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288 Entries.
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Saturday, February 18
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Another year, and I'm feeling especially ambitious! The goals for 2017 are to grow a 2000+ pound pumpkin as well as the biggest squash of the year.
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Saturday, February 18
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Oh, one more goal: I want a repeat win at Half Moon Bay.
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Saturday, February 18
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The first soil sample was collected. The pH is a bit higher than I anticipated. The season officially started today: sample mailed to the lab and I anticipate results on Thursday or Friday.
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Saturday, February 18
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Happy Valentines Day to me! A load of lime is the way to win my heart!
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Saturday, March 4
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I got to speak at the Elk Grove pumpkin seminar! How fun. The California growers are great guys!
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Saturday, March 4
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Elk Grove seminar
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Saturday, March 4
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After my long winded talk...whew!
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Saturday, March 4
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I visited the Capitol afterwards to kill some time. It was a nice evening.
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Saturday, March 4
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It was so neat to go inside of the Capitol building and see that they had a beautiful statue on display in the rotunda depicting me on my Half Moon Bay float! I'm glad that Russ Pingrey, holding his pumpkin got sculpted too. Such detail! Thank you California for the beautiful and fitting tribute! ;)
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Saturday, March 11
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It's good to be me! Jack LaRue came by tonight with some late Christmas presents to add to my starting lineup. Yay!!! 2000 pounds here I come!
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Sunday, March 12
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I got to speak down in Oregon at the PGVG spring seminar. Very nice and informative meeting!
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Sunday, March 12
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I got to sit next to the illustrious Squash King!
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Friday, March 17
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This was my first trip to Niagara Falls for the Big Show!
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Friday, March 17
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I met one of my goals to be Top 10 in the Grower of the Year!
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Saturday, March 18
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I'm in very good company!
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Saturday, March 18
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Another goal achieved!
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Saturday, March 18
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Awesome!!!
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Saturday, March 18
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It was a fun Big Show! Now it's time to get the patch in order and plan for seed starting in a few short weeks. I'm super excited!
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Sunday, March 26
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The cover crop is ready for a mow (if it would ever stop raining).
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Sunday, March 26
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Almost all of my amendments are at the patch ready to be spread (if this rain ever let's up...).
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Sunday, March 26
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It has been an unusually wet March. I'm hoping to rototill this weekend...the forecast has a couple of dry days...I'll believe it when I see it though. Western Washington has had only 3 nice days since OCTOBER! My daughter graduates from high school in June of 2021...and after that I'm seriously considering a new, sunnier location to show my horses, grow my pumpkins and hang my hat.
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Friday, March 31
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The first sunny day of the year! I spread 1048 pounds of amendments and 4 yards of biochar by hand via a 5 gallon bucket and a washtub.
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Saturday, April 1
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Rosalyn is growing 2 plants for competition this year! Today she is spreading her 600 pounds of amendments. She's grumbling about it...but in a good way...ha.
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Saturday, April 1
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Her motivation: money for a car. She's 14 this year, so car buying will be here before we know it.
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Saturday, April 1
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She's so cute!
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Saturday, April 1
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Meanwhile....I've got more biochar to spread before the tilling.
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Saturday, April 1
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It feels like a never-ending job.
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Sunday, April 2
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Rototilling day!
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Sunday, April 2
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Mmmmm....looks good!
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Thursday, April 6
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Things are getting serious in the Tobeck patch: I dug a ditch and am getting power patch side this week. No more running multiple extension cords to the house!
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Sunday, April 9
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Today I installed 6 soil heating cables...whew!
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Thursday, April 13
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The seeds are filed. The thermostat, heat mat and lighting are set up and tested!
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Friday, April 14
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The seeds are soaking for 8 hours in a weak kelp/ humic mixture while the 4" pots warm up. First thing in the morning the seeds will get planted! I'm gazing upon them dreaming of 2000-pounders and Half Moon Bay....
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Saturday, April 15
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All finished digging and placing the uprights for 3 big greenhouses.
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Monday, April 17
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We're already pushing up dirt in 5 pots! That's pretty early! I wasn't expecting that until the morning! Yay, yay YAY!
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Tuesday, April 18
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As of 7 AM: 9 are up!
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Tuesday, April 18
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As of 4:30 PM, 16 are up!
