From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Hadley Ny

I'm new to the site and would like to say hello! Recently retired and I am going to pursue the BIG ONE!!! I've grown pumpkins for nieces, nephews and the VFW (kids partys are great) for 25 years. Biggest store bought seed pumpkin about 200 lbs(Took two of us to pick it up). I've gardened for years and spent most of the winter doing research. Lots of time already in research, access to all kinds of manure, compost, fresh water ponds,etc. Ground is prepped with winter rye etc. Foothills of the Adirondacks, Hadley NY so I'm probably behind everybody else, still frost 1st week of June. Looking for advice from people when I need it. Look forward to communicating. T

3/25/2016 2:44:45 PM

Upa Creek, MO

Welcome, and you're not behind yet. Just make sure you can start seeds by mid April and you'll be fine, and you'll need some small easy to build coldframes for nights and cool days. I don't really need one here but built some sloped 3'x3' coldframes with 2x4s and mil plastic for seedling protection. Many of the guys In the northern states don't get to work the soil till seeds are already germinated inside and they can help you with other stuff like heating cables.Congrats on the retirement.

Luke

3/25/2016 3:15:57 PM

Hadley Ny

Thanks Luke, I spoke with Diana from Dill Enterprises and we are about on the same time frame. I purchased a bunch of their seeds and I will take her advice on staggering my germination period in week intervals in case something fails. I've got two farms and my homestead. I'll probably work as hard as I did with my concrete. I've got lots of seeds and not enough hours in the day. The Dill Farm has been great to me and I'm not sure I'm retired. T

3/25/2016 3:54:07 PM

Austin MN

Welcome! Tell ya what this hobby is all about helping people I'll give ya a 2020 Werner if you'll grow it? :)

3/25/2016 4:35:07 PM

Hadley Ny

Tconway I'll Grow It!! I've got a 1374 Engel I want to cross it with, some awesome genetics with the 359 Foss X 1048 Engel. I donate biggest pumpkin every year at the VFW Halloween party and 30-40 pumpkins for the kids. I know what donating is all about and I thank You. I'm new to the site, so I don't know how to go about this?T

3/25/2016 5:00:07 PM

Austin MN

Shoot me an email I'll walk you through it :)

3/25/2016 5:43:25 PM

Austin MN

tanner.n.conway@gmail.com

3/25/2016 5:43:45 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Welcome to the beginning of your life taking a quick left hand turn and there's no way to stop it!

Have fun this year and enjoy your retirement!

3/25/2016 5:57:41 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

Big T Here is an older documentary that will give you a good idea what this all about. enjoy it www.youtube.com/watch?v=voJ26zgR3jM

3/25/2016 6:30:48 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Clear your browser history, and run the other direction before it is too late. Soon you will be engulfed, and will not know how to escape.

3/25/2016 7:09:28 PM

Hadley Ny

I should have run 30 years ago!!!!, But then all the kids at the VFW and my 80 year old mother( she could see them pumpkins grow, wait till these take off) would have been deprived, plus my nieces and nephews. Thanks T

3/25/2016 7:16:49 PM

Mn

Welcome big t - good luck!

3/25/2016 8:03:55 PM

Upa Creek, MO

Check the grower diaries section from the home page. Not much info there for 2016 yet but you can filter by year and see growers from all over the world and progress from January till December by pics posted.

3/25/2016 8:05:25 PM

Deerfield, Michigan

No more summer vacations for you. lol

3/25/2016 8:34:01 PM

BC, Canada

FUN! Welcome Big T, You retired form concrete? Retired mason here. 2 farms you say? Funny how "retirement" turns in to a full time job. I'm chair of the local poultry club, on the board of the community abattoir and the Farmers Institute. When I get an hour free to work on my own little spread it's like a holiday.
How you try and add giant pumpkins to that! And yes, at the local fall fair seeing dozens of kids climbing on the pumpkins and a thousand family photos taken makes it all worth it,
Best of luck
Michael

3/25/2016 10:57:00 PM

Hadley Ny

Thanks Everybody! I appreciate it!

3/26/2016 11:39:07 AM