doing great, it has 6 pumpkins growing on it, I will cull them, but, 2 on the main, 2 on each side on the secondarys. Wednesday, July 9 View Page 8 pumpkins growing on one plant, another record for me, will I get more? I will be culling all but one or two. Tuesday, July 15 View Page Well my 555 Janicek has 14 pumpkins on it, a record for me. today I terminated one sideof the vines on both plants since I have limited room. Thursday, July 17 View Page Barried vines today. A frog snuck up on me, when I turned to look at it it leaped away. Waiting to pollinate a pumpkin on the 555 Janicek. The 792 Wolf that started to grow 3 weeks after I planted it is 6 feet long, I stripped the leafs off it, plan on using it for pollination if the timing works out, other wise I might just grow a pumpkin with it, very good looking plant. Thursday, July 17 View Page Pollinated my 555 janicek 3rd one out with 1161 holland, pollination went great, a bunch of flowers to choose from. Only I did'nt put a bag over it the night before, I hope I beat the bee's to it. Thursday, July 17 View Page I forgotm to mention it was a 5 lobe, the lobes were big and puffy. Friday, July 18 View Page Well, toeday I put a bag over a flower, expecting to pollinate tomorrow. I also am atempting to make my own fish emulsion. I have two containers, 6-8 gallons each, half filled with brown leafs each, mollases, purated pinapple (to keep smell down)brown sugar, some miracle grow, somposted manure, now I just have to catch some fish. Saturday, July 19 View Page Pollinated 555 with 1161 holland, pollination went perfectly. Went fishing and caught sunfish and one bullhead, chopped them up and put them in my containers, now I just stir daily for two weeks. Monday, July 21 View Page I added epsom salt and alfalfa to my fish emulsion/seaweed mix. 22 1/2 inch measurment after 10 days on the 1061 Holland, known around these parts as "The Ten Ton Crock" (o'k, just in my garden) Monday, July 21 View Page I think I added to much epsom salt, had to dilute it with a little more water, applied it to the plants, should no shortly if the plants like it. pumpkins look good. Tuesday, July 22 View Page stirred my home made fish emulsion/seaweed, fed the plants some. measured my ten ton crock (1161 Holland 05) 25 1/2 inchs, yah hoo, truckin right along. Wednesday, July 23 View Page Today is the 12th day after pollination for the 1161 Holland Ten Ton Crock, days got mixed up. Measured width 21, lenght 21, center stem to blossom 28, very round pumpkin. 555 Janicek is growing great, one is on about it's 5 day and looking good, with 3 others coming along, 2 of them pollinated. Thursday, July 24 View Page I could'nt believe it, I usually leave my tools out by the garden next to the patch,, I walk in there today and all my tools, watering cans are orbiting around the pumpkins,,,could be a good sign come the is fall,,I came to the conclusion they have there own gravity pull and are now just developing. Thursday, July 24 View Page 31 inch around on 1161 ten ton crock, pumpkins won't grow after the fir4st pumpkin which is only 6 feet out because I think of a little hole it got when some one steped on the main. Thursday, July 24 View Page Added 16 pounds of fish to my fish emulsion, also 8 ozs of dried seaweed. Thursday, July 24 View Page Ten Ton Crock (1161 Holland 05) growing right along, objects around it are starting to levitate, they are being pulled into its gravity pull, circling,,could be a good sign for this fall. Thursday, July 24 View Page Another view of a ten ton crock Thursday, July 24 View Page Side view of a ten ton crocidile Thursday, July 24 View Page 3 of 6 pumpkins on the 555 Janicek, "Two Scales" Plant grows great, I'm keeping the biggest, and I will keep one more for safety (if one aborts, culls itself) Thursday, July 24 View Page Two Scales, with soon to be