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Tuesday, April 18
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As of 9:30 pm, 17 are up! The last three are backups, so a big sigh of relief that all of my competition plants germinated. Whew! Meanwhile tonight I got all of my big 1.5 gallon pots filled with all sorts of wonderful things. I anticipate transplanting them to their big pots the 19th or 20th.
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Wednesday, April 19
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100% germination success three years running! Let the games begin!
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Wednesday, April 19
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Their area is all cleaned up, lights and reflective film and fan positioned .....grow babies grow!
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Thursday, April 20
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All of the babies got repotted in their big 1.9 gallon pots tonight. My foot for size perspective....I'm anticipating a cool, wet spring, so they might be spending a bit more time in the house.
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Monday, April 24
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Roslyn and her friend learned how to install t tape.
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Monday, April 24
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They did a GREAT job!
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Monday, April 24
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Meanwhile the sprouts are growing and I'm building greenhouses.
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Monday, April 24
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Greenhouse #1
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Monday, April 24
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All three greenhouses: They're 20 x 25 feet. I've been working in the rain.....I swear, it never stops raining here.
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Friday, April 28
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Tuesday through Thursday we had some high winds that rocked my greenhouses. I spent the last couple nights making repairs, and anchoring them down better with heavy cinder blocks at each corner. Then last night I got the end pieces of plastic on in time for today's sunshine to heat up and dry out my soil.
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Friday, April 28
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The babies are looking pretty good. I did get my T5's too close one day and the newer 2nd leaves suffered. I'm not too worried since they're growing fast and those little leaves will soon be a distant memory.
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Friday, April 28
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The babies all get to be outside today for the first time. I'd normally be planted out by the 26th, but with my 1.9 gallon pots, I'm in no rush. I'll harden them off this week, get my soil warm and then get them in the ground before next weekend.
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Sunday, April 30
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The patch has its own power as of today! Yay!
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Monday, May 1
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Jack and I had a fun road trip hauling this giant salmon back to its home after a salmon festival I held at school today. We talked pumpkins and tomatoes for 5 hours, which is always fun.
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Monday, May 1
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Once I got home at 8 PM, I was feeling quite motivated to plant the babies outside. The soil was perfectly moist and warmed to 70 degrees. Tonight will be mild, and tomorrow will be cloudy, so I figured it would make a perfect time to transition before we get into the 70's Wednesday and Thursday. So I worked nearly 3 hours transplanting. Everyone got double planted.
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Monday, May 1
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Here is the final line up for 2017.
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Tuesday, May 2
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Baby pictures!
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Tuesday, May 2
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More babies!
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Tuesday, May 2
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And more...
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Tuesday, May 2
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Yay babies!
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Tuesday, May 2
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Some baby squashes too!
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Tuesday, May 2
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Those are all of my babies! Rosalyn still has hers under the lights and needs to get her hoop houses made asap!!!
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Wednesday, May 3
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I'm trying to look like the American Gothic painting. Ha! Anyway, it's our first day in the 70's, and my pale skin hasn't seen the sun since October 2016! The babies all look happy and did well in the heat. Weeds have germinated in the patch and some residual rye cover crop is growing so I spent some time spraying.
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Thursday, May 4
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Washington and Oregon growers can relate I'm sure!
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Saturday, May 6
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Good morning from the Tobeck patch! Annie just had a nice roll and is enjoying her breakfast. The babies are getting some kelp/humid today. Everyone is looking perky and ready to take off!
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Saturday, May 6
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Hoop 1
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Saturday, May 6
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Hoop 2
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Saturday, May 6
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hoop 3
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Saturday, May 6
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Rosalyn finally built her two greenhouses and planted out.
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Saturday, May 6
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Here it is before covering with plastic! She built two of them.
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Saturday, May 6
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Here is Rosalyn getting ready to plant with some granular fertilizer, Pumpkin Pro and Azos.
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Saturday, May 6
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Planting her 1910 and 1625 in her hoop #1
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Saturday, May 6
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Here she is in hoop #2 watering-in her 1545 Holubs.
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Saturday, May 6
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Here are her two hoop houses, complete with automatic opening windows on both ends with fans. She wasn't willing to dig soil heating cables....oh well. I choose my battles!
