We took the scenic route home yesterday. It took us through Maxwell Wildlife Refuge-and a herd of buffalo. Kansas is a special place to live!
Grammy’s Pumpkin Patch McPherson, KS 2013
Author Archives: johnstownfarm
Rise of the Giants!
We entered the giant pumpkin contest at the Kansas State Fair. Our pumpkin wasn’t the smallest (yes). However, we were soundly tromped by a family from Wichita. Spoiler alert—499.8 pounds—that’s a lot pumpkin!
Ok, so they had a little poundage on us. It took two people to lift ours. They needed the forklift. Congrats to these awesome growers!
Grammy’s Pumpkin Patch-McPherson, KS 2013
We Got Worms!
We got worms-red wrigglers to be exact. We took a rode trip today to Belvue, Kansas, to visit with Debbie Anderson at Rising Mist Organic Farm. Our mission was to begin the adventure of vermicomposting- “vermi” meaning worm, so, yes, worm composting. Why worms? For their poop, of course! Worm poop, technically castings, are high in soil nutrients, helpful as an organic pesticide, and great study for our homeschool classroom.
Debbie has been in the worm business for over the years. She’s even written a book about worm composting. She is a wealth of knowledge on how we could “worm” our way into vermicomposting (sorry, that was a bad pun).
We enjoyed a tour of Rising Mist. I had never seen a worm nursery before. While the worms were hard at work, the owners were also hard at work preparing their bountiful and beautiful produce. Their secret is, of course, rich organic soil full of worm castings.
Grammy’s Pumpkin Patch – McPherson, KS 2013
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
As I checked out the patch this morning, here’s what I found:
The GOOD-nice looking Polar Bear pumpkins, maturing gourds, and an amazing spider among other pollinators
The BAD-squash bug eggs and hatchlings
The UGLY-a spot of “stressed” plants covered with black insects
I was concerned about these ugly bugs and vines, so I collected some sample insects, snapped some pictures with my tablet (loving the help of technology), and headed to Stutzman Garden Center. The diagnosis was good-those are not aphids or mites, just some gnats attracted to the pumpkin nearby that had been nibbled on by some critter. The critter is most likely to blame for the damaged vines too. Whew!
When Pigs Fly
This was my first time to attend the annual When Pigs Fly event at the McPherson Airport. It was fantastic! The day was packed with activities for every age. Of course, the BBQ contest caught my attention right off. Even at 8 am, the place smelled amazing, making it difficult to wait for lunchtime. Rides from horses to helicopters were available too.
When we were approached by the committee to bring the Grammy’s Barrel Train and Build-N-Blast, we excited. The event is a fundraiser for scholarships in the field of agriculture, so being the agriculture education nerds that we all are, we loved the idea. Thanks to all the other volunteers and patrons, the day a success!
Grammy’s Pumpkin Patch McPherson Kansas 2013
Johnstown Farm 