pollinated pumpkin. Thursday, July 24 View Page Two Scales, a baby two scales, pollinated with the 1161 Holland. Thursday, July 24 View Page A Ten Ton Crock Thursday, July 24 View Page My Pumpkin patch surrounded by corn. Thursday, July 24 View Page Buckets of homemade fish emulsion/seaweed, both buckets have 10 pounds of fish, 1 pound of seaweed. Thursday, July 24 View Page I knew it, just as everything is going great, I look over in the corner and there is a ear of corn, laying there, husked, bit in half, Racoon's? they can have the corn just stay away from my pumpkins. Friday, July 25 View Page 34 inchs around the center of the Ten Ton Crocidile 1161 Holland Friday, July 25 View Page Pollinated (555 Janicek) Two Scales with 1161 Holland (The Crocidile plant) Want to keep two going for a while on the two scale plant, I don't know if I should of even pollinated another plant this late in the season. Friday, July 25 View Page 33 c,26L,26w for crocky, growing good as can be expected. Fed plants with my homemade fish emulsion/seaweed, time to decide on what 2 to keep on the 555 two scales. Saturday, July 26 View Page center 36 length 28 width 28 = 92 +7 inchs since yesterday. Saturday, July 26 View Page Fertilized everything with fish emulsion/seaweed. I accidently kicked one of my pumpkins, I hope it does'nt have a life long scar from it or worse yet, make it cull itself. I have a bad feeling it might. Saturday, July 26 View Page Culled the two furthest out. I have one at 12ft and 14ft, its a good thing I kept two because 5 minutes after culling two I kicked one of the two I saved, I hope it is'nt damaged. Sunday, July 27 View Page Ten Ton Crocidile or the 1161 Holland is 39c 29c 29c =97, could'nt ask for more, growing great. Two Scales is frowing great also. Added 8 more oz's of seaweed to my fish emulsion/seaweed mix, get my plants those growing hormones. Monday, July 28 View Page Two Scales 555 10 day's (1st pumpkin) c30,w23,l23 = 76, now to decide if I want to keep two on the plant or go with one. Ten Ton Crock 1161 c42,l31,w32 = 105 day 16 Monday, July 28 View Page Terminated the Two Scales 555 main today 25ft long guestimate, I have a small growing area. Tuesday, July 29 View Page Only 2 inch gain on the 1161 crocidile plant. My 555 two scales has a secondary on its secondary, I have never seen that before. Wednesday, July 30 View Page Culled smaller one on the 555 plant two scales. Bought a bag of manure/compost. Added molasses & pineapple juice to my homemade fish emulsion/seaweed, really smells, the fruit juice gets rid of the smell. Thursday, July 31 View Page 555 Two Scales c-43 l-31 w-31 = 105 30 pounds 1161 Ten Ton Crock c-49 l-34 w-36 = 1119 42 pounds Friday, August 1 View Page Day 20 measurements for 1161 Holland/Ten Ton Crocidile C52 L36 W37 = 125 Also measured 555 Two Scales C47 L34 W34 = 115 Sunday, August 3 View Page Plants look great. Today I was cutting off some of the dead leafs when I saw a sidevine that did'nt look healthy. I checked the inside and found a vine borer. I treated the plants with a fruit tree solution, it has malathion in it. Other than that the two scales 555 is passing up the croc 1161, 1161 crock is 7 days older than the 555 two scales. I also fed them fish emulsion/seaweed that I made myself, I mixed in a little miracle grow with it. Sunday, August 3 View Page Little rain last night. 