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Tuesday, May 9
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So far, I'm liking the 2145.
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Tuesday, May 9
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This 2145 looks to be the better of the two also.
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Tuesday, May 9
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I like the third then the first 1844's the best.
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Tuesday, May 9
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Battle of the 1910's.
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Tuesday, May 9
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Both of these look great, but I've pretty much got to give the nod to the 2624 barring any accidents.
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Tuesday, May 9
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Both of these are beauties! This will be a real dilemma! Do I go with the proven, even though I already have two others....or go with the unknown???
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Sunday, May 14
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Despite the cold and wet weather, my plants are growing pretty well. I've been pruning tendrils for over a week now. I took a measuring tape out to the patch this morning and measured the vines. Here are my longest: 1910: 20"; 1904: 20"; 2624: 17"; 1844*: 22"; 2145: 24". I know better than to think this means anything at all, but I am surprised they're growing in this lame weather!
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Monday, May 15
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Look at that beauty! They're growing well in the cold; I can't wait to see how well they do in the warm weather coming up on Thursday!
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Tuesday, May 16
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Finally! The sun should really help to accelerate things!
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Tuesday, May 16
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Hoop 1
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Tuesday, May 16
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Hoop 1
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Tuesday, May 16
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Squashes in hoop 2
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Tuesday, May 16
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The other end of hoop 2 with the other world record.
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Tuesday, May 16
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Hoop 3
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Tuesday, May 16
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The other side of hoop 3 and my biggest plant with a 3 foot main already!
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Friday, May 19
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The new logo has been released....guess what I'm thinking about....I want to bring another big pumpkin down there!
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Friday, May 19
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I got my drip lines all untangled and repaired where needed then fired up the system!
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Friday, May 19
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Here is the back side of the patch. Vine burying started today, and my longest is 4 foot 4 inches, with the others in hot pursuit. Since they've laid down nicely, I was able to make culling decisions on most of the plants. So far in hoop 1 the 1910 is selected; in hoop 2 the 2624 and 1844 are my chosen ones, then in hoop 3 my 2145 gets the nod. All I have left to decide on are the 2145 vs 2307 and in hoop 3 the 2145 vs 2075.
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Sunday, May 21
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The 1910 Tobeck is looking happy!
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Sunday, May 21
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It's hard not to love the 2075...argh.
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Sunday, May 21
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A couple more beauties.
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Sunday, May 21
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My squash plant is huge!
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Sunday, May 21
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The longest vine in the patch! It's as long as I am tall!
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Sunday, May 21
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This one has the biggest leaves in the patch.
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Monday, May 22
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Little ladies are showing themselves on three plants. My vines are going crazy! 6 footers!!!
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Wednesday, May 24
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Lots of burying and pruning tonight. We had a windstorm last night and the 2307 got a twisted vine, so it's no longer a contender, and I'll keep the 2145 next to it. My most beautiful plant, the 2624's fan landed on its last 18" of main vine tip, but no damage was done-whew! On my final inspection of the hoops tonight, this guy scared me half to death! He was trying to get out and I was trying to keep him from flailing into the 2624 and 1844* plants! He managed to calm down, and I persuaded him successfully to the exit.
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Wednesday, May 24
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Quail...right-side-up.
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Sunday, May 28
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Patch tour!
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Sunday, May 28
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Squash
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Sunday, May 28
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2145
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Sunday, May 28
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2145s neighbor....
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Sunday, May 28
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And another 2145...ha!
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Sunday, May 28
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2624
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Sunday, May 28
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1910 is so lovely!
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Tuesday, May 30
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Males in bloom on the 2145. This is the earliest I've had them!
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Friday, June 2
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I taught Rosalyn how to spray weeds.
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Saturday, June 3
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This weekend is all about horse showing! I'm missing my pumpkin patch, but having fun and winning a lot at the Regional Championship show. My mare, Annie won all of our working hunter over fences classes. She's so cute!
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Saturday, June 3
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Annie says hi!
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Sunday, June 4
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I'm back home from the horse show and am so tired, but mustered up enough energy to get totally caught up in my patch. I sprayed the soil with some micronutrients, foliar fed the plants, pruned and buried vines.
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Sunday, June 4
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The north side. The plants on this side aren't quite as long as the south side, where they're all out of the hoop houses a few feet.
