Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 244 Entries. Wednesday, January 1 View Page Here we go again:)   Monday, January 6 View Page Crazy A. -30 wind chill   Tuesday, February 4 View Page snowing   Tuesday, February 11 View Page This winter officially sucks   Monday, February 17 View Page awl....poop machines   Saturday, March 1 View Page :)   Sunday, March 2 View Page starting to get excited about growing   Sunday, March 2 View Page Got some new ideas   Sunday, March 2 View Page But its MY SECRET. Your not a real Pumpkin grower unless you have some, at least that's what they tell me:) So don't watch my diary because I'm terrible at keeping secrets. <]:)   Sunday, March 2 View Page I know it has something to do with this.   Sunday, March 2 View Page And these   Sunday, March 2 View Page So I'm adding plenty of this   Sunday, March 2 View Page I also have a master gardener who will help me.   Monday, March 3 View Page Got some more soil amendments. Thanks for the tip Chris.   Saturday, March 8 View Page Wiz, Have you sold out to the dark side?   Saturday, March 8 View Page Beware they always offer the first free, and then your hooked for life   Sunday, March 9 View Page Look open water Yay!!   Monday, March 10 View Page for meeeeeee....These are the times I wish for a bigger truck. That's OK I'll get it to fit:)   Wednesday, March 12 View Page Tried some digging today but the ground is still frozen:(   Thursday, March 13 View Page Dang Back.   Thursday, March 13 View Page Other year gone and the wall still is standing but barely. Oh well just will have to make do. Maybe if I keep on adding soil and amendments it will just catch up the other wall:)   Thursday, March 20 View Page Check this out everyone, now I'm a movie star! Even though I'm not so elegant <]:) Surprising how much wood pieces you can get from city compost. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRLYRdqL_FI   Saturday, March 22 View Page Master I'm not afraid...... you will be....you will be... Ok I'll try, there is no try, do or do not.   Saturday, March 22 View Page Beware the dark side growers. Once down that path forever will it dominate your destiny.   Saturday, March 22 View Page Doing some soil sampling..... Alaskan style.. How's my technique Dale.   Saturday, March 22 View Page I must of used to much fish fertilizer last year.   Sunday, March 23 View Page >_<   Sunday, March 23 View Page New addition to the pumpkin patch this year.   Tuesday, March 25 View Page Brought in a few loads   Saturday, March 29 View Page rough ride   Saturday, March 29 View Page Guess which one grow pumpkins.   Sunday, March 30 View Page Here's a very rare site in the garden. The allusive helpful child:)   Thursday, April 17 View Page Its ALIVE!!!   Thursday, April 17 View Page More to cut up. 4 weeks to go.   Saturday, April 19 View Page Time to toughen them up.   Saturday, April 19 View Page Time to toughen them up.   Monday, April 21 View Page Welcome lady's and gentlemen, to the first fight of the season. Introducing the returning champion in the right corner Big Black Cherry!!....And in the left corner the Unnddrrdog Grafted Black Cherry. So lets have a good clean fight. No hitting bellow the ground, and No freezing. LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE! Ding...ding.   Thursday, April 24 View Page My solution to rain and high winds. No!! honey, I haven't seen the chairs.   Thursday, April 24 View Page Little big for a transplant. And it was the smallest one. Grafted Cherokee purple   Sunday, April 27 View Page Time to getter started   Sunday, April 27 View Page the line up   Sunday, April 27 View Page The important is rarely urgent, and the urgent is rarely important.   Tuesday, April 29 View Page Funny thing happened to me today. I went to check and see if my babies have started to root and started to put them and to their bigger pots. I had six pots but only five seeds. One just magically disappeared. I am really glad that I marked each seed so that I am sure of what is going to come out. Now I'm just waiting for the fun surprised to see exactly where it pops up.   Tuesday, May 6 View Page April   Tuesday, May 6 View Page 10 days from soak   Thursday, May 8 View Page Left graft. got some leaf burn, frost or something. Right control. Middle bucket much better growth. Usually the first to get a tomato from. They are all Black cherry. Started at the same time.   Tuesday, May 27 View Page frost got me again. 2 days before the last frost date. even had them covered. Have to do a better job next year.   Tuesday, May 27 View Page 1107 Zunino   Tuesday, May 27 View Page 1662 Stelts   Tuesday, May 27 View Page left 890 Dill-MacDonalds. Right 377 Zunino   Tuesday, May 27 View Page 90% Grafted   Wednesday, June 4 View Page They survived the storm!   