1161 Crock C56 L39 W41 = 136 at 23 days 555 Two Scales C56 L39 W39 = 134 at 16 days Monday, August 4 View Page 1161 C57 L39 W41 = 137 555 C58 L40 W41 = 139 Monday, August 4 View Page 1161 C58 555 C59 fed the pumpkins fish emulsion/seaweed, homemade, just might be the best fish emulsion/seaweed in the world. Tuesday, August 5 View Page 1161 C59 L39 W41 = 139 555 C60 L43 W43 = 146 Wednesday, August 6 View Page 1161 crock C60 L44 W45 = 149/555two scales C64 L44 W45 = 153 Wednesday, August 6 View Page Watered everything, measure 555 "Two Scales" tomorrow for 20 day measurements, right now its meaures the same as a 1200 pumpkin would at 20 days. Thursday, August 7 View Page Day ten for 555 Janicek "Two Scales" C 67 L45 W 47 = 159 also measured 1161 "Ten Ton Crock" C 62 L42 W 44 = 148 Happy with the results on day ten for 555. Thursday, August 7 View Page I mean 20 days for 555, also misread tape by a few inchs on 1161. Friday, August 8 View Page 555 C70 L47 W47 = 166/1161 C63 1/2 L43 W45 = 156 1/2 Saturday, August 9 View Page 555 C72, fed and some water. Sunday, August 10 View Page 555 C73 L49 W50 = 172 wt 113 / 1161 C66 L43 W46 = 155 wt 85 Fed and watered Monday, August 11 View Page At 30 days for 1161 C 67 L 44 W 47 = 158 / 555 C 75 L 51 W 52 = 178 Tuesday, August 12 View Page 555 C78 L52 W53 = 183 / 1161 C67 L44 w47 = 158 1161 stayed the same overnite, fed with a little water and food. Wednesday, August 13 View Page 555 C 78 Thursday, August 14 View Page 555, C69 Thursday, August 14 View Page I mean 79, fed and watered, rained, covered with plastice cover. Saturday, August 16 View Page 30 days tommorow for the 555 (Two Scales) water fed some today. I had nothing to do a few days ago, I strolled through the local garden shop, they had superthrive, so I bought a small bottle of it. SO, for the last 3 days they have had a little superthrive mixed in with the regular fish emulsion/seaweed. Sunday, August 17 View Page 30 days for 555 Janicek (two scales) C95 L56 W58 = 209 194 pounds. 1161 Holland (ten tom crock) C71 L46 W48 = 165 101 pounds. Something took a swipe out of the 1161 plant, it has a 1 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch carved out of it, outside of the hole/divit there are claws from it, I think it was a raccoon. Monday, August 18 View Page I taped wrong again, 30 days it should be C85 total 199 for 169 pounds. Tuesday, August 19 View Page 555 C88 L57 W58 = 203 178 pounds, 1161 has really slowed. Wednesday, August 20 View Page 1161 has slowed to almost nothing. I can't judge the plant, I had a pumpkin at 6 feet out and the vine was still growing, I stepped on the plant vine and put a hole in it, the vine practicaly stopped, I kept the 6ft out pumpkin, a month later the vine healed itself and the main took off, it was to late to keep any of the pumpkins and reach my goal of 500 pounds. 555 turning a little more orange, slowly growing but growing, I would like to have a few of those 30 pound gain days that some of the people have. Watered 110 gallons, been hot all day. Thursday, August 21 View Page 1161 Holland (Ten Ton Crock) Day 40 C71 L45 W49, pumpkins are turning more orange. Friday, August 22 View Page Fed with fish emulsion/seaweed, 26 gallons. Pulled a vine, a crqack in the vine had little black vines living in it, killing it. Sunday, August 24 View Page 555 C87 L60 w60 = 207 188pounds, watered 204 gallons, alot of buckets. A sidevine got by me, I cut off all the side vines, I looked at my corn and a vine was crawling up six feet up the corn. Sunday, August 24 View Page Added another 100 gallons tonight, garden is swamped. Monday, August 25 View Page Watered with 100 gallons and gave fish emulsion/seaweed. Still have'nt had any of those big days, where they gain 30 pounds over night. Wednesday, August 27 View Page 40 days for 555, C90 L60 W63 = 213, Pumpkin nook says that equals 263 pounds, Pumpkin patch says its 204. Either way I have at least beat my pb of 100pds this year. Rained today. Wednesday, August 27 View Page It ways 263, the lower weight was from a chart from 2001, the heavier was from a 2005 chart, done by the same people,,it only makes sense that I go with the heavier newer one,,congratulations to me. Wednesday, August 27 View Page I did it again, it should read 219 pounds. Wednesday, August 27 View Page 50 pound gain in ten days, 5 pound a day