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Final 1997 Oregon Update

Hi All,
Well The season is over at least in my patch now.  A season which began with
great promise in the begining, Loss of interest when My grandfather passed
away in the middle and hope for 1998 in the end.  I tried many new things
this year which were woking very well up to the time away period in early
August.  I Thank everyone who sent words of encouragement to me through that
time. It will be hard growing without grandpa, but in his honor I will do it
for life.
Well here is how my giant vegetable garden officially weighed in:
Beet:  17 lbs.
Carrot: 2 lbs 8oz.
Cornstalk: 16'8"
Sunflower Head: 22"
Sunflower Stalk: 15'8"
Tomato: 4 lbs 3 oz.
Turnip: 6 lbs. 13 oz.
Rutebega:8 lbs 9 oz.
Cabbage: 43 lbs.
Kohlrobi: 21 lbs.
Watermelon: 42 lbs.

As for the pumpkins:
#1 627.5 Hester Plant (alias 'big plant') It was a splitter up until early
August when it started setting nice fruit. Largest pumpkin named Peter (as in
looks like the end of a) Weighed in at #436.  It was a five lober and crossed
with the LaRue #850.  The plant itself grew to outlandish proportions when
the patch was left alone.  In fact a 150 pounder is still growing 25 feet
onto my neighbors yard while another small pumpkin hangs in the cherry tree
after another runner climbed the mesh fence and hooked to the branch.  Just
walking the distance, the plant is about 110 feet east-west, and 60 feet
north-south.  
 
#850 LaRue Plant.  The weird duck to the end.  It began with club vines and
ended with sterile pumpkins. Of the 4 pumpkins I have taken off this plant
only 1 has had any seeds in it.  The other three have been solid meat.  They
aren't too big, but they are dense.  I have one left on the plant which
measures out to weigh about 450 lbs, but I can't even move it.  Pumpkins were
very long on this plant.

#827 Holland Plant:  Well I was warned about the splitting, but I tried it
anyway.  Largest pumpkin weighed in at 513 lbs., about a month ago.  Someone
remind me not to grow seeds notorious for splitting again.

#2 627 Plant (alais 'The Transplant')  Like the other #627 plant, this one
was very vigorous.  It is still growing with a three week old baby pumpkin
packing on the pounds on a teritiary vine out in the apple orchard.  Sine we
don't get a frost here until mid Nov. usually, heck I may still break my P.R.
this year.  Anyway, of the plants this year this one produced the biggie.
 "Spud" grew to some 314 total inches and weighed in at #598.  These will be
my Trade seeds for 1998.  
 
Trade seeds are what brings me to my last thing.  I would like to trade seeds
with everyone on the emailing list this year whether your a new grower or
hardened off sourdough, and the best time to get things started is now as we
carve into our babies.
                    Take Care everyone and I'll talk to you soon.
                                  Brett,  The Pumpkinguru
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