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Homestead Farm Giant Pumpkins - August 13, 2006 - page 5

Giant pumpkin patch 1 - Sunday, August 13. It's been 3 weeks since I've been to the farm and I finally get out to see the Giant Pumpkin Patch - such that it is. From the van, it stands out from the rest of the field to the left in that the weeds are less.
Marked pumpkin patch 2 - I've marked in purple the patch.
Pumpkin wilted leaves 3 - First thing I notice is that I can see lots more actual pumpkins — but also I notice that the plant leaves are wilting dramatically. The heat has been over 100 degrees for about 6 days of that 3 weeks, and there has been no rain.
Pumpkin with wilted leaves 4 - These leaves look a bit wilted too... but not as bad as the other.
Deer chewed pumpkin 5 - the deer have been chewing on this pumpkin. Also Ben as the entire farm surrounded by a 8.5 foot wire deer fence, every now and then, one makes it through - then gets trapped and can't find it's way out. This one is well fed at least.
Wilted leaves 6 - This plant is severely wilted. Must be infested with bugs as well as the heat/drought.
Pumpkin 7 - We need some help understanding what is the "main" vine. How do we figure that?
Hand shows pumpkin size 8 - I'll have to bring a Coke can with me next time, to give a sense of scale... I thought maybe my hand would help you judge the size of this pumpkin. Note poor droopy leaf.
Pumpkin in the weeds 9 - Maybe we should have left the weeds in place. They would have given a little shade. This pumpkin doesn't look bad.
Ben and Maureen Allnutt
15600 Sugarland Road, Poolesville, Maryland 20837 • Recorded Message 301-977-3761