average. Saturday, August 30 View Page 100 gallons each plant alo0ng with alot of fish emulsion/seaweed. Could not find potash at 3 different stores. I patted the pumpkin and it sounded hollow. Saturday, August 30 View Page 100 gallons each plant along with alot of fish emulsion/seaweed. Could not find potash at 3 different stores. I patted the pumpkin and it sounded hollow. Monday, September 1 View Page 50 days 1161 C68 L46 W50 = 164 105 pounds slowed to almost nothing, is still alive, vines keep trying to grow out. Watered 130 gallons this afternoon, will water again this evening. Friday, September 5 View Page Watered 70 gallons each, even thou the 1161 has gained about 1 pound a week I treat it the same as the other one. 50 days for 555 Janicek tommorow. Saturday, September 6 View Page 555 50 days C94 L62 W63 = 219 231 pounds Saturday, September 6 View Page About 2 pounds a day (better than nothing) Tuesday, September 9 View Page 1161 Holland has been picked. The ten ton crock weighed 107, so, it is now Brouillard 107 (1161Holland x open) open as in the bee's did it. I did say I pollinated with the 555 Janicek, but, when I pollinated a pumpkin that I later culled, I had two bee's in the flower with in 30 seconds of me pollinating, so, with me not putting a bag over them the night before I am almost certain they were pollinated by bees before I got there. It was cut up after I draged it with a painters drop cloth over a rocky gravel walk way, it was leaking pumpkijn. Tuesday, September 9 View Page That's the (uow) un official weight, the weight used is with the ott tape method. Friday, September 12 View Page Watered my 555 two scales, 60 gallon & a lot of fish emulsion seaweed. Thursday, September 18 View Page Watered and fed. weighs 250, going for 275 now. Would make a great jack a lantern. Wednesday, September 24 View Page Final measurements, unofficial weight 237 pounds W94 L62 L64, stump rotted and yesterday I pulled it. Thursday, September 25 View Page 499 seeds in the Brouillard 237, Two Scales. Wednesday, October 1 View Page 237 Brouillard Wednesday, October 1 View Page Garden Wednesday, October 1 View Page Side view Wednesday, October 1 View Page Two Scales Wednesday, October 1 View Page 499 seeds Wednesday, October 1 View Page Gabe & Dylan Wednesday, October 1 View Page Me, Richard Wednesday, October 1 View Page Me again Wednesday, October 1 View Page Ginger, my wife. Wednesday, October 1 View Page root system Wednesday, October 1 View Page Underside of the pumpkin. Wednesday, October 1 View Page In the sun. Wednesday, October 1 View Page Different view. Wednesday, October 1 View Page Underneath. Wednesday, October 1 View Page Under up. Wednesday, October 1 View Page Its bottom. Wednesday, October 1 View Page Getting the seeds with gabe. Wednesday, October 1 View Page Chopped up Pumpkin. Wednesday, October 1 View Page Stillwater weigh off entry. Wednesday, October 1 View Page Gabe and Giant Wednesday, October 1 View Page Stillwater Wednesday, October 1 View Page Stillwater. Wednesday, October 1 View Page Big pumpkin. Wednesday, October 1 View Page Boat bridge lift and pumpkin. Wednesday, October 1 View Page Weighing crew Wednesday, October 1 View Page Odd shaped pumpkin. Wednesday, October 1 View Page Checking the bottom. Wednesday, October 1 View Page paddle boat. Wednesday, October 1 View Page Viewers. Wednesday, October 1 View Page Weighing. Wednesday, October 1 View Page Stillwater weigh off. Tuesday, October 21 View Page Made some seaweed fertilizer, I went to the oriental foods store, bought some seaweed, put it in the oven at 200 for 10 minutes, turned oven off, let sit for 45 minutes in oven, took out, seaweed was crumbly, not quite a powder, put in a gallon container with water, my homemade seaweed fertilizer is born, I plan on mixing some in with my soil around the seedling next spring.