Sunday, June 8 View Page ha   Sunday, June 8 View Page anyone know what wrong with my plant....virus?   Sunday, June 8 View Page Do you think this is overkill?   Sunday, June 8 View Page whats this?   Sunday, June 8 View Page yellow dots   Friday, June 13 View Page ha   Sunday, June 15 View Page talk about a high stress moment. moving the main to till.   Sunday, June 15 View Page getting ready for the storms...worry worry worry:)   Sunday, June 15 View Page I love trying all the weird ones. Weird is as weird d-oes <];D   Sunday, June 15 View Page mom said they couldn't get in the pool today...may as well they got just as wet anyways. :D   Wednesday, June 18 View Page growing and going   Wednesday, June 18 View Page never seen so many flowers on one plant. Brandy-wine. But still no mega blooms..Ne soil?   Saturday, June 21 View Page Last 16 hours 4 to 5" of rain. good way to fill my pool.   Saturday, June 21 View Page mornings are much nicer when get to go see the pants (Yesterday)   Saturday, June 21 View Page when dew is on everything beautiful. (yesterday)   Saturday, June 21 View Page Then there mornings like this one poured 8 hr straight. Grateful no hail. Got some cleaning up to do. Happy birthday to me <];)   Saturday, June 28 View Page Time to rip out the back up. I hope   Saturday, June 28 View Page almost time   Saturday, June 28 View Page Safe sex   Saturday, June 28 View Page deformed.   Saturday, June 28 View Page Yesterday's conquest   Sunday, June 29 View Page 960 Gasert   Sunday, June 29 View Page spent all day in the patch getting it cleaned and tilled. it was a very comfortable and enjoyable day   Sunday, June 29 View Page I think kin growing is making me bipolar. I had such wonderful day yesterday. Today I just hate myself..lol. After spending all day looking at the plants. Today I wake up after sleeping in to find a female open. I would of thought I had 1 or 2 days WRONG CRAP!!! Plus rain..AGAIN! I found some viable pollen But the female......   Sunday, June 29 View Page ..all wet and funny looking.   Tuesday, July 1 View Page 1662 x 1107   Wednesday, July 2 View Page june   Saturday, July 5 View Page This is the latest for first tomatoes. I blame I let to many grow bush or 2 or 3 stalks, need to go back to single. Plus it don't help having dog's that love them. I would see them getting ripe then they would disappear :)   Tuesday, July 8 View Page one of this year experiments   Tuesday, July 8 View Page strip of paper sack. bury   Tuesday, July 8 View Page results. The paper helped to hold in the moister   Tuesday, July 8 View Page The grafted verses not grafted Black cherry tomatoes. no real differences. But on some other verity's like brandy wine, big zac and celebrity shows much more tomatoes   Tuesday, July 8 View Page 890 x 377   Tuesday, July 8 View Page Got the week off. Morning are much nicer to do the work in. Think I can paint, 2nd shift:)   Tuesday, July 8 View Page 1107   Tuesday, July 8 View Page 1662   Tuesday, July 8 View Page 377 & 1662   Tuesday, July 8 View Page your reading my mind.   Friday, July 11 View Page Grafted Brandy wine   Friday, July 11 View Page grafted pepper. 9 peppers wow   Friday, July 11 View Page Don't drink the water!!!   Friday, July 11 View Page Time to start thinking up names :) 890 Dill-MacDonald’12 x 377 Zunino 13 Dill princess :D   Friday, July 11 View Page had a choice to make. I think I'm going to puke.   Friday, July 11 View Page for this 1. I hope I wont regret it.   Friday, July 11 View Page 1662 stelts 09 x 1107 Zunino 13   Saturday, July 12 View Page Will tomorrow be a double hitter   Saturday, July 12 View Page 960 Gansert finely ready   Friday, July 18 View Page "Morpheus" 1662 Stelts   Friday, July 18 View Page "Pugsley" 377 Zunino   Saturday, July 19 View Page "Maximus" 890 Dill- MacDonald X 377 Zunino   Saturday, July 19 View Page "Sméagol" 1107 Zunino   Saturday, July 19 View Page to bad it wasn't a mega bloom   Saturday, July 19 View Page Grafted pepper. the only way to go   Saturday, July 19 View Page grafted (left) not (right) no differences. Black cherry   Saturday, July 19 View Page Here is my late season attempt for sweeter tasting tomatoes in the fall. I want to see if older plants lose there flavor (maybe why I don't eat as many by the end of summer. Or if I'm just sick of them:) Plus I'm using Ron's grow bags.   Saturday, July 19 View Page this tomato plant has Ron's grow bags in it. It the one with all the huge tomatoes on it. (Thanks Ron) My dogs looks depressed she can't get at them. she loves tomatoes   Monday, July 21 View Page sometimes I wonder about pumpkin growers   Monday, July 21 View Page LOL   Wednesday, July 23 View Page Blower extension works great Cris, thanks for telling me about it.   