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Sunday, June 4
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1910 Tobeck
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Sunday, June 4
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2624 world record progeny
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Sunday, June 4
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2145 #3
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Sunday, June 4
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2145 #1
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Sunday, June 4
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The stud of the patch: 1844.5* Holub
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Sunday, June 4
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2145 #2...my big one!
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Sunday, June 4
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Rosalyn and her 1545 Holub.
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Sunday, June 11
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Happy Sunday! It's patch tour day! Normally this weekend if do my annual measuring of the vines...but I've come to realize that has absolutely nothing to do with the final weights if my pumpkins, so I won't be doing that. All of the vines are quite respectable and long, and more importantly, every one of them is poised to pollinate in my perfect time frame and in perfect position in the coming days! I see little babies on each tip, so I'm shooting for the 20th-29th as my target. I'll have a few before that, including 2 tomorrow.
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Sunday, June 11
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North side of the patch. These plants are a few feet shorter than the south side.
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Sunday, June 11
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1910 Tobeck
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Sunday, June 11
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2624
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Sunday, June 11
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2145 north side hoop 3
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Sunday, June 11
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2145 south side hoop 3
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Sunday, June 11
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1844.5 Holub squash
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Sunday, June 11
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2145 south side hoop 1
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Wednesday, June 14
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South side of the patch and I'm getting ready to bury vines after 6 days s8nce some wind and rain are coming tonight.
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Wednesday, June 14
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This is pretty much what I look and feel like after burying vines on 6 plants in the hoophouses....
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Thursday, June 15
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My giant cabbage is looking decent.
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Thursday, June 15
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I'm making 50 gallons of tea for tomorrow's drench.
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Sunday, June 18
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1910
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Sunday, June 18
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2624
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Sunday, June 18
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North 2145
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Sunday, June 18
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Hoop three 2145 south
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Sunday, June 18
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1844.5*
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Sunday, June 18
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2145 Hoop one
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Wednesday, June 21
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1844.5* x self
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Friday, June 23
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North 2145 x self
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Friday, June 23
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The big south 2145 x self
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Saturday, June 24
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The hoop houses have been off for 3 days and the plants have acclimated well. 90+ degrees for a couple of days, so I brought some overhead sprinklers out to cool them in the afternoons.
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Sunday, June 25
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2145 Hoop 1 x self
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Sunday, June 25
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1910
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Sunday, June 25
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2624
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Sunday, June 25
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2145 north
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Sunday, June 25
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2145 south
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Sunday, June 25
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1844.5* (My fav plant)
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Sunday, June 25
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2145 Hoop 1
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Sunday, June 25
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Rosalyn weeding and pruning her two plants.
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Sunday, June 25
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2624 x self
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Tuesday, June 27
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1910 x sib
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Tuesday, June 27
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1844.5* x self @ 19'
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Tuesday, June 27
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2145 south x self
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Thursday, June 29
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2145 Hoop 1 back up pollinated.
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Friday, June 30
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2145 north back up pollinated.
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Friday, June 30
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Today marks 100 days until Half Moon Bay! I can't wait to go back there!
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Saturday, July 1
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Horse show weekend! I love coming home to see the pumpkins' growth!
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Sunday, July 2
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Patch tour! Everything is pollinated it seems, so right now my world is all about pruning, vine burying, fertilizing and foliar feeding. Soon they'll kick into gear and I can cull, sand and position.
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Sunday, July 2
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1910 plant
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Sunday, July 2
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1910 fruit x sib
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Sunday, July 2
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2624 plant
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Sunday, July 2
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2624 fruit
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Sunday, July 2
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2145 north side plant
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Sunday, July 2
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2145 north fruit
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Sunday, July 2
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2145 south side plant
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Sunday, July 2
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2145 south youngest fruit
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Sunday, July 2
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2145 south 2nd choice fruit
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Sunday, July 2
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1844.5 Holub squash offspring
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Sunday, July 2
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Squash choice #1
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Sunday, July 2
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Squash choice #2
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Sunday, July 2
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2145 Hoop house 1
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Sunday, July 2
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2145 hoop1 fruit...oozing slightly because I just scratched it...doh! I patched it up with a pumpkin flower petal as a band aid (it really works!).
