Jeff's Great Pumpkin Challenge

I took the "Emree" pumpkin to the Kansas State Fair on September 6.   It taped (measured) at an approximate weight of 1,152 points.  On the scale it came in at 1,116.6 pounds and was heavy enough to take 3rd place at the fair.  The 2nd place pumpkin was 1,167 pounds (near Macksville) and 1st place was 1,235 pounds (from Stilwell).     My biggest pumpkin in 2021 was 1,187 pounds so this one was not quite as big but was the "prettiest".   When I loaded it up, I almost couldn't get it fit in the back of my pickup! After the fair concluded I picked the pumpkin up and the next day headed to Woodward, Oklahoma via a route from Kingman to Dodge City to Woodward.  I had a doctor appointment in Dodge - thus the long trip.  The Emree pumpkin will be displayed at Kenny Farms (petting zoon / pumpkin patch) until the 26th of October when it will be used for a pumpkin drop in downtown Woodward.  That should be quite a sight.  I will gather seeds at that time as several have

After moving to Kingman (Kansas) in October, I wasn't sure if I would continue the giant pumpkin growing.  Alas, I succumbed to the addiction and broke out some ground here at the new place.  I got a soil sample and added the suggested nutrients specific to the Atlantic Giant.  On April 11th, I started 8 seeds under grow lights, which were: 1) A seed that granddaughter Emree brought me from Oklahoma (Bryan Baker from Woodward). He wasn't sure which seed it might be but the most likely pumpkin it came from was a cross between the 2015 Ford crossed with the1020 Ailts 2) Two seeds of my own 1187 pounder I grew in 2021. However, the seeds were crappy as I didn't get them out of the pumpkin due to work commitments (conference) and the pumpkin was starting to rot. 3) Three seeds from my own 822 pumpkin that I took to the Kansas State Fair in 2021 and took 2nd with. 4) Two seeds from my own 505 pumpkin I grew in 2020. Only 1 of the 1187 seeds germinated (surprisingly one did ger