Saturday, July 26 View Page 1662. 238"   Saturday, July 26 View Page "Sméagol" is funky looking pumpkin   Saturday, July 26 View Page 377   Saturday, July 26 View Page name change from "Maximus" to Oscar.....mayer weeeiner:)   Saturday, July 26 View Page almost maxed out.   Saturday, July 26 View Page this is maxed   Saturday, July 26 View Page can't believe the weight of tomatoes on this plant. Its not a graft. Its a grow bag.   Saturday, July 26 View Page finally getting big tomatoes.   Sunday, July 27 View Page Now you can't say I don't get you flowers:)   Sunday, July 27 View Page I even got her a riding lawn mower.   Monday, July 28 View Page dug out the tea bucket for Extreme tea   Wednesday, July 30 View Page Glad I tested. I was thinking I was low on nitrogen, Go to show ya don't grow on you feelings:) Grow on the facts.   Thursday, July 31 View Page Wet t-shirt contest   Friday, August 1 View Page coolest july ever   Friday, August 1 View Page its good to have a little wife, she makes the pumpkin look huge!...286. around 500lbs   Friday, August 1 View Page got it made for the ugliest pumpkin, 200lbs   Friday, August 1 View Page I was shocked to see how big this one got in a week small plant but still doing 20lbs a day.   Friday, August 1 View Page the smallest plant..just 8 lbs a day.   Friday, August 1 View Page The baby of the family   Sunday, August 3 View Page sad day for pugsley   Sunday, August 3 View Page all sulfured up. Growing pumpkins is not for the easily angered :)   Friday, August 8 View Page I got the name...Limpy   Friday, August 8 View Page looking good. dried up nicely. Thanks John   Friday, August 8 View Page now this one?   Monday, August 11 View Page New PB 343" :)))   Monday, August 11 View Page But..... its not without issues   Wednesday, August 13 View Page New PB 3 6.7 4.41 Timm Grafted. I'll sure grow this next year. It had the most mega blooms of any of the plants. Plus I think I will do more then just water:)   Saturday, August 16 View Page Someone should of cut him off.   Saturday, August 16 View Page 890 Dill- MacDonald X 377 Zunino Would of made a pretty pumpkin boat if it had more plant. 255 ott, 310lbs est, 5 lbs a day   Saturday, August 16 View Page The drinker:)   Saturday, August 16 View Page 960 Gansert Limpy 255 ott, 357lbs, 20 lbs a day   Saturday, August 16 View Page 377 Zunino pugsley 297 ott, 555lbs est, 20lbs a day. Yes it a males name. Yes I know they say all pumpkins are female. But this is a plant it has both sexes. Just like worms are not all females, and I'm not renaming my worms ether. (soapbox) hee hee.:D   Saturday, August 16 View Page 1662 stelts x 1107 Zunino Morpheus   Saturday, August 16 View Page Sure is purdy   Friday, August 22 View Page what the bleep,bleep,bleepity, bleep. rotting vine   Saturday, August 23 View Page little bigger now:)   Saturday, August 30 View Page getting really full   Saturday, August 30 View Page fence did really good this year. Maybe if we get rid of the dogs I would have more room for pumpkins. Ya no more picking up dog doo...Ya right:)   Sunday, August 31 View Page Here's a pumpkin first for me.   Sunday, August 31 View Page Bonehead move of the year! I had a good one going. I was trimming a vine, but noooo it was the stem. O well there's always next year:)   Sunday, August 31 View Page Crap!!! I think I'll go back to fishing. There's only a few stressful minutes. Pumpkins, day after day of stress.   Sunday, August 31 View Page Tornado Watch!!! Wifey; Honey where's the memory foam off the bed. Me; I don't know sweetheart:)   Monday, September 1 View Page 377 Zunino pugsley 750lbs on 225sqf   Saturday, September 6 View Page Beat my PB for the 2nd time this year. 824lbs   Saturday, September 6 View Page oops   Saturday, September 6 View Page Funny thing is they no longer think pumpkins like this are no big deal. lol   Wednesday, September 10 View Page I got a big stem....and a big butt:) 24 days to Anamosa.   Friday, September 12 View Page almost forgot   Friday, September 12 View Page better safe then sorry still got 3 weeks to go   Friday, September 12 View Page this one is shaped like a stawberry   Saturday, September 13 View Page First patch tour today. It was the Biggest Nebraska patch tour so far. 2 area growers. really the only 2:) Blase Bigga and John Cotton. They are great guys. They showed me I was Measuring wrong! Glad that it was I was measuring less than it should be, by 4 inches!!!   