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Sunday, July 9
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North side of the patch this morning.
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Sunday, July 9
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South side of the patch.
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Sunday, July 9
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1910 x sib pollinated 6/27
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Sunday, July 9
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2624 pollinated 6/26; I am not in love with the shape of this one....
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Sunday, July 9
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2145 north pollinated 6/23. I love this pumpkin!
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Sunday, July 9
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2145 south pollinated 6/27.
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Sunday, July 9
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Believe it or not, this is a squash...really! It's so very light green. 1844.5* x self pollinated 6/21.
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Sunday, July 9
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2145 West (hoop1) pollinated 6/25.
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Thursday, July 20
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I have been getting nice phone calls and emails wondering if I'm ok and wondering where their pumpkin queen is...ha! Don't worry, I've been horse showing out of town, and got back a little late for my usual patch tour last Sunday. I didn't think anyone would even notice I was gone....here are Agate and me on a cross country course last Sunday.
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Thursday, July 20
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And here we are in our working hunter class:
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Thursday, July 20
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And my cute boy won his division championship!
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Thursday, July 20
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The next day I went on a patch tour at Charity's then a hike to the most beautiful waterfall I've ever seen: Lower Lewis Falls in southwest Washington on the Lewis River. Once again, by the time I got home, it was too late for a patch tour. But tomorrow I shall put on my overalls and show you around the Tobeck patch. Things are growing nicely! There are a few big ones, and a couple UGLY ones too. So until tomorrow...
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Friday, July 21
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Hello from Littlerock!
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Friday, July 21
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1910
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Friday, July 21
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2624...ugly
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Friday, July 21
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2145 North
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Friday, July 21
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2145 South
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Friday, July 21
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1844.5*
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Friday, July 21
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Ugh...what a disappointment. Someone hot my 2145 West with an ugly stick.
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Friday, July 21
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Another 1910
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Friday, July 21
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1545
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Friday, July 21
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Thats a wrap from the Tobeck patch!
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Friday, July 21
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Camping trip on the Olympic Peninsula; goodbye pumpkins for 4 days!
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Monday, July 24
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Rosalyn' s patch is looking pretty decent...time for her to weed, prune and bury! 1910 in front, and 1545 behind.
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Monday, July 24
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A peek at my patch....
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Monday, July 24
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I've wanting one of these and I FINALLY have one: a Siamese twin baby! It's on my 1910 and I will try to pollinate it! I have seen 2 field pumpkins who were Siamese twins, and they each had an inner wall which made them substantially heavy. I don't know of a mature twin AG, so this could be exciting! I have a pretty pumpkin growing on the 1910 right now, but this is too exciting to not at least try!
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Thursday, July 27
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We're getting away from the patch for a road trip to Cannon Beach, Oregon. Goodbye pumpkins for 4 days!
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Monday, July 31
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Patch tour! Here is the north side of my patch.
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Monday, July 31
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Rosalyn's patch is looking pretty good.
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Monday, July 31
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1910 Siamese twins are getting ready to pollinate! A triple pumpkin mega bloom!!!
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Monday, July 31
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1910
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Monday, July 31
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2624 is not quite as ugly as last time!
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Monday, July 31
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2145 North: 46 pounds a day!
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Monday, July 31
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2145 South: 45 pounds a day!
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Monday, July 31
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1844...if it's going to turn green, it is certainly taking its sweet time! Well, whether it decides to be a squash or pumpkin, it's doing well: 50 pounds a day!
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Monday, July 31
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2145 west
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Monday, July 31
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My cabbage is getting big and dense!!!
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Monday, July 31
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Rosalyn's 1910
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Monday, July 31
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Rosalyn's 1545
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Tuesday, August 1
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I've put up shade cloth over all my young growth in anticipation of the heat wave. Additionally, I have scheduled overhead watering during the heat of the day to supplement my drip tapes. Grow pumpkins, grow!
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Tuesday, August 1
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Here is our forecast. This is Seattle; For Olympia/Littlerock, it'll be 2 degrees warmer each day. Not the Hell-like conditions my friends south of me in Oregon will be facing, but nonetheless, I'll be ready.
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Wednesday, August 2
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The 1910 triple megabloom got pollinated today x sib. Rosalyn saved me 4 flowers, and now there are no more blooms.
