Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 6 Entries. Saturday, January 17 View Page This was a warty field pumpkin... This variety has a hard outer shell that helps it last longer without rotting. Its probably frustrating to carve but its good winter animal food. My sheep love pumpkins... a bit too much. They are my fellow pumpkin addicts. I think when we had goats they were less enamoured with pumpkins. But I dont remember how many pumpkins I offered them, that was quite awhile ago. Tuesday, February 17 View Page This was true last year. No goal for this year. Wednesday, March 4 View Page It will may be difficult to choose a seed lineup this year. The only 2025 seed I was really considering was RonB.'s white one. I have a lot of great pre 2025 seeds that deserve to see dirt, and I think a few will. Final selection will reduce it down to one plant! Growing really BIG this year, hopefully. PS Brad Bahns? lost a nice white Blossom Down pumpkin last year @ about 800 lbs. I guess they don't all make it. Dedicating this year to Brad. Friday, March 20 View Page I spread a cube of fine wood shavings (animal bedding from pine wood) on the patch just to give the worms and fungal life something to do... It could rob some nutrients for a few months, but it will improve the soil health in the long run I think. This is what one cube spread over 1,000 sq ft looks like. The correct amount (if this is even a good idea) would stimulate the soil rather than overwhelming and thereby altering the soil. Trying to respect the axiom that less is often more. Plus I'm trying to suppress disease and I think my regular mulch won't do that. But straw and conifer mulch may help with this. Saturday, March 21 View Page Big temperature differences! Happy Spring! It's exciting to see seeds going in the ground in people's diaries, it's very motivating. I could start now too I suppose but it's a gamble. I will say that the direct seeding I did last year wasn't too helpful and it seems easier and maybe better to just plop a big plant in the ground and call it good. I may abandon the direct seeding idea and return to transplanting like most people. There are reasons why this may be better. (Less time for buildup of soil pests?) Monday, March 23 View Page Well I held off as long as I could but earlier has been better for me. So here it goes, yay another year! 3/22 9:00pm: Soaking some of my old 2017 pumpkin seeds to see if they'll sprout. Paper towel with straight 3% hydrogen peroxide. This step is not necessary for young (under 6 year old) seeds which have normal vigor. I made some reasonably good crosses in 2017. It's time to grow them.