Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 9 Entries. Sunday, March 1 View Page First time Giant want to be grower for 2026. My wife put the bug in my head for this in Oct. 2025. We picked our normal tiny pumpkin patch and carved one to fit the granddaughter in and my wife made the comment your going to have to learn how to grow a bigger pumpkin! So I started researching Big Pumpkins. Wow, I would have never known what you guys have been able to grow. Wish me Luck and I would appreciate advice along the way. Tuesday, March 3 View Page I pulled soil sample in early Oct I worked Mustard in late December after we finally got a killing frost it grew well but it was a warm fall. I have a 10,000 ft garden I did do a large gypsum amendment on new years day 180 lb. per 1000 ft.and 1.6 lb of borax per 1000. 70 degrees in Arkansas happy new year. I would appreciate some suggestions on MG and CU and anything else you guys think I could do. Wednesday, March 4 View Page 10-10-2025 Compost,I have been playing with compost for about 6 years, the stew will look a little different from year to year but I use pretty much the same stuff year in and out. The research I put in to maybe growing a giant pumpkin in 2026 made me think I should step it up.I started with 30 yards of cotton gin trash, 6000 lb. of rice hulls with broken rice pieces mixed in(rice hulls are packed full of Silica)15 yards off leaves, 10 yards of dried soybean hulls and around 10 yards of wood chips. I don't know how much coffee grounds I added but quiet a bit, guessing I added 200 lb. of whole soybeans, probably a ton of cow manure. I know this was not all I added but its the majority of it. By the way I did build the pile in a windrow it started about 6 feet high. Just add water and stir watch it cook. Rice Hulls and cotton gin trash are both hydrophobic did I mention add add add water. I will put a pic of the gin trash I would guess a few of you guys haven't been around it. Wednesday, March 4 View Page 10-10-2025 Compost,I have been playing with compost for about 6 years, the stew will look a little different from year to year but I use pretty much the same stuff year in and out. The research I put in to maybe growing a giant pumpkin in 2026 made me think I should step it up.I started with 30 yards of cotton gin trash, 6000 lb. of rice hulls with broken rice pieces mixed in(rice hulls are packed full of Silica)15 yards off leaves, 10 yards of dried soybean hulls and around 10 yards of wood chips. I don't know how much coffee grounds I added but quiet a bit, guessing I added 200 lb. of whole soybeans, probably a ton of cow manure. I know this was not all I added but its the majority of it. By the way I did build the pile in a windrow it started about 6 feet high. Just add water and stir watch it cook. Rice Hulls and cotton gin trash are both hydrophobic did I mention add add add water. I will put a pic of the gin trash I would guess a few of you guys haven't been around it. Wednesday, March 4 View Page Compost, I spread the rice hulls in a separate spot for a few days soaking them morning and night. I will set a sprinkler and a timer next year can't get them to take moisture until they finally do. they are about like vermiculite. Wednesday, March 4 View Page 11-16-2025 compost starting to look like compost should. 5 weeks and about 12 flips in the project. Had some good help hosing it down today. those blue shoes went home dirty enough that granddad got in in trouble. Friday, March 6 View Page 12-30-25 Lucky me, my Lil brother has a turkey production farm and he brought me two loads of house clean out turkey manure.I will spread it on the pasture but today I put about 5 tractor buckets on the Pumpkin patch and 5 on the watermelon patch. Friday, March 6 View Page New years day spread the gypsum and boron on top of the turkey litter and enjoyed the warm day, timed the rebuilt fuel pump a little better on the old 4010 she rolls black smoke instead of white gray she hasn't done that in 25 years. I think she enjoyed working in the mustard and amendments as much as I did. Friday, March 6 View Page Gonna fast forward to today probably have some more history to talk about later. Stuck the BBQ probe in the ground this afternoon and she is warming up. Hope everyone has a good time at the convention!