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Medicine Hat Update

I've been very busy this summer and never seemed to have time to get
around to updating what's going on with my pumpkin.  As it stand now my
largest measures 117.5 inches circumference, 71 from front to back and
70.5 side to side for a total of 259 inches and a weight estimate of 352
pounds.  My previous best was a 336 in 1995, so if the estimate is close
to the actual weight I may have beaten my own record.  We have not had
any frost yet in the Hat but it will be very cool the next few nights
with lows of around 4 degreees celcius forecast.  By Sunday it will be
pretty warm with highs of 25 celcius.  My pumpkin is warmly wrapped in a
blanket and a tarp (all underneath a 5 x 5 shade shelter) also with an
electric heater and a thermostat set to 20 celcius (68 F) to keep it
from getting cold.  Back in 1995 my 336 was estimated at about 260 at
this date and it continued to grow slowly into October so I hope that
this one will do the same and maybe come close to 400.

Barring any pumpkin disasters, I plan to go up to the weighoff in Smoky
Lake.  Last years 5th place finisher was 445 pounds so I hope that I
will at least make the top 10.   Next year I plan to set up a little
greenhouse for the first part of the season (April/May) so that I have a
fair chance of pollinating in June instead of mid-July.  It simply gets
too cool here in September to have much hope of any significant growth
much after the first week in September.

Any other growers on the list heading to Smoky Lake?  We should arrange
a get together at the weighoff.

Bill Kournikakis
Medicine Hat, Alberta
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