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Friday, August 4
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The Thurston County giant pumpkin growers got together for a patch tour! Here are Jeff Uhlmeyer, myself and Jack LaRue at the last stop: my patch.
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Friday, August 4
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Rosalyn's 1545
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Friday, August 4
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Rosalyn's 1910
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Friday, August 4
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My 1910
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Friday, August 4
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2624 (the ugly side)
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Friday, August 4
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2145 North
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Friday, August 4
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2145 South
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Friday, August 4
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1844.5
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Friday, August 4
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2145 West
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Friday, August 4
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We visited Jack's patch at around lunch time and Sherry fed us well!
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Friday, August 4
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Jack has some nice tomatoes growing and I was hard pressed to find a single weed in his large greenhouse!
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Friday, August 4
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Jack's tomato greenhouse
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Friday, August 4
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Megabloom tomatoes everywhere!
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Friday, August 4
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We started at Jeff's, who has incredibly healthy plants and some impressive fruit. The last time I saw his plants was in early May when I rescued them all from collapsed greenhouses while he was out of town. It was nice to see what a great season he is having after such a violent storm nearly ended his season.
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Saturday, August 5
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It looks to me that the 1910 megabloom was successful!
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Friday, August 11
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The pumpkins are growing! I've been so busy with my crazy life lately, I haven't had time to post! Bad news: the 1910 conjoined twin aborted. Boo.
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Sunday, August 13
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The patch is mostly filled in, and they're outpacing last year by 200+pounds! Grow, grow, GROW!!!!
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Sunday, August 13
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2145 south
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Sunday, August 27
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North side of the patch.
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Sunday, August 27
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1910
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Sunday, August 27
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2624
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Sunday, August 27
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2145 north
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Sunday, August 27
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South side of the patch.
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Sunday, August 27
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2145 south
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Sunday, August 27
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1844.5
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Sunday, August 27
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2145 west
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Tuesday, August 29
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2145 North
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Friday, September 1
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New Washington State record cabbage: 63 pounds! Yay!
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Friday, September 1
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Rosalyn won the junior grower, and 2nd place overall for GPC at the Washington State Fair with her 983 pounder. I took my smallest, and it weighed 511 pounds.
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Tuesday, September 12
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Look who is the HMB cover girl! 27 days until I return to CA! I can't WAIT!!!!!
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Thursday, September 14
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This big beauty gets a new greenhouse before the rain and fall temperatures come on Sunday! Lets see if greenhouse, remay, heaters and lights can help me make make a little history!
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Thursday, September 14
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And viola! Done after 2 nights! Much thanks to Jack who came over tonight to help me finish just before dark.
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Thursday, September 21
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Check out the new Half Moon Bay Promo video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J1rmvH7IRg
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Thursday, September 21
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2145 North has a new name: Death Star! Here we are annihilating smaller pumpkins that stand in our way!
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Friday, September 22
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...from a galaxy far, far away....
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Tuesday, September 26
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On my way to foliar feed the Death Star! It's still ravenous and growing!
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Tuesday, September 26
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2624
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Tuesday, September 26
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Night time in the Tobeck patch: The Death Star still thinks it's summer.
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Thursday, September 28
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2145 South gets a new name in time for its debut: WRECKING BALL!
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Sunday, October 1
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2145 West (Power Puff) was the smallest in the patch and ended up being 1526 pounds! Not bad for the ugliest baby pumpkin I've ever seen and stump rot! I took it to the Skagit Valley Giant Pumpkin weigh off and got 2nd place.
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Wednesday, October 4
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I'm in FULL FREAKOUT mode right now! I found a trailer and my 6x6' pallet is made and loaded. I can't sleep...I'm in a constant state of stress...my pumpkin is taping bigger than anything posted on the GPC list, and it just gave me 2 MORE inches in 3 days! I'm now officially registered for Half Moon Bay and Bauman's...OMG!!!!! I can't believe I have ANOTHER once-in-lifetime pumpkin!!!! I've got an extra seat...who's up for an epic road trip!?
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Friday, October 6
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Loaded!
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Saturday, October 7
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Wrecking Ball (2145 South x self) at Bauman's Harvest Festival weighed in at 1836 pounds! 12% HEAVY!