Saturday, September 13 View Page Blase Bigga and John Cotton and me. The Ne grower association. :)   Saturday, September 13 View Page oops   Sunday, September 14 View Page lifting practice. Plus i couldn't wait to play with my new scale, I got the one that goes up to 3000. I'll need that for next year:) This is the lifer for just weighing or putting on pallet (10'). I have the 16' ready for the truck.   Sunday, September 14 View Page Great now what else can I weigh:)   Sunday, September 14 View Page look no concrete glad I added the sand, plus it helped the soil hold water, I believe clay soil also acts as a wick and sucks all my water to my neighbors the sand helped hold the water in place. It is so cool when at the end of the year you can push a machete right up to the hilt with little presser.   Tuesday, September 16 View Page Good problem to have..This is so cool   Tuesday, September 16 View Page lol;)   Saturday, September 20 View Page News crews stopped by to see the new state record. http://www.jrn.com/kmtv/news/Largest-Pumpkin-Ever-Grown-In-Nebraska-275901891.html   Wednesday, September 24 View Page now this would be cool to see   Wednesday, September 24 View Page Don't believe everything you read   Wednesday, September 24 View Page I'm feeling much safer now with this tree climbers rope this wont drop the mighty morpheus. I was really sweating the 500lbs rope I got from home-depot. Thanks Don <]:) 10 Days :)))))))   Wednesday, September 24 View Page oops   Sunday, September 28 View Page My Pastor stopped by and prayed over the mighty Morpheus! 6 days til Anamosa   Sunday, September 28 View Page red neck strap adjusters   Sunday, September 28 View Page have to get Pugsley moved 2 weeks early for The Harvest Bash. My bobcat guy is going on vacation so its now or never:(   Sunday, September 28 View Page this was a sad sight to see on Limpy. I could put my whole hand in the hole. it was gross.   Sunday, September 28 View Page The end, for limpy 698 lbs   Sunday, September 28 View Page pugsly   Sunday, September 28 View Page limpy 699.5   Wednesday, October 1 View Page September   Thursday, October 2 View Page under cover shhhh:D trying to keep the ground dry for moving   Thursday, October 2 View Page she does have a big butt   Thursday, October 2 View Page 14'   Thursday, October 2 View Page almost time to load her up. Its hard letting go, its been quite the ride.   Friday, October 3 View Page Had to make the lift with News crews..little nerve racking:)) http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/Bellevue-Pumpkin-Takes-State-Title-278077351.html   Sunday, October 5 View Page Had a Great time, with some great guys. New NE. state record 1399lbs and Howard Dill too:)))   Sunday, October 5 View Page Top 10 and yep I'm in there. I'm the one with the first place smile:) even though I go 5th   Sunday, October 5 View Page Anamosa   Sunday, October 5 View Page She's so pretty. and the pumpkin isn't bad ether.   Sunday, October 5 View Page Have you hug your pumpkin today   Sunday, October 5 View Page can you believe they what me to talk. they won't make that mistake again:)   Tuesday, October 7 View Page note to self; Stop growing on the freaking wall <]:)   Tuesday, October 7 View Page not bad for 50sqf   Thursday, October 9 View Page Anamosa, Iowa Howard Dill winner: 1399 Christensen. The cross was 1662 Stelts 09 x 1107 Zunino 13.   Saturday, October 11 View Page look who showed up at the Harvest Bash in Pawnee city. And I thought he was going to Still water :( :D   Saturday, October 11 View Page So we got 2nd Thanks Don lol. 829lbs   Saturday, October 11 View Page we had fun all four of us. Don had 1104lbs, Nanetle Hatfield 601.5lbs , Denise Delconing 497.5, Jacob Marintzer 563 DMG new NE record lol good one:D Great job everyone   Saturday, October 11 View Page must of been a record for the biggest pumpkin mover.   Tuesday, October 14 View Page Think this might keep them safe? Or should I get a sign saying if you hurt them I'll bury you in the back yard.   Sunday, October 19 View Page Sure are meeting a lot of people.   Sunday, October 19 View Page Grand kids are getting so big. So are the pumpkins:)   Sunday, October 19 View Page Seed shipper idea. I sent these seeds to Chris (in California) and had him send them back (thanks bud:). Just to see if it could be done, or if they would be kicked back for more postage. They made it there and back with just one stamp each way! But the real test was that they would not be damaged by there machines (the crushers)   Sunday, October 19 View Page To test it even further I ran it over with the car:) And it didn't crush or even crack them. Don't try this at home, I'm a professional To go through the mail this way the letter must be less than 1/4 inch thick. so I made them 3/16 which was less then the seeds. This won't work with the thicker seeds. but there are a lot that will, especially tomato seeds. But being cheap wasn't my goal. saving clubs money and getting your seeds to more growers safely was. Thicker rings could be use to ship them really expensive seeds. (the kind I could never afford:( Making them is very simple, 1" pvc and a fine tooth saw. just be sure to pack them tight so they don't move out of the ring. Hope this idea can help anyone who wants to use it.   