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Saturday, October 7
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The leader board: we got 2nd place!
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Sunday, October 8
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HMB growers' dinner tonight....look at the t shirt I found en route earlier today to wear! DEATH STAR !!!
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Monday, October 9
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Once again I rode my pumpkin into Half Moon Bay! So much fun!!!
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Monday, October 9
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The Death Star is all harnessed and ready in the staging area!
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Monday, October 9
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I met my goal of bringing a 2000 pound pumpkin back down to HMB!!!
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Monday, October 9
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SUPER HAPPY!!! It was a great day full of happy memories!
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Saturday, October 14
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2145 south clones (Wrecking Ball)
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Saturday, October 14
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2145 North clones (Death Star)
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Sunday, October 15
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The patch is all cleaned out and most of my toys are put away. Two of the pumpkins are sold for display, and the 1844 on the right will go to the Terminator weigh off and regatta Saturday in Tualatin, Oregon. I just need 1562 pounds to get my 5400 pound club patch. I've got manure ordered, so as soon as that's all spread, I can seed my rye cover crop and finish the 2017 season.
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Friday, October 20
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*1844.5 loaded for the Terminator weigh off and regatta tomorrow. It's going to be like rowing an aircraft carrier....I grow for weight, not speed, so that's ok.
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Friday, October 20
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It's taking up it's fair share of the 7' wide trailer. I had to add side pallets to support it. I just need 1562 pounds tomorrow to get into the elite 5400 pound club.
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Saturday, October 21
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1661 pounds at Terminator! I met my goal of getting in the 5400 pound club! It's cold, windy and SO RAINY here for the regatta! I'm bundled up with jeans AND rain pants, but wanted to show off my shirt from Poti Gonzales Ferris that he brought me! This pumpkin holds a lot of water, so I'm going to name it, HOT TUB TIME MACHINE!
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Saturday, October 21
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Hot Tub Time Machine!!!
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Sunday, October 22
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The very last pumpkin, the 2624 was loaded up and I'll take it to the Seattle Aquarium for display and carving. It got a small but fatal stem split early on so I caulked it hoping it would continue to grow and be a good carving pumpkin.I quit measuring it Sept. 13, and it was 386", or 1284 pounds.
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Sunday, October 22
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It's a nice barrel.
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Sunday, October 22
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And now the patch is empty! Next week I'll spread manure and compost then seed it with winter rye. All week it'll be sunny and mid 60s, so that's perfect.
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Sunday, October 22
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Dropping off the 2624 at the Seattle Aquarium. I can't wait to see it all carved up!
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Sunday, October 22
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I need one of these I've decided....
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Sunday, October 22
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Update from Vince who is keeping an eye on the 2002 Tobeck: it's been happily resting at Farmer John's pumpkin patch in HMB, and getting visited by many school children. That makes me so happy!
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Monday, October 23
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The manure is all spread! Wednesday will be compost then cover cropping.
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Wednesday, October 25
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Mmmmmmm....it's as good as Christmas morning!
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Thursday, October 26
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I worked late last night spreading and smoothing my compost, then seeding my cover crop.
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Thursday, October 26
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Little Storm Troopers are drawn to the Death Star....so cute!
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Thursday, October 26
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Huge shout out to Vince Zunino who has been very diligent watching over the Death Star in the unseasonably hot fall weather in HMB. He opened it up, and it's a good count of large, brown seeds he harvested. Thanks Vince!!!
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Thursday, October 26
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2002 Tobeck (2145 McMullen x self). The seeds look big and plump!
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Sunday, October 29
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Here is my 2624 all carved up at the Seattle Aquarium! Russ Leno did a nice job!
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Wednesday, November 1
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Today I harvested seeds from the Wrecking Ball! It was nice and uniformly thick inside!
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Wednesday, November 1
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Nevermind my crazy hair....it was just inside of a pumpkin...check out my CUTE NEW BOOTS!!!
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Saturday, November 11
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MERRY CHRISTMAS!
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Saturday, November 11
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Actually the greenhouse is the next door neighbor's early Christmas present! I figured I'd go meet him and check it out in case I could learn anything from its construction.
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Sunday, November 26
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Greetings from the Tobeck patch! The rye is coming in nice and thick!
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Sunday, December 24
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MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, and to all a good night!
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