Sunday, October 19 View Page Day 92 181,104,112= 397" 1336   Sunday, October 19 View Page or below the stem 405" 1416 Me thinks I should of stayed above the stem <]:)   Sunday, October 19 View Page This gives me an idea. Now I just have to get Villafane's phone number.   Wednesday, October 22 View Page Here's a good idea:)   Wednesday, October 22 View Page can you tell what side did well and what one didn't. These tests are finally not in French .lol   Wednesday, October 22 View Page oops this was the test I was referring to   Friday, October 24 View Page just weighed my 829 again. it weighed 847 on the 29th. Then 829 On the 11th. today it weighs 817 21 days after it was first cut, it lost 30 in 25 days most of the weigh lost happens the first week. You know I'll keep the vine in bucket of water next year.   Saturday, October 25 View Page It was atacked   Saturday, October 25 View Page by me:)   Sunday, October 26 View Page Pug-a-Saur   Sunday, October 26 View Page side view   Wednesday, October 29 View Page This is as fun as it looks   Wednesday, October 29 View Page after some late hours carving   Wednesday, October 29 View Page Morpheus got upset at times   Wednesday, October 29 View Page The mighty Morpheasuarus was born!!! The Largest Jack-o-lantern in Nebraska:)   Wednesday, October 29 View Page Had to start over when my first idea wouldn't work. Glad that it wasn't completely ruined.   Wednesday, October 29 View Page Glad the walls was so thick   Wednesday, October 29 View Page Can't believe all the cars and people looking at them. Can you guess what the number one question is?....That's right...Yes there real pumpkins:)   Tuesday, November 4 View Page my wife's first 3-d carving.   Tuesday, November 4 View Page God is truly amazing. I am so humbled by the amazing night that he blessed us with, we got to bask in his glory, sharing his creation with 350 to 400 people that stop by to look at the pumpkins. Some even forgot to get candy because they were so busy looking at the pumpkins. It's been an amazing ride. Thank you Jesus!   Sunday, November 9 View Page Lower then i hoped for   Sunday, November 9 View Page Try that again   Sunday, November 9 View Page Well I finally had to happen I gave up my old dinosaur phone for a smart one and now I'm entirely lost. Oh well move forward with the times, I'm excited to be able to post pictures more, now we'll see if I can keep up with Bubba . Yeah right just kidding;)   Tuesday, November 18 View Page Finally starting to get them out   Tuesday, November 18 View Page I'm not smart enough to my get my smart phone to send a picture:( (above a picture of mail ready to go out) lol:D   Tuesday, November 18 View Page Trying again   Tuesday, November 18 View Page Yay! Now how did i do it;)   Wednesday, November 26 View Page Got my first return to sender. I guess too sad to see this is pushing my luck   Wednesday, November 26 View Page 2 sets is pushing my luck   Wednesday, November 26 View Page http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=232003 Noooooooooooooooooooooooo:(((   Thursday, November 27 View Page Happy Thanksgiving:)   Friday, November 28 View Page I feel my pumpkin was the better pumpkin for the Howard dill reward By far. Do I feel ripped off. Oh ya. The judges choose a 495 lbs lumpy rose colored with the stem completely rotted off. Over my 829 that I grew for color and shape just for this reward:( I feel the judge shouldn't be the brother of the contestant and push the other 2 to his will.   Tuesday, December 2 View Page A little tape keep the seeds in their place . Many have been shipped 0 have been damaged. I'm even useing in them inside the bubbles just as an extra bit of precaution who wants to see a broken seed. If somebody needed me to make somefor um just get a hold of me.I think 25 cents a each would cover making them and shipping   Tuesday, December 2 View Page or more for less$$$   Tuesday, December 9 View Page dun dun dun da da dun da da dun da da da da da dun da da dun ;)) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOVFvcNfvE   Wednesday, December 31 View Page Beanie weenies   Wednesday, December 31 View Page Chili cheese dips   Wednesday, December 31 View Page :-)   Wednesday, December 